Peace Dpm, and welcome to the forum. It is people like you that attain guidance from God on account of their sincerity.
format_quote Originally Posted by
Dpm
My next question is ;
The Holy Qur'an was written is Arabic as I understand it.
Do Muslims hold that Arabic is the language of Allah and therefore is a sacred language?
And if that is so, is the Holy Qur'an, still as sacred in other languages other then Arabic.
This is to say is the Holy Qur'an, the sacred word of Allah in other languages or must a true Muslim study and learn, to know the Arabic version.
These are great questions!
Arabic is the tongue in which the final revelation (Qur'an) was sent down, so, yes, Muslims believe it is the most sacred language - and this is not to undermine the sacredness of other languages such as Hebrew. We also understand that God, or Allaah, is the creator of all language. He stands in no need of language in order to communicate with whom He wills, but has revealed His Word to us in a manner we may understand, glory to Him.
The Qur'an remains holy in other languages as well, although it is not nearly as sanctified as the original Arabic version. You will find the case is the same with the Bible if you consult a Jew.
It is also necessary for a person to learn classical Arabic, and the Qur'an under the guidance of a shaykh (teacher) in order to fully understand the original meaning. One of the reasons for this is to preserve the true meaning of the Book.
In fact the original is so holy that a Muslim is not permitted to touch it with their hands unless he or she is in a state of physical purity. The scripture is still sacred in non-Arabic and must be dealt with in care. It is also noteworthy that unlike previous scriptures the Qur'an was transmitted orally to the Blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) by arch-angel Gabriel. It was memorized in full by Muhammad (pbuh) and his many companions, but was written down during his later days.
(please forgive my ignorance and see that I need understanding)
Don't be concerned about ignorance - we were all ignorant once. We have been given the gift of knowledge and the will to learn. That's what this board is for, so feel free to bombard us with any questions or doubts you may have (we've heard them all :)).
May the Lord guide you to His blissful religion and set your foothold firm on the Straight Path to heaven and eternal salvation.
All the best,
Armand