Concise Arabic: The Arabic language conveys a wealth of knowledge and meaning in a few words. Few Words, Great Impact

قال سفيان ابن عيينة (رحمه الله) : لا تنظروا إلى عقل الرجل في كلامه، ولكن انظروا إلى عقله في مخارج أموره

(العقل وفضله لابن أبي الدنيا، ٣٩)

Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (rahimahullah) said:

Do not look at (i.e., measure) a man’s intelligence by (the eloquence of) his speech (because any person can talk),

Rather, look to see (i.e., measure) his intelligence by the outcomes of his affairs.

[Intelligence and Its Virtue, Ibn Abi ad-Dunya (rahimahullah), 39]

[Explanation:

- in short, don’t judge a man’s intelligence by his words, but by his actions, (and their viable outcomes).

- in detail, if a man truly was intelligent and wise, you would see the affect of his wise decisions on his life’s affairs (because anyone can talk, but only a real person of intelligence walks the talk). Do not think that a person is intelligent or wise just because he speaks eloquently, but rather if you see someone whose affairs are being taken care of by Allah in wondrous ways, then look at his actions, what kind of intelligent and wise decisions is he making with his life and deeds (i.e., in manners, heart, worship, etc) that Allah is making his life blessed, content and peaceful for him (even in the face of tests)? Therefore if you see a man who has contentment in his life then seek to understand his intelligent decisions.]

A Hadith that clarifies this quote (this is not commentary on the Hadith, but the opposite)

Anas ibn Malik (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) reported:

We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and he said,

“A man from the people of Paradise is coming to you.”

A man from the Ansar came whose beard was disheveled by the water of ablution, and he was carrying both of his shoes with his left hand.

The next day the Prophet of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) repeated the same words, and the man came in the same condition.

On the third day, the Prophet of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) repeated the same again, and the man came in the same condition.

When the Prophet of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) stood up to leave,

Abdullah ibn Amr (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) followed the man and said to him,

“I am in an argument with my father, and I have sworn not to enter my home for three days. May I stay with you?”

The man said yes.

Abdullah stayed three nights with the man, but he never saw him praying at night.

Whenever he went to bed, the man would make the rememberance of Allah (adhkar before sleep) and rest until he woke up for morning (fajr) prayer.

— Abdullah said that he had never heard anything but good words coming from his mouth —

When three nights had passed, and he did not see anything special about his actions,

(so) Abdullah asked him, “O servant of Allah, I have not been in an argument with my father, nor have I cut off relations with him.

I heard the Prophet say three times that a man from the people of Paradise was coming to us and then you came.

I thought I would stay with you to see what you are doing that I could follow, but I did not see you do many good deeds.

What is it that made the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say what he said about you?'

The man said, 'I am as you have seen, except that:

1. I do not find dishonesty inside me towards any Muslim,
2. and I do not envy anyone because of the good that Allah has given them.

Abdullah said, ‘This is what made you reach that level, and it is what we find very difficult to achieve.’”

Musnad of Imam Ahmad (ragimahullah) 12697, Sahih(authentic) by Shu’ayb al-Arna’ut (rahimahullab) in Musnad al-Shu’ayb, 20/125. [Further Reading]

Footnote: In this Hadith we are to note the actions of the man who the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said referring to him “A man from the people of Paradise”.

Sincerity to Allah and Arabic will Show You Who is Upon the Truth and Who is Feigning Knowledge

Imām ash-Shāf'iī (rahīmahullāh) said:

…(the people did not) differ (with each other) except due to their abandonment of the language of the Arabs and their inclination to the language of Aristotle.

[Imām ash-Shāf'iī (rahīmahullāh), adh-Dhahabī (rahīmahullāh), Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalā, 10/74]

The example of (the Arabic language is) a house made of cane (the likes of sugar cane), but its door is made of steel (metal or iron, and is heavy). Meaning, it is difficult for one to enter, but once one does enter, it is then made easy.
[Sharh al-Ajroomiyyah of Ibn Ajroom (rahimahullah), Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (rahimahullah), pg. 9]

As a new Muslim, 3 of my early treasures were:

-Tafsir ibn Kathir
-Jami' al-Tirmidhi
-Riyadh al-Saliheen

What made all of these books treasures was that each was had ?????? ???? ????????? ??? ??????? ???????????.

Whenever I read something from these books I also read the neighboring Arabic text. And I tried to read something each day even if only a little.

At first I could only sound out the words. Slowly, I began to recognize common words & make connections.

As months passed, I worked to match the Arabic to the English translation. Little by little, my vocabulary increased. I didn't know it then, but this was helping me to soak up the underlying rules of the language. Once I started learning the rules in a formal way, everything clicked, الحمد لله

??????? ????-??-???? ???????-?????? ???????????? ?? ? ????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ?????????? ??? ?????????????. It takes time, but it is time well spent. If you read just one hadith a day - Arabic & English - from Riyadh al-Saliheen, progress will come.

al-Hasan al-Basri (rahīmahullāh) said:

They (the innovators) were destroyed by their inability in Arabic (al-‘ujmah).

[Abdullah ibn Zayd an-Numayri (rahimahullah) reports from al-Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullah), al-Bukhari (rahimahullah), at-Taareekh al-Kabeer, vol. 5, pg. 99]

“But he’s not from us” “he’s not Arab!”
A foreigner is the one who is not eloquent/proficient in the Arabic language, even if he is of Arab origin.

[Ibn Hajr al-Asaqalani (rahimahullah), al-Fath al-Bari, 1/339]

Black, White, Arab, Non-Arab The Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) **said:

There is no superiority for the Arab over the non-Arab,

nor the non-Arab over the Arab,

nor a white person over a black person

nor a black person over a white person

except in

• terms of piety and
• dutifulness to Allaah.

The people (all of them) came from Adam (alayhis salam),

and Adam came from the soil.**

[Saheeh aj-Jaami’, 1780]

Non-arabs do not have an excuse or a justification in that the Quran is not in their language. Rather it is upon them to learn the (Arabic) language.

[Shaykh ibn Uthaymīn (rahīmahullāh), Noor ‘Alaa ad-Darb]

I encourage the student (of knowledge) to learn the foundations of the (Arabic) language.

[Sharh al-Ajroomiyyah of Ibn Ajroom (rahimahullah), Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (rahimahullah), pg. 9]

Indeed the Arabic language itself is from the religion. Having knowledge of it is an obligation.

[Ibn Taymiyyah (rahīmahullāh), Iqtidaa’ as-Sirat al-Mustaqim, 1/527]

Uniqueness of the Arabic Language Even in its Alphabets

The Lexicographer, al-Khaleel Ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi said:

There is nothing in the tongues (languages) similar to the alphabet dhaa (ظ) other than in the Arabic language.

[Dictionary: Kitab al-‘Aayn, al-Khaleel Ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, 1/53]

Ahmad Ibn Faris Ibn Zakariyyah ar-Raazi said:

And what is unique (and specific) to the language of the Arabs is the alphabet Haa (ح)

**and the alphabet Dhaa (ظ)

And the people claimed that the alphabet Dwad (ض) is exclusive to the Arabs (i.e., to their language)**

(so much so that it is only in their language) excluding all other nations (languages)!
[as-Sahibi Fee Fiqh al-Lughat al-‘Arabiyyah, 1/63]