Arabic

Submitted by dhimmi no more (United States), Apr 18, 2008 at 22:31

Thank you Jennifer for your very kind remarks

Arabic is only a tool that I need in what I study. Yes, I love languages and semitic languages are great as their grammars are just great and once you master the grammar the language (be it Arabic or Syriac or Hebrew) becomes very easy. The Arabs call grammar al-nahw wa al-qawa3ed or the grammar and the rules (of grammar). The root system in such languages is pure genius and i will give you a quick example'

The root KTB:

1. He writes is yaktub (taktub f.)

2. He wrote is kataba (katabat f.)

3. He will write sayaktub (sataktub f)

4. Kitab is book and Kutub is books

5. Maktaba is library

6. Kuttab is a religious school

Very easy and very logical indeed

Now you know some Arabic

There is no doubt that reading Wansbrough's books about the history of early islam changed the way I see the history of the Qur'an and Muhammad.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".