We now come to one of my all-time favorite apologias for Islam—the notion that no one has the right to say or think anything about Islam, unless they first master the Arabic language.
You know this is a tried-and-true apologia when even I—whose first published book was a translation of jihadist ideology from Arabic to English—is also asked by those who would defend Islam from any criticism, “Bro—do you even know* *Arabic?”
Let us look at the merits of this argument.
First, and as a sometime philologist, let me say that I am personally fond of studying languages, particularly their etymologies, and find reading material in the original tongue edifying and instructive.
But is it necessary? That is the question before us: must one read the Koran and hadith in the original Arabic for a true and accurate understanding of Islam?
Again, I must begin by admitting that reading the Koran, hadith, and sira—even alf layla wa layla (1001 Nights)—in Arabic is both an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Yes, some words are just too difficult to translate or render into English; understanding the original is beneficial.
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