I am directing this question to the ustazs(tbaba,abuzola,mac,vex etc) on nairaland.After a long search for good madrasah in my area(ibeju lekki)
Which proves abortive,I now thought of an e-Arabic class here on nairaland.What did you guys think?
I think i have created a thread like this before where someone gave me an ustaz who reside in VGC phone no.I called the ustaz but the cost is just too much for me to bear,#2000 per hour.No be small money o.
This language,Arabic,is very important for a muslim to learn.

Why just on this forum? there are many established internet based classes online already. e-aalim is really good (i think that how they spell it) just google that. There classes are affordable, well structured and I really benefited from it.

^^jazaakillahu khayr yah ukhti.

wa iy yaakah

^^I dont have the means to pay for it.

I know this is really cool http://www.madinaharabic.com/

maclatunji: I know this is really cool http://www.madinaharabic.com/

It's cool indeed.Jazaakumullahu khayr

Modern arabic is interesting but you will need to learn Quranic arabic as well. Many people don't know there is a difference.

tbaba1234: Modern arabic is interesting but you will need to learn Quranic arabic as well. Many people don't know there is a difference.

Can you help me out?I think it is possible to have it here(on nl).I really need it.

This should be a welcome development on NL.
Though I have little knowledge on Arabic language.

As long one can understand Nahu(Arabic grammar) and Sarf(Verbs) since verb is ban action words deeply you will be able to communicate in Arabic with ease

busar: Can you help me out?I think it is possible to have it here(on nl).I really need it.

I am not qualified to teach, learn modern arabic gradually, I think one can learn the difference with time. I think mac's website is a good one.

It is a wonderful suggestion, the real challenge is implementing it! I think suggestion be made, 1. We need to get someone who have an understanding of arabic. 2. The method of teaching it on line.

tbaba1234:

I am not qualified to teach, learn modern arabic gradually, I think one can learn the difference with time. I think mac's website is a good one.

tbaba,no tell me that one oo.

busar: tbaba,no tell me that one oo.

Na true.

Even if I was qualified, I wouldn't have the time.

Who is going to take the responsibility now?

What that is involve is more than online of a thing online is just for revision and asking question e.g ضرب حسنَ المعلمُ(The teacher beats Hassan)
ضرب = beat (Verb)

حسنَ= Hassan (Object)

المعلمُ= Teacher (Subject)

from the above i could able to identify the subject and the object but the object came before the subject, i could understand that because because in arabic the subject (doer) has the harak domu while the object takes fatia even the subject is also a definite article because of the alif and lam. well it is simple but ...............

Regards

mutaalim: What that is involve is more than online of a thing online is just for revision and asking question e.g ضرب حسنَ المعلمُ(The teacher beats Hassan)
ضرب = beat (Verb)

حسنَ= Hassan (Object)

المعلمُ= Teacher (Subject)

from the above i could able to identify the subject and the object but the object came before the subject, i could understand that because because in arabic the subject (doer) has the harak domu while the object takes fatia even the subject is also a definite article because of the alif and lam. well it is simple but ...............

Regards

why

Though I have learnt little of Nahw and Sarf before i stopped the Madrasah.But I have forgoten most of it.

^^^^^^That is serious, How come You forgot ?

mutaalim: ^^^^^^That is serious, How come You forgot ?

^^^ is that your reply busar?

^^I didn't follow it up.

I wrote a reply some days ago but didnt deliver .

I think learning arabic here is a good idea. Nothing is too little. We all can help each other with the little we know.

@tbaba said something about modern versus Quran arabic. I don't understand what that means.

The arabic of the Quran(fus'a) has always been the official arabic. The unofficial is diverse from country to country and tribe to tribe that I doubt that it can simply be referred to as 'modern' arabic.

mutaalim: What that is involve is more than online of a thing online is just for revision and asking question e.g ضرب حسنَ المعلمُ(The teacher beats Hassan)
ضرب = beat (Verb)

حسنَ= Hassan (Object)

المعلمُ= Teacher (Subject)

from the above i could able to identify the subject and the object but the object came before the subject, i could understand that because because in arabic the subject (doer) has the harak domu while the object takes fatia even the subject is also a definite article because of the alif and lam. well it is simple but ...............

