Learn Arabic for Non-Native Speakers – Expert Tips and Resources

Why Learn Arabic for Non-Native Speakers? because the Arabic language is the language of the Noble Quran and the seal of the messengers, our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace. It is one of the oldest and oldest languages. Despite the multiplicity of languages throughout history, this language has maintained its spread and ancientness. The Arabic language was distinguished by its alphabet, which contains letters and sounds that are not found in other languages, so it was called the language of Dhad because of the most difficult letters in it. The Arabic language is one of the most widespread and used languages worldwide. Recently, many foreign Muslims have begun to show a desire to learn the Arabic language, wanting to get acquainted with the teachings of the Islamic religion, the Holy Quran, and the honorable Sunnah of the Prophet, which led to the emergence of a new science called teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers.

Therefore, we were keen to present everything that is related to the Arabic language, and whoever wants to learn it, we will discuss it in this article Learning Arabic for Non-Native Speakers and the Expert Tips and Resources for Learning Arabic.

Benefits of Learning Arabic for Non-Native Speakers

Learn the Holy Quran

As it is the language of the Holy Quran, so learning the Arabic language helps a non-Arabic-speaking Muslim understand the vocabulary and expressions of the Holy Quran. It also allows him to taste the sweetness of Quran Recitation in the words that God revealed to our Master Muhammad, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, which has a great impact on the soul and spirit as it results in deriving new meanings and messages from the Holy Quran, which increases the reverence of the Muslim and his closeness to his Lord. It also helps the Muslim to memorize and Hifz Quran according to the rules of intonation, which will be a great reward for him in this world and the Hereafter. Many hadiths show the virtue of reading and memorizing the Holy Quran, such as Abū Umāma said he heard God’s messenger say,

“Recite the Quran, for on the day of resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite it. Recite the two shining ones, Baqara and sūra Āl Imrān (Quran, 2 and 3). for on the day of resurrection they will come as two clouds or two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks* pleading for those who recite them. Recite sūra al-Baqara, for using it produces blessing and abandoning it produces regret, and the slothful are unable to recite it.”

Muslim transmitted it.

*The alternative may indicate that the transmitter was not sure which word was used, “clouds” or “shades”.

Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

“Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.”

[At- Tirmidhi].

‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

“The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have two rewards.”

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Understanding religious matters

We also know that the Arabic language is the language of the two main sources of Islamic law, namely the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet. Therefore, learning the Arabic language helps the Muslim to understand the issues of his religion perfectly, and also makes him understand more of the meanings of the prophetic hadiths, supplications, and remembrances that he repeats in prayer, in acts of worship, and transactions. Also, learning the Arabic language helps foreign Muslims in the correct understanding of their religion, especially since many malicious people try to distort the image of Islam, especially those who do not know the Arabic language, as they will be easy prey for them. So learning the Arabic language makes Muslims able to confront these suspicions that are propagated by those who hate Islam. Learning the Arabic language also opens the doors for them to learn Islamic sciences and to delve deeper into them, and it is one of the greatest doors to knowledge that a person can learn.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“He whom Allah intends good, He makes him suffer from some affliction”.

[Al- Bukhari].

Learn about different cultures

Arabic is spoken by more than 420 million people around the world! Wherever you go, you will find people who speak Arabic. Millions of Arab immigrants have settled over the past few generations, in places like Brazil, Northern and Central Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia.

The Arabic language is also considered one of the languages recognized by the United Nations, and it is also one of the six languages in the list of spoken languages in the world. What is boring stresses its importance and its association with many cultures. This means that your learning of the Arabic language will make you able to explore and communicate with the cultures of different people.

Get better job opportunities

There are many areas and sectors of work that require speaking or proficiency in the Arabic language, such as diplomatic jobs, journalism, business sector jobs, education, the health care sector, commerce, etc. Speaking Arabic raises people’s qualifications and allows them to compete for important jobs.

