[TubOppomo]

Assalaamu alaikum,

I don't see a reason why Urdu which does not represent all of Pakistan should be given the national language status. I have read that this was a mistake and opportunity lost by making urdu the national language when Pakistan was founded. Isn't it time to shift to Arabic? And which do you think is the most purest dialect of Arabic today?

[22CreessGah]

But Urdu is the most understood language, even though most people can't speak it with proper grammar. A Sindhi or a Punjabi person can understand Urdu whereas I cannot understand Sindhi at all and have a very hard time understanding Punjabi.

I think this might mostly be due to the influence of India's film industry.

[ftpsoft]

Yes, the Muslim rulers should have pushed towards Arabic. The Khurasan area once upon a time was an area where Arabic was the mother tongue. The majority of the Arab world today had their own languages but when Islam reached those areas Arabic was made the mother tongue. I wish some of our Muslim rulers in Hindustan had made efforts in this regard.

[OwdBKKHO]

But Urdu is the most understood language, ....

I don't think that this was the case when Pakistan was first formed.

[Talicoabilk]

Arabic should be the common language in ALL Muslim countries.

[Talicoabilk]

some arabs came to Imam Shafi'i to learn Hadith. he asked them to go learn proper arabic first.

[BGThomasis]

and Imam Shafi'i ra spent lots of money to leard arabic.

[OwdBKKHO]

Yeah! perhaps you shoud say the same thing for the GCC countires where arab kids are finding it tough to speak good arabic. i remember reading an article in the natiaonal where there is a disscussion english replacing Arabic due the norm. Perhaps those who lecutre us about arabic should lecutre the arabs. Pakistanis tried to impose urudo in Bengle and see the result. Perhaps you should take lesson from recent history insteading of dwelling in the land of utopia.
Allahualam

Who doesn't lament the fact that the "Arabs" now do not speak proper Arabic? Why this offense at the suggestion of Arabic, the language of the Quran, the Rasul (peace be upon him), and Jannah, as the the lingua franca of Pakistan instead of Urdu, when Urdu is the native/first language of very few Pakistanis and was even less so when it was chosen as the national language of Pakistan?

o,ya..Is this obligatory?..does Islam say so?


i don't understand why people always try to pick on this beautiful urdu speaking country.
i wish they know the sweetness of Urdu.. those who don't know urdu i feel sorry for them..

With all due respect sister, I think that those who know Arabic feel sorry for those who don't know it's sweetness which has been attested to by the Rasul (peace be upon him). Furthermore, Pakistan is often focused upon because it has a national language that is the first or native language of a very small percentage of its population and, as such, it would be easier (though still very hard) to make a transition to real, proper, beautiful Arabic there than in many other countries.

In fact, for most of the very same reasons that Urdu was chosen as the language of the country, Arabic would have been a better choice.

[elapicearpisp]

the paikistanis would have a hard time prounoncing arabic words plus how are they going to know wich dialect to speek if they do lern it someones going to be speeking gulf and the other speeking morocoan they will have a had time understanding eachother

[SkHukV3N]

They can learn modern standard Arabic or classical Arabic. Whatever language is taught in schools, within one generation, the country will be speaking that language.

[TubOppomo]

The other way is by gradually Arabising or Quranisation of the Urdu language. Thereby over the years you have a regional dialect of Arabic.

[fudelholf]

the paikistanis would have a hard time prounoncing arabic words plus how are they going to know wich dialect to speek if they do lern it someones going to be speeking gulf and the other speeking morocoan they will have a had time understanding eachother

I don't know anyone who says Moroccan arabic is the standard for teaching nonArabs arabic. But I understand your point.

That is why literate, cultured arabic speakers should teach arabic as they are the most proficient and knowledgeable about the language, and they can best demonstrate the differences between colloquial arabic (eg. Moroccan et al) and standardized, modern/classic arabic.

As for the brother who mentioned why should Pakistan learn arabic when the Gulf Arabs are not learning it- as a Muslim Ummah, we can compete in doing good deeds and compete for the pleasure of Allah. It would be excellent to see Pakistan commit to learning arabic.

I will mention that Algeria committed to spreading and teaching arabic throughout Algeria as gained national independence from France. This was a serious effort to reclaim the Islamic and arabic based identity of Algeria after 100years of French colonization. Today, colloquial Algerian arabic is largely unknown to arab speakers. However, most people understand standard arabic today from the govt, news, official documents, even if they speak Algerian. French is still present in govt depts, business, and upper class Algerians, but it has been replaced by arabic.

Pakistan could make a pledge to teach literacy in arabic- Im sure it would win support from some arabic speaking countries, insha Allah. But the corrupt ruling regime would have to be replaced to do this.

[ftpsoft]

brother Nomadic the GCC arabs are still ok in many ways with regards to Arabic. It's the lebanese who have the real, major problem with Arabic along with other arabs.

[beriarele]

urdu does represent all of pakistan. although making arabic a national language can be a good step but i don't see it implemented in pakistan. atleast not in this present system.

[tgs]

Assalaamu alaikum,

I don't see a reason why Urdu which does not represent all of Pakistan should be given the national language status. I have read that this was a mistake and opportunity lost by making urdu the national language when Pakistan was founded. Isn't it time to shift to Arabic? And which do you think is the most purest dialect of Arabic today?

Most people cannot even read and write in proper urdu how are they going to read and write in fasih arabic?

[tgs]

I think language is the least of pakistans problems right now.

[fudelholf]

I think language is the least of pakistans problems right now.

As part of a comprehensive reconstruction of Pakistan, it should be a major aspect of education and literacy.

If I was in Pakistan, I would support arabic literacy as part of replacing the existing regime which wants obedience and subservience to Anglo America. Pakistanis are already a growing immigrant commnunity in Bahrain, and if Pakistan supported arabic literacy, Pakistanis could easily replace the Shia Bahraini within a decade, insha Allah.

A few years could turn the tide..

[yazetaw]

Just to inform my brothers interested in learning arabic and are in karachi pakistan, Ibn Abbas madressa which is known for arabic language teaching is holding a course of arabic language which will start on 9 january after isha. Class duration 2 hrs daily

http://www.ibnabbasaisha.edu.pk

Website is not updated, you can call at the given number

[Talicoabilk]

o,ya..Is this obligatory?..does Islam say so?


i don't understand why people always try to pick on this beautiful urdu speaking country.
i wish they know the sweetness of Urdu.. those who don't know urdu i feel sorry for them..

yes urdu is a sweet language.
but, arabic is sweeter. if it is made a common lang in all Muslim countries, it will be easier to converse between all these countries AND understand the Qur'an better, all the scholarly works, Ahadith etc.

[BGThomasis]

As brother Fusus, mentioned it is the least of pakistans problems right now.
Rehman Malik cant even recite Surah Al Ikhlas !!

How about Pushtu ? Da kamiyab zaban da