(ToledoMuslims.com)-It's time for Mosques around America to drop Arabic as their language for Friday sermons. Not because Arabic isn't important or useful, but because of the future. Future generations of Muslims are being lost, becoming disillusioned, and grow up lacking basic understanding.
There comes a time when every immigrant community must decide on their language of choice. Latinos, Poles, Hungarians, and parents of all backgrounds eventually have to decide that their kids' future is more important than maintaining remnants of their ethnic background. Latinos eventually succumb and allow their children to speak more and more English in order to insure employability and future reward.
With Muslims, it's not about monetary gain, future employment or business sense. It's about common sense and religious competency. Let's face it, no matter how much parents have tried, very few of our youth speak Arabic fluently. Rare are those who can tell a story, give a lecture, or even read Arabic. Arabic literacy amongst our children is not very high, despite all of our efforts.
Parents have to make a difficult choice. What is more important, language or religion? Can our kids be fine Muslims without Arabic? Yes. The question is a question of priorities. What is more important, religion or language?
According to Islamic guidelines, preservation of religion is of the utmost priority. Doing it in Arabic is not. People can be perfectly fine Muslims and learn Islam perfectly well in whatever language they choose. As long as they know enough Arabic to make their prayers. After all, Islam is a universal message.
Muslim children, teens, and even adults who grew up here probably do not have a strong Arabic background. Rarely can they speak, comprehend, or discuss in Arabic. Hence, if Muslim leaders, teachers, and clergy continue to teach in Arabic, the lessons are not getting through.
For the sake of future generations, it's time to drop Arabic. After all, why have Friday sermons? Isn't the point of Friday sermon to remind and teach those who don't know much about Islam? The Arabic speakers are usually the elderly, the parents and recent immigrants. They already know Islam. They have a basic understanding and know how to get by. The youth, unfortunately, do not. They barely know the basics.
Yet, Imams continue to preach to them in Arabic, hoping that a minimum of information may percolate into their brains. In some cities, Islamic school teachers may teach 'Islamic Studies' in Arabic. Why? Either they could not find anyone that speaks English and is qualified to teach, or they think that this 'better' for the kids. In essence, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy; future schools will still not be able to find qualified English speaking religion teachers, due to our current unwillingness to teach in English.
So do Mosques and schools even care about the future? Do they care about the next generation? Of course they do, but they are unwilling to make the proper sacrifices. Sacrifice? Sure, Mosques rely on donations. If they don't cater to their 'crowd' their congregation may dwindle, and they loose funding.
But the problem is also a lack of leadership and foresight. Muslims need leadership that leads. Not follows. We need leaders that will say, "Look, this is what we have to do! You're gonna have to like it." The people will follow. The problem is that no one is willing to lead. Everyone just reverts back to their comfort level.
The other problem is parents. I hear parents say to me, "Well, how is my kid going to learn Arabic if we change everything to English?" Do they really think that a weekly sermon in a foreign language is enough to learn a language? I watch Telemundo every once in a while, does that mean I understand Spanish?
Sadly, most of these parents are the ones who woke up one day, when their kid turned 16, and realized that they haven't taught them Arabic. Now they want the Mosque to "fix" their kid for them. It doesn't work. Parents need to stop thinking about the minor problems and focus on the big picture. Your kid will not know anything about Islam if we keep teaching in foreign languages.
Another problem is the religious leaders; the Imams, teachers, and Mosque directors. Sometimes they refuse to learn a new language, speak in a new language, or fear that their message will not be as powerful in a second language. To those Imams; anything you can muster up in English will be far more comprehendible than a powerful Arabic sermon. Not being proficient in English is not an excuse. No one is asking you to be Shakespeare. We are asking you to be Shaik Speak. Just speak. Speak to the youth in a language that they understand.
As a leader, refusing to speak English is arrogant. You are basically saying, I am such a good speaker and my lectures are so worthwhile, that you should spend years learning another language just to have the pleasure and honor of, perhaps, understanding me. That is ludicrous. I don't know anyone that I would do that for. No one's message is that unique or worth the hassle.
The majority of Muslims that attend Friday sermons speak English or understand English. Only about 5% don't. That 5% is usually new immigrants that plan to stay here for a while that want to learn English anyways. Or they are just visiting and are going back home eventually. This is the 5% that we don't care about. They have no effect whatsoever on the future of Muslims in America. Further, they are already good Muslims and there is no fear of 'losing' them. Plus, they make a conscious decision to come to the Mosque on Fridays.
On the other hand, almost 100% of Mosque-goers understand English. About 40% are young children that do not understand Arabic whatsoever. A good 25% are young adults (Muslim Yuppies) that may understand some Arabic, but just barely. The rest are longtime immigrants, second generation, or first generation Muslims that understand both languages. You have the most to loose by speaking in Arabic. You'll be preaching to the choir.
So the question remains? Will we continue to put our investments in old stocks? Stocks that are maturing, useless, and barely producing? Or will we start investing in the future? In new technology? In technology that can go far, produce amazing results, and even pay dividends? The future of Islam in America is in jeopardy. Mosques and executive boards around the country need to decide what direction they want to take their congregation in. If they still have one.
Note: The views expressed in these articles does not necessarily represent the views of Muslims in Toledo, Ohio nor the views of ToledoMuslims.com, it's staff, owners, editors, webmaster, or writers. The views expressed represent the views of the writer only. ToledoMuslims.com is not responsible for any of the expressed views. Please feel free to comment on our articles in the article discussion area provided.
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