Classical Arabic and its Impact | العربية الفصيحة و أثرها

Classical Arabic, also sometimes referred to as Quranic Arabic or Koranic Arabic, is a fascinating and historically significant form of the Arabic language. Here’s a breakdown of its key aspects:

History and Use:

  • Developed around the 6th-7th centuries AD in the Arabian Peninsula.
  • Served as the standardized literary language for centuries, used in:
    • Pre-modern Arabic literature (poetry, prose)
    • The Quran, the holy book of Islam

Current Use:

  • No longer a spoken language in everyday communication.
  • Primarily used for:
    • Religious purposes (reciting and understanding the Quran)
    • Studying early Islamic texts and literature

Key Characteristics:

  • More complex grammar and vocabulary compared to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).
  • Emphasis on rich vocabulary and eloquent expression.
  • Different verb conjugations and noun declensions compared to MSA.

Why Learn Classical Arabic?

  • Understand Islamic Texts: Essential for scholars and those interested in the deeper meaning of the Quran and other religious texts.
  • Appreciate Arabic Literature: Unlocks a vast treasure trove of classical Arabic poetry, prose, and philosophy.
  • Stronger Foundation for MSA: Learning Classical Arabic provides a solid foundation for understanding and learning Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).

Learning Resources:

  • Online Courses: Several universities and language learning platforms offer courses specifically focused on Classical Arabic.
  • Textbooks: Numerous textbooks are dedicated to teaching Classical Arabic grammar and vocabulary.
  • Arabic Dictionaries: Specialized dictionaries exist to help decipher Classical Arabic vocabulary.

Here are some additional points to consider:

  • Difficulty: Classical Arabic is generally considered more challenging to learn compared to MSA due to its complexity.
  • Focus on Goals: Determine your goals for learning Classical Arabic. Are you primarily interested in religious understanding or exploring literature? This can guide your learning approach.
  • Supplements for MSA: While Classical Arabic provides a strong foundation, eventually you might need additional resources to fully grasp Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) used in everyday contexts.


نشأت اللغة العربية في جزيرة العرب قبل الإسلام وكان العرب قبائل متفرقة وكانت لبعض القبائل لهجات خاصة بها وكانت الاختلافات قليلة بين تلك اللهجات وكانت للعرب لغة مشتركة هي اللغة العربية الفصيحة لغة الشعر و الخطابة التي كان العرب يتحدثون بها ثم جاء الإسلام و أنزل الله القرآن الكريم باللغة العربية الفصيحة قال الله تعالى ” انا أنزلناه قرآنا عربيا لعلكم تعقلون”.

The Arabic Language started in the Arab Peninsula before Islam. The Arabs were scattered tribes and some tribes had accents of their own. The difference among these accents were slight and the Arabs had a common language which is the Classical Arabic Language, the language of poetry and rhetoric in which the Arabs talked. Islam came and Allah descended the Holy Quran in Classical Arabic, Allah said, “We descended the Quran in Arabic, so that you may understand it”.

أعطى القرآن الكريم بعض الالفاظ العربية القديمة معاني جديدة وجاء بأساليب جديدة لم تعرفها اللغة العربية من قبل وكان القرآن سببا في نشأة علوم اللغة العربية كالنحو و الصرف و البلاغة و العلوم الاسلامية كعلم التفسير و الحديث و الفقه و غيرها .

The Holy Quran gave some old Arabic idioms new meanings and it used new methods that the Arabic language did not experience before. The Quran was a reason for developing the Arabic Language sciences, like Syntax, Morphology, Rhetoric and the Islamic Sciences, e.g. Science of interpretation, Hadith, Jurisprudence and others.

أثرت اللغة العربية في لغات الشعوب الاسلامية كالفارسية والأردية و السواحلية فأقرضتها كثيرا من الألفاظ وكُتب كثير من تلك اللغات بالحرف العربي واقترضت لغات أخرى بعض الألفاظ العربية مثل:
الانجليزية و الفرنسية و الإسبانية.

The Arabic Language affected the languages of the Islamic peoples, like Persian, Urdu and Swahili. It lent them a lot of idioms and many of these languages were written in Arabic script. Other languages borrowed some Arabic idioms, like the English, French and Spanish Languages.