عربية
ʿArabiyya
Topic
The language of the Quran, described in the Quran as “clear Arabic” (16:103).
What it means
The Quran says that it was revealed in Arabic (12:2, 43:3), “in a clear Arabic tongue” (26:195). Muslims recite it in Arabic in prayer, and treat translations as renderings of its meaning. The rules of Arabic grammar were first set down largely to protect the reading of the Quran.
What the sources say
The language gave the Quran its first test. Its first hearers were masters of poetry, and the Quran says that if they doubted it they should produce a chapter like it (2:23). Muslims point to the fact that none was recorded in the Prophet’s time.