Sharjah Ruler calls for avoiding mixing Arabic with foreign words

January 28, 2026 / 12:06 AM

His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah

Sharjah 24: His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, clarified the definition of the word “orphan”, noting that an orphan is any child who has lost their father in the human world, and any young animal that has lost its mother in the animal world. The latter is unknown in terms of parentage, unlike humans, whose parents are known. His Highness also pointed out that the state of being an orphan ceases when a person reaches the age of 18.

His Highness added, in a phone interview on the programme “Direct Line”, broadcast by Sharjah Broadcasting Authority with His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Khalaf, Director-General of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, that the Arabic language is sufficient to handle all matters. It is beautiful and clear. He illustrated this with an example: the difference between the words “Atash-ta” (you were thirsty) and “Atash-tu” (I was thirsty) , which once led to the death of a son. When the son asked his father using “Atash-ta”, the father thought the son was asking whether he himself wanted water, whereas the son meant that he was thirsty and wanted water. The tragedy occurred due to incorrect pronunciation and a failure to distinguish between the words.

His Highness praised the beauty and descriptive marvels of the Arabic language. He noted that while in Milan, Italy, where Arabic is taught, one of the students emphasised the importance of the Arabic language, describing it as having great strength, a special flavour, and a very distinctive sound and pronunciation.

His Highness called on people to master the Arabic language and speak it correctly and eloquently. He praised the high-level people have reached in speaking Modern Standard Arabic, free of foreign words, without any guidance or correction. He added that the “Direct Line” programme benefits people and improves the language, and noted the large sums and budgets allocated to language improvement and the great efforts made in this regard.

His Highness urged people to take the initiative themselves, to care for the Arabic language, master it properly, and help government bodies promote Modern Standard Arabic, whose meanings we understand. He stressed: “A people are lost only after they lose their language.”

His Highness expressed his hope to revive Modern Standard Arabic across all areas of life and to purify it of foreign words, because Arabic is not only the cradle of other languages but also the core of worship, the basis of devotion, and a means of drawing closer to God Almighty. For example, Chinese and other foreign Muslims recite the “Takbir” for prayer, pray, and recite verses of the Quran in Modern Standard Arabic. Translation is not permitted, nor do they request it, because prayer is valid only in Arabic.

His Highness added that people must take pride in the Arabic language, noting that billions of Muslims pray in it. He stressed the importance of preserving the language and using it in accordance with correct grammar and proper pronunciation.

He said addressing these matters is free and simple, requiring no study of archaic forms, and using modern Arabic without foreign words. He noted that the Sharjah dialect contains many words that originate from Modern Standard Arabic and are rooted in correct and eloquent Arabic usage.