The uniqueness, richness and beauty of the Arabic language need no introduction. The internet is filled with lectures and articles encouraging Muslims (and non-Muslims) to pursue the language. It is not the aim of this article to merely add another entry to the list. Instead, this article seeks to articulate the need to master the Arabic language, noting some errors made in interpreting the sacred texts by those who have only learned Arabic to an intermediate level.

Learning Arabic can be difficult. Being overwhelmed with vocabulary is stressful for a student. Now you can learn over forty words with ease with the help of artist Mahmoud Tammam who has created a series of illustrated Arabic words which show exactly what each word means in pictorial form.

Tammam has manipulated the Khat al-‘Arabi (Arabic Calligraphy) by sloping curves and dots of the Arabic characters into the bodies of animals, pieces of fruit, and distant landscapes so even if you can’t read the language, you can look at his illustrations and instantly understand what you’re reading – which in effect assists in remembering the words also!

What a fun way to learn a new language!

I’ll be straight forward and honest here – when you ask “Is it easy?” – well, it depends on your concept of “easy.”  If it were “easy” like the way that shopping for handbags at Dubai Mall is easy, everyone would be fluent in no time at all. Learning a language quickly is “easy” compared to a lot of things… but not “easy” like going to a spa.

Arabic, like all Semitic languages, is characterised by the use of certain morphological patterns (patterns of word formation) to derive words from abstract roots that represent general semantic notions or meanings. However, the etymology found within Arabic is unique, following are some examples of this:

Arabic Morphology (علم الصرف) is a branch of Arabic Grammar dealing with word-forms and patterns. It is highly essential for the incumbent student of Arabic to learn this science in order to be proficient in the language.