Psychology & Islam Arabic and Term Paper

Total Length: 783 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

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"In Islam...precedent is all. The principles of the Prophet- as divined from the Koran and the approved traditions- are for all time. They can be extended to cover all disciplines." (Naipaul). The Prophet was Arabic, so it follows that those approved traditions are going to be Arabic and that Islam, whether practiced in an Arabic nation or elsewhere, is going to be Arabic at its core. Furthermore, the Prophet indicated his belief that, as generations passed, Muslims would become less devote because of a dilution of faith. (Naipaul). Therefore, it makes sense that anything that could lead to further dilution of faith would be prohibited. In fact, there are several ideas in Islam which have been distorted by culture, which the devout might not be able to recognize as distortions if they were reading an interpreter's translation of the Koran. For example, the Koran's instructions about the burqua condemn male violence against women and suggest that women take cover until such men can be contained. However, that instruction has been used to oppress women, which is the exact opposite of what the Prophet appears to intend in the Koran.
Furthermore, one needs to look at the context in which the Koran was written and how Islam historically spread in order to gain a greater appreciation of the proscription against translation. Islam initially spread through violence and warfare, even during the Prophet's time, and it made sense that the converted would be forced to embrace all aspects of the conquering lifestyle, which included the use of Arabic and embracing Islam. That the two would be permanently linked is unsurprising.

Islam is more than a religion; it is also a lifestyle. Therefore, it is unsurprising that Muslims are encouraged to resist those changes that would alter that lifestyle. Translating the Koran from its original language, even if the translators had the best of intentions, would inevitably lead to changes from the original text. Furthermore, beginning with the Prophet's time, the history of Islam has been one of conquest, and the conqueror has historically always forced the conquered to adopt the conqueror's lifestyle.

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"Psychology & Islam Arabic And", 01 November 2005, Accessed.18 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/psychology-islam-arabic-69093