Video from Lets Talk Religion
In this video, we explore the history and development of the Arabic language, as well as its connection to religion.
Following is an excellent lecture on the origins of Arabic.
Video from متحف دار الاثار- الكويت Dar al Athar Museum- Kuwait
"The language of Allah and Muhammad is spoken by over 200 million people in 28 countries from Africa to the Middle East. Muslims in the world revere Arabic as the language of the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Qur’an has preserved Arabic in its purest form in the eyes of Muslims, describing itself as a “clear Arabic book”. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the official language throughout the Arab world, and, in its written form, it is relatively consistent across national boundaries.
MSA is used in official documents, in educational settings, and for communication between Arabs of different nationalities. However, the spoken forms of Arabic vary widely, and each Arab country has its own dialect. Dialects are spoken in most informal settings, such as at home, with friends, or while shopping. Of all spoken dialects, Egyptian Arabic is the most widely understood, due primarily to Egypt’s role as the major producer of movies and TV programmes in the Arab world.
Being one of the quirkiest in the world, the actual script reads from right to left with an alphabet containing 28 consonants. There are various types of Arabic script, some more intricate than others. The best known are “Kufic” and “Thuluth”. Arabic script has been used for decorative purposes all over the Muslim world in mosques, houses and other buildings. This is possible as the writing flows in a beautifully stylised fashion.
Today, words of Arabic origin can be found in some European languages such as Portuguese and Spanish, due to periods of Arab reign in those countries. English words of Arabic origin include “zero”, “algebra”, “alcohol”, “mosque”, “tariff”, “alcove”, “magazine”, “elixir”, “sultan” and “cotton”. Overall, Arabic translation services play an important role in todays world..." from the article: Arabic Language History