Travel to Arabi countries

One of the factors for the success of travel and benefiting from it is the ability to speak the original language spoken by the residents of the countries and regions to which one is traveling for ease of communication with them and proper understanding with people, which makes his trip and stay more convenient and enjoyable.

Therefore, your knowledge of the Arabic language facilitates your travel trips to Arab countries and regions whose residents speak this language.

Dialects and Regional Varieties

Arabic accents or dialects differ greatly from classical Arabic in terms of grammatical structure and the presence or absence of diacritics. There is also a huge diversity among colloquial dialects, which are roughly classified into five main dialects: Levantine, Egyptian, Gulf, Iraqi, and Maghreb. Many factors determine the extent to which one dialect differs from another such as the grammatical structure, the level of prevalence in the Arab world, the number of speakers, the linguistic affinity for classical Arabic, and the geographical distance of each country from the other.

Although the origin of all these dialects is in the Arabic language, it is very common for speakers of one dialect not to understand the dialect of the other country, especially among speakers of the Maghreb dialect and the rest of the Arabic dialects in the Middle East, such as Levantine, Gulf, and Egyptian. As a result of the great difference between the Moroccan dialect and other Arabic dialects in terms of the way of pronunciation, the exits of letters, and the choice of vocabulary, it was greatly affected by the French language as a result of the French occupation that lasted for many years in the countries of the Arab Maghreb.

On the contrary, the Egyptian, Gulf, and Syrian dialects are somewhat close and their speakers understand each other.

The Egyptian dialect is the most famous and widespread of the Arabic dialects, followed by the Syrian and Lebanese dialects. The Egyptian dialect gained its fame through Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, as Al-Azhar Al-Sharif was a destination for learning Islamic sciences for all Muslims from all over the world. The scholars of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif were also traveling to teach Islamic sciences in different countries. In addition, many scholars, doctors, engineers, and teachers used to travel to Arab countries to work there, which greatly contributed to the spread of the Egyptian dialect. 

The key point here regarding learning the Arabic language is that all the previously mentioned differences are taken into account when choosing one dialect instead of another when learning the Arabic language.

Challenges for Non-Native Speakers

A different way of writing and pronunciation

The Arabic language is very different from the Latin languages, as the Arabic language is written from right to left, and there are some sounds in the Arabic language that are not found in other languages, but this will be difficult in the beginning only, and soon the student will get used to it and it will become easy for him.

Getting a good Arabic teacher

A person who does not speak Arabic, will not have sufficient knowledge of where to go to learn the Arabic language and where to find competent Arabic language tutors. But with technological advancement and the huge amount of information that has become available on search sites, you can search and get an excellent Arabic teacher who will teach you Arabic while you are at home, even if he lives far from you in the farthest Arab countries. Hamil Al Quran Academy allows you to learn the Arabic language at the hands of expert and qualified scholars while you are in your home, wherever you are. All their Arabic teachers are their mother tongue, and they have studied and mastered the Arabic language at major universities such as Al-Azhar University in Cairo and the Islamic University in Medina. The Hamil Al Quran Academy allows you to learn the Arabic language as if you are in a real school, without having to leave your home and bear the burdens, hardship, and costs of leaving the house and joining a real school or institute. All lessons are live, with audio and video, which makes them interactive and not just recorded scientific material. However, the student can communicate and interact with his teacher and ask him about anything during the class.

Getting a suitable level 

Among the challenges that non-Arabic speakers face when learning the Arabic language is the inability to determine their exact level and the inability to choose an appropriate level to start learning the Arabic language. You can get rid of all this by joining the Academy of Hamil Al Quran, as it provides courses to teach the Arabic language for all levels, from beginners and children to the elderly to professionals. In the beginning, a test is taken to determine your level, to choose the appropriate course level for you.