Regards

this sounds interesting but you need to complete it to help our understanding.

Deols, an fusha is modern standard arabic. The Quranic arabic is ancient arabic. Arabic has undergone changes just like any language, the classical arabic of the quran is far richer than modern standard arabic.

Read the introduction of the threads: The amazing quran season 1 , Divine speech season 1.

I explained it there.

tbaba1234: Deols, an fusha is modern standard arabic. The Quranic arabic is ancient arabic. Arabic has undergone changes just like any language, the classical arabic of the quran is far richer than modern standard arabic.

Read the introduction of the threads: The amazing quran season 1 , Divine speech season 1.

I explained it there.

In this manner, arabic would be classified into three then. with the third having so many variants.

I divide into four, because quranic arabic is on a class of its own.

tbaba1234: I divide into four, because quranic arabic is on a class of its own.

do you mind enumerating the four?

Amia - dialectical
An fusha- Modern standard arabic
Ancient or classical Arabic- lisan al arab
Quranic Arabic- The pinnacle of ancient Arabic

^ This is from divine speech season 1

Difference between Modern Arabic and Ancient Arabic 1

A lot of people unfortunately do not know the difference between modern standard Arabic and ancient Arabic... A lot of people do not respect the fact that there is a difference between newspaper Arabic (modern standard Arabic (An-fusha) ) and old Arabic (usually called lisan al arab, thw language of the ancient arabs).

Even the best of Arabic spoken today is new Arabic- It is proper Arabic but it is new...

The Quran is in Old proper Arabic...

Applying new proper Arabic to the Quran could be dangerous so it is important that the separation is made...

We will look at two things:

i. Why are they different?
ii. What makes them different?

Why are they different?

Imagine we are having a conversation in 1912 and not 2012, would the english employed be different? yes

If i said something like : That is so cool

Would it be understood the same way in English?

If i said something like : 'I was googling something'

100 years ago

The response could be something like this: How inappropriate!!, you will do no such thing here, sir...

If i said something like : 'I saw your facebook'

100 years ago

The response could be something like this: Did you go into my house?, How do you know i sketch faces?

If i said something like : 'I was tweeting'

100 years ago

The response could be something like this: Are you a bird?

The words have come into existence as a result of technological changes, they now have different connotations... Technology is a good example of how society changes and words change...

Also when different nations come in contact with each other and have a lot of interaction, one language takes words from the the other language..... They start taking words from each other... Many of us can not speak our local languages without injecting the english language.... Languages impact each other...

Thee more nations come in contact with each other, the more language changes... When technology changes, language changes

So what has happened since the beginning of Islam till now (abut 1500 years), society has changed in that time, the map of the world has changed, nations have interacted with each other in that time. It is impossible to say that that language did not change in that time. Language is carried by people, when people change , language change... All languages go through change...

When did this change start happening? This was discussed in The Amazing Quran Season 1,

https://www.nairaland.com/972776/amazing-quran-season-1

Some relevant quotes:

Ancient arabia was locked in between two major empires; the roman and the persian empire. However, none of these empires were interested in taking over arab wasteland. There was nothing attractive for them to acquire; no monuments, no big cities... It was just desert with not much else...

So while there was some influences from abroad, for the most part, the arabs enjoyed an isolation that enabled them to develop a sophistication in their language that few nations enjoyed. The language became a matter of arab pride and identity. To excel in language was a great achievement.

The spread of islam around the world led to a situation where the arabs were no longer as isolated... Islam spread to the point that the vast majority of muslims in the world were non-arabs. Non-Arabs muslims became the majority, this meant that the vast majority of muslims were 'Arabic 101' students... As a result, the average level of arabic went down. The arabs were more exposed to the world and the language started to deteriorate. so basically, globalization led to a depreciation of language.

