Friday Sermons and Call for Prayers in Local Language
By
Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam
22 July
2022
Universality
And Pluralism Of Islam Can Be Understood From The Fact That Islam, Embraced The
Local Languages, It Did Not Impose Arabic Language On The Common Masses Of
Different Lands.
Main
Points:
1. Friday
sermons and Azaan can be delivered in local language.
2. The emphasis
on learning Arabic for salvation is a misplaced priority among Muslims.
3. Iqbal
supported the Turkish project under Mustafa Kamal Ataturk as an attempt aiming
at Ijtihad.
----
The
universality and pluralism of Islam can be understood from the fact that Islam,
embraced the local languages. It did not impose Arabic language on the common
masses of different lands. So a number of languages were preserved, encouraged
and thrived in the Muslim world. In fact Persian, as a language became more
prominent than Arabic in newly conquered and converted South Asia and large
parts of Middle East. Arabic could never become a lingua franca, except for the
places where it was spoken. In most parts of the Muslim world it remained a
language of elites and religious scholars. In fact most of these religious
scholars chose to write, interpret and speak in their local languages, instead
of Arabic. It is due to this very fact that the Holy Quran came to be
translated in almost all the major languages of the world. Further, Islamic
literature continued to be produced in local, regional, national and
international languages of the world.
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Also Read: In Changing
Circumstances, Muslims Should Change Their Outlook towards Azaan and Friday
Prayers
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There was a
movement in many muslim communities to propagate the learning and teaching of
Arabic as the basic texts of Islam are in Arabic and they needed to be engaged
in the original language only. The protagonists of these movements believed and
alleged that without first learning Arabic, Islam cannot be understood. They
undermined the fact that it was impossible for majority of Muslims to learn
Arabic, despite herculean efforts. Further, Islam strives for the salvation of
people in the Hereafter particularly Muslims. So it disputes the salvation of
majority retrograding them towards disbelief and despair. If they cannot
understand Arabic certainly they fail to know the path towards salvation, hence
end up in the depths of Hell.
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Also Read: Arabic
Imperialism Vs. Islamic Pluralism: Has The Time Come For Islam To Go Local?
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These
movements and campaigns also failed to understand the fact that the vigorous
translations of texts in most local languages have filled the void about the
need to understand Arabic language. Now in regional languages if Urdu can be
called so, such huge amount of Islamic literature is present that the need for
Arabic is no longer there. Muslims who are interested to learn about Islam
through original sources can find the traditional texts as well as contemporary
Islamic writers continuing to produce texts and books on variegated Islamic
themes at an amazing speed. So those who want to know Islam and pave way for
their salvation can certainly seek refuge in Urdu literature about Islam.
Recently, a
scholar suggested that the call for prayer (Azaan) should be articulated in a
local language (Hindi), so that Muslims as well as non Muslims can understand
it. It was a valid suggestion because not only non Muslims even most Muslims
cannot comprehend the meaning of Azaan. For many in India, it is praising Akbar
the Great, Mughal emperor instead of God who is Great.
This move
was opposed by many scholars without understanding the fact that Islam strives
for salvation and by understanding the meaning of the prayer, the spirit of
Islam could be understood that will ultimately pave way towards salvation. So
the call for prayer in Arabic, can be accompanied with its meaning in local
language that can certainly render its message more impactful and strong. It
can certainly be a step towards improving the interfaith relations in India.
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Also Read: The Qur’an Puts No
Bar Against a Muslim Woman from Leading Friday Prayers
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This
articulation of Azaan in local language is not something new because after the
abolition of Ottoman caliphate, as a project of Turkish nationalism Mustafa
Kamal Ataturk, tried to impose the prayers to be held in Turkish instead of
Arabic. Ataturk had political project for undertaking such steps that were rued
in hatred for Arabs, so his project could not take off. But Sir Muhammad Iqbal,
who was initially too impressed by this Turkish project supported it (The
Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, The Principle of Movement in the
Structure of Islam, Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, 2003, P-160-161). The Muslim prayers
certainly cannot be completed and executed without Arabic but a translation,
can certainly help to understand the meaning.
Similar is
the case with Friday sermons. They are delivered in the local languages as many
scholars like Imam Abu Hanifa and his two students Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam
Muhammad both state that the preacher can deliver the Friday sermon in local
languages, if he is not an expert in Arabic. So besides Arabic, other languages
are used and can be utilized to make the masses understand the true meaning and
spirit of Islam, because it can best be conveyed in the local language only,
not in Arabic that majority of muslims cannot understand.
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A New
Age Islam columnist, M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar,
Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/friday-sermons-azaan-language/d/127540
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