 The importance of language in religion cannot be overstated, Latin in Christianity and Arabic and Islam exemplify how language serves as a vehicle for religious expression, cultural unity and the preservation of sacred texts. These languages carry historical, liturgical and symbolic significance contributing to the richness and death of their respective religious traditions. Seriously understanding the role of language in religion enhances our appreciation of the diverse ways faith is practiced and communicated around the world. So when someone says language is language, we need to be perhaps careful with such basic summary of religious languages. God has a reason he chose Arabic to send his message to humanity. Apparently there is a reason and that has to be respected so when people try to go against the norm they harvest disaster and confusion. The language of the Quran thus Arabic holds a central position in Islam as the language in which the holy book of Islam was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Its preservation in its original form ensures accuracy and authenticity in understanding and reciting the Quran. Arabic does modern unite Muslims globally regardless of their native languages. It serves as a common language during religious rituals, you know fostering a sense of community and reinforcing the shared identity of believers who still date makes Islam unique among world religions. Interestingly, Arabic's linguistic intricacies and poetic qualities enhance the aesthetic and spiritual experience of Islamic religious practices such as prayer and recitation of religious texts. Its unique phonetics and drama contribute to the melodic recitation of the Quran. So attempt to change the tradition by whoever, by whatever means, is criminal. It is clear, my ladies and gentlemen, praying in Arabic might be great but there are other factors that might affect these acetyl policy among Muslims that could be the lack of knowledge of Arabic and personal prayers. I understand that it is required that an Imam obtains a considerable knowledge or master of Arabic to be crowned a prayer leader. This novelty in the episode today seemed to me as a deliberate attempt to show innovation and disregard the authentic tradition of Arabic years in Salah. Obviously, there have been multiple rulings on this issue in the episode today. We will be exploring and breaking them down one ruling at a time. Stay tuned. Assalamualaikum brothers and sisters, welcome to another episode of The Open-minded Thinker Show. This video is proudly sponsored by the like and share buttons. Please leave a like and share this video to help people learn more and prevent the innovations that destroy the Christian faith. Don't forget to subscribe to help the channel grow bigger. This video has generated a lot of reaction from Muslims all over the world. Some seem to support the Imam for the use of his native language to recite the Qur'an, while others are of the opinion that the innovation is completely unnecessary. These are some of the responses. One of the responses came from I think a Muslim. He said, May Allah guide all of us on the straight path. Certain parts of prayer aren't permitted to another language, but the Qur'an language, which is Arabic. Qur'an language is sometimes distinct from the Arabic language. Prayer isn't only the reading of the Qur'an, it's also the accomplishments of certain calculations. Qur'an has its own mathematical sense that we must respect. Another one said, The Prophet said, Pray as you see me pray. This is not how Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, prayed and Allah knows the best. Another person underneath said, This is sad. The Qur'an can only be recited in Arabic when praying. Another one said, You have crossed the limits and for you from God is a pen for chastisement. Qur'an is in Arabic. Another response is here. This is part of the reason the Sunni scholars cannot look on while it is continuous spread. Stop joking. We are Muslim. Our God is Allah. Our book is Qur'an. Our Qibla is Makkah. Our Prophet is Muhammad. There's be upon him. I can't join this worship as well because I don't understand that language. Those in this congregation who don't speak Swahili cannot join a Swahili congregation and so on. If they didn't learn and didn't understand Arabic, they couldn't have translated the Qur'an into the language for prayers. There are only been tribal byguts. Should every tribe carry that Imam to Hajj, it solves no problem. It creates confusion. In fact, there are people who cannot speak their mother tongue. This different opinion has left me with nothing but to research rulings regarding the use of native tongue for public sallah. I got my hand on the submission of Dr. Nasir Farid Waasal from the Mufti of Egypt and member of the Islamic Research Academy at Al-Azhar. He said that Almighty Allah has ordained Muslims to recite the Qur'an according to it prescribed rules. Dr. Nasir Allah says, quote, and recite the Qur'an as it ought to be recited. Al-Muzzamil chapter 73 verse 4. What I understand from this position is that the Qur'an is not to be recited during prayer in a way that may change the rules of its recitation or in a language other than Arabic. Another scholar that comes to mind is the erudite Syrian scholar Sheikh Mustafa Zakhar. The Sheikh states that it would seem natural and logical that a believer addresses prayers that sallah and supplication do are from the deep feelings of his consciousness and the mother tongue is the most effective way to achieve that objective of expressing what one feels and desires. He explains that looking at it from this perspective may seem to be prudent in terms of expressing adab with Allah in view of the fact that people are able to communicate more appropriately and show better etiquette in their mother tongue that they grew up with. While I oppose this understanding, I agree with the late scholar that people tend to cope better in the language they grew up with than maybe a strange one. However, this did not capture the fact that every Muslim is exposed to the knowledge of Arabic and the Qur'anic language quite early in life, making it a second language of thought. So I would prefer to leave the situation to circumstances related to new converts who may not have the knowledge of Arabic, but this is problematic as well. Mohtimein has the minute for response. One revert asked me why do I have to pray in Arabic? I said no, prayer in English translates as a supplication which is a dua. You can do that in any language you want or you can even do it silently. Allah knows your supplication before you even utter it, but if you're talking of a certain set of actions and words known as sallah and you're translating it as prayer because there's no better word in the English language to bring it closer to your understanding, then that is an act of worship to Allah that will happen in Arabic because Allah wants you or man to adjust yourself to understand the word of Allah and not to adjust the word of Allah for you or man to understand. So everyone who's a Muslim, you have to have invested in learning the Qur'an as is because your sallah would not be valid unless you did that, no matter how hard it is. You can have reverted today. By the evening they'll tell you at least memorize one chapter of the Qur'an. You say one chapter, say yes, one surah. Surat al-Fatiha will take you 20 minutes to memorize if you are dedicated. Maximum. And it will take you a minute to recite. Surat al-Falq, surat al-Nas, surat, for example, al-Ali khalas, tulhu wallahu ahad et cetera. These are short surahs. You are going to have to know some of the Qur'an off by heart. I ask you a question. Show me by raising your hands how many of you memorize surah Fatiha off by heart? Put up your hand, please. No exception. I just wanted to prove a point. That means you've memorized the Arabic. Now if I ask you how many of you speak the Arabic language, put up your hands, please. Very few. Subhanallah. Isn't that a miracle? A favor of Allah. Allah says we have made this Qur'an simplified. Not only to memorize but to understand, to look into, to ponder over, to fulfill, to follow, to practice. All of it. Who is going to do it from amongst you? Let's live it right there, ladies and gentlemen. Kindly tell me what you think in the comments. Innovations changing the sunnah is wrong. Everyone must stand against it. Until next time, As-salamu alaykum.