Even the Arabs that knew better had to start using basic arabic to cater for this new population of arabic learners...

Another thing to consider, The language of business...

In the university, you might use big words

In the market, you use words that gets the message across, You don't need to use big words.... You do not need a lot of vocabulary

As the globalisation of Islam happens, most of the concern is business ... There is a lot of business happening so you just need to learn the vocabulary that will help you carry out your business... No need for academic stuff... You do have to look at the depths of arabic poetry to do business...

So the arabic starts deteriorating and the shahaba (companions) of the prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) noticed.... They started noticing it early.... Interesting stories: Ali(RA) is walking by, sees a bunch of children playing, hears their language and proclaims: 'Wallahi, This is not the Arabic we knew"

He is noticing it in his lifetime

Umar ibn Khattab (RA) during the golden age of Islam (his caliphate), He is so worried about the language and he gives a khutbah telling them :" Learn Arabic, It is part of your religion"......

There are other narrations:

One of the reported instructions ‘Umar wrote to Abû Mûsâ Al-Ash’arî and those under his governance during the former’s Caliphate was, “Seek knowledge and understanding of (fiqh) the Sunnah and seek knowledge and understanding of Arabic.”

Ibn Abî Shaybah, Al-Musannaf Vol.6 p126.

It is reported that he said, “Learn Arabic, for it strengthens the intelligence and increases one’s noble conduct (al-murû`ah).”

Al-Bayhaqî, Shu’ab Al-Îmân Vol.4 p187.

Umar (RA) speaking to a bunch of arabs and he is telling them to learn arabic, something is happening here; something is going wrong; He is telling them to take it seriously as it is apart of their religion...

So why is he saying it is a part of your religion?

The Quran was revealed in pure, uncontaminated, beautiful, rich arabic and if that Arabic becomes shallow and dirty... Our appreciation of the Quran becomes shallow and dirty as well... If your eye glasses are dirty, you can't see something clean anymore.

The arabic spoken today is great but it is still nothing compared to what the companions spoke, It doesn't even come close...

Knowing modern arabic is like having vision , I work on the street and i can see a rock... All i need are eyes to see the rock... Knowing anicient arabic is like having X-ray vision such that I can see the diamond in the rock...

Our eyes became weaker when arabic became weaker so we started seeing the Quran as just a book... The companions had this deep arabic so when they saw the Quran, immediately they saw the perfection, immediately they saw the diamond.

So when Arabic goes down, our appreciation of the Quran goes down... There are three preservation movements in Islam

i. Preservation of the Quran

ii. Preservation of Hadith

Equally important:

iii. Preservation of the Arabic : The old Arabic

Muslims from the first, second and third generations were going out in the desert to where globalisation hadn't reached and they are learning old pre-Islamic poetry which is also most of the time inappropriate... They are writing this in their tafsir of the Quran shamelessly.. They were more concerned about preserving the arabic of the Quran because this was the language of revelation...

Everything about the Arabic, there was a movement to preserve it... The great scholars of Islam would leave the city and go into to desert.. They went out there because the arabs in the desert hadn't lost the original flavour of ancient Arabic. They went out there to preserve the Arabic Language.

There was a scholar by the name of Al Asmai (not sure of the spelling), a jurist, a legal scholar, a grammarian. He wanted to do research on some words in the Quran.. He wants to know the original meanings from the original source but he doesn't want to go and ask them directly. He wanted to see it used naturally. So he goes into the desert, hanging out with bedouin arabs from different tribes just waiting for someone to use the the word 'mata'a'.

He can't find anyone using it so he is tired... He sits at the bank of a pond and there is little girl washing dishes with a sponge and her goat comes around, picks the sponge and runs away... and she cries: He took my mata'a

Then he got it: Mata'a was something used to do work but not necessarily something you enjoy.. things like a brush, a broom, etc

Compare that to modern Arabic, the word muta'a in modern Arabic means enjoyment, Is it different?? Totally different from classical Arabic... This is just a taste.

Our next post will look at what makes old Arabic different from new Arabic...