Curriculum intensity and time constraints

Most of those who want to learn the Arabic language are already adults who have many jobs and responsibilities that may conflict with attending a school or institute to learn the Arabic language. But with the presence of the Internet, the matter has improved a lot, and you can learn the Arabic language online easily. Hamil Al Quran Academy allows you to learn the Arabic language based on the path you want. It allows you to choose the dates of the classes according to your free time. It also allows you to determine the intensity of the lessons during the month so that the matter has great flexibility for you and you can organize your time comfortably so that nothing comes at the expense of something else.

Online Resources for Quality Learning Materials

There are many sources available online that help you learn the Arabic language, such as websites specialized in teaching the Arabic language, YouTube channels that broadcast educational content to teach the language, and various applications that help you learn Arabic in different ways.

Study Strategies for Beginners

Some strategies are suitable for beginners in learning the Arabic language that help them in graduating and improving their level. Where in the beginning, beginners must learn the Arabic alphabet and the basics of grammar, as it serves as a base on which advanced levels are built later. you may check the Noorani Qaida Course for more details about studying the Alphabet.

Tips on Pronunciation

Frequent listening is a key factor in Arabic language learning, as it makes you collect a good amount of vocabulary and its correct pronunciation. The more words you hear with their correct pronunciation, the more this will improve your Arabic language. Listening to the Noble Quran is a magic key to learning the correct pronunciation of Arabic, as the Noble Quran is the sweetest and most refined Arabic text. Choose a reciter whose voice you like, then try to hear him constantly. You can turn it on while driving the car, while walking on any trips, or while exercising. You can also watch documentaries or hear speeches, lectures, and programs that are in classical Arabic.

Vocabulary Building Techniques

It is a well-known fact that the acquisition of a rich linguistic outcome from the Arabic language is the frequent reading in Arabic, as reading is a key factor in the formation of a large linguistic outcome as a result of the frequent passage of various words and phrases, which helps you to express oneself more efficiently. You can read the Holy Quran, books, novels, and newspapers, as well. You can follow the social media pages in Arabic. If you do not know the meaning of a word, use the dictionary to know it.

Cultural Aspects to Consider

Language is the first expressive means by which a person expresses his thoughts, hence language is the official spokesman for culture, through which a person can explain to others the aspects of cultural distinction of his nation and people, and also learn about other cultures in this world. Since there is a great degree of integration between culture and language, they are inseparable from things that cannot be separated, no matter what happens. In addition, the culture of a people contributes to the development and enrichment of its language, by introducing many new vocabulary to it. on it.

Familiarity with the Arab culture has a great role when learning the Arabic language, and it is employed heavily when teaching foreigners who wish to learn it.

Conversation Practice Opportunities

Language is not just a scientific subject that requires learning in theory only. But it needs practical application and practice to be well mastered. Therefore, practicing speaking the words and phrases that you have learned in Arabic is very important to fix them, not to forget them, and to find out any mistakes you may make. Try practicing Arabic with native speakers or using apps for conversation exercises.

Professional Arabic Tutors and Courses

The teacher is one of the most important components of learning the Arabic language. Whereas, if you have an experienced and qualified teacher who deals with his students efficiently, he takes the hand of his students step by step according to their level and ability to absorb, then it will facilitate many of the difficulties that students may face while learning the Arabic language. You can get a qualified and skilled teacher by joining Hamil Al Quran Academy, which it has a selection of the best Arab tutors who are friendly and professional in dealing with their students. You can check it out in action with an Arabic course free trial online.

Preparing for Exams

If you are about to take an Arabic language exam, you should review what has been studied well and take notes on the things that are most difficult for you until you ask your teacher to clarify them again or if that is not available. Search for it on the net and then study it well.

Conclusion 

In this article, we talked about Learning Arabic for Non-Native Speakers and we introduced the most important expert tips and resources. We have discussed the Benefits of Learning Arabic for Non-Native Speakers. We also have dealt with Dialects and Regional Varieties. Then go deeper into Challenges for Non-Native Speakers.