Tackling The Fear Of Not Being Able To Read Arabic!
A dilemma among students..
Something that bothers me at times, and which I see many people around me struggle with, is the assumption or fear of not being able to read Arabic. Even though they may have been studying for years, the truth is that they are capable of reading it; it's just that they keep telling themselves they can’t. I'm not saying I wasn't susceptible to that thought, but it was a matter of removing myself from that mindset and changing it to, “I can read. I am capable,” and challenging myself, and something I have to keep reminding myself about. Many individuals adopt this mindset and choose not to put in the effort. In contrast, what needs to be done is to confront and eliminate this thought, and to stop being intimidated by it. The reality is that learning Arabic, much like any other language, is not an easy feat. It is an intricate process and an extraordinary journey. Remember how you learned English back in school? It all started with becoming familiar with the alphabet, followed by structuring those letters into words. Next, learning how to form sentences, and ultimately, studying the logical frameworks and punctuation that give the language meaning, and consistently exposing yourself to it. Taking shortcuts in this process will only hinder your learning experience; many student encounter this challenge throughout their years of learning.
The fear of making mistakes while reading Arabic text is something everyone faces. In the initial years, one learns the rules of grammar (نحو) and morphