Arabic has been a written and spoken language since the seventh century, and today it is spoken by more than 300 million people in 22 countries from North Africa to the Middle East, and is the liturgical language for more than 1 billion Muslims throughout the world, said instructor Samir Bitar.
Within each country and in different regions of the Arab world, the language is spoken with a different dialect, and because of that diversity, Arabic speakers from different places must resort to classical Arabic, which is the language of the Quran, in order to communicate, Bitar said.
“Jihad,” as used in Western media, “has created an impression that the word is one-dimensional and means the killing of Christians and Jews,” said Shukir Abed, chairman of the Department of Languages and Regional Studies at Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.
“That has led to the belief that Islam is a culture of war-mongering, is violent, and has led to ‘jihadophobia,' ” Abed said. “The truth is the word is multidimensional and war is only one dimension.”
First and foremost, jihad has spiritual meaning.
Deriving from the letters j, h, and d, jihad means striving - exerting one's utmost power or effort, Abed explained. Jihad can involve three things: the visible enemy; the devil; and one's self.
The spiritual meaning of jihad is to hold fast to Allah, to keep the prayer and to strive against enemies with the teachings and principles of the Quran.
Because of the diverse customs, dialects and cultures among the Arab world, understanding the Quran and living by its word is open for individual interpretation, Abed said.
“Islam can be interpreted in many ways. That is why there is no monolithic Islam,” he said. “It is in the eye of the beholder, it is a matter of interpretation.”
Although few Americans speak the language or understand it, Arabic has been taught in North America since long before the Declaration of Independence was signed, Bitar said.
“Harvard University was the first U.S. college to offer Semitic languages ... and in 1654 they offered Arabic,” he said.
To become better citizens of the world and engage more effectively in the Arab world, Americans must become competent speakers of the language, which is why the U.S. government designated Arabic as a critical language for Americans to learn, Bitar said.
Despite the diversity of the Arab world, it's critical to know the classical language of the Quran because it is the language of the holy scripture and Arabic law.
“All Arabs and non-Arabs need to study Quranic Arabic to understand its teachings and principles,” Bitar said.
“As Americans, diversity is one of our nation's strengths,” he said. “We need to develop linguistic skills to explore and communicate with the Arab world.”
Listen and learn
The sixth annual Central & Southwest Asia Conference at the University of Montana concludes Saturday with a roundtable discussion at 10 a.m. in the University Center Theater. The three-day conference was sponsored by Humanities Montana, UM's Office of the President, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, Center for Ethics, World Affairs Council of Montana, Missoula Ministerial Association, and UM's Central and Southwest Asia Program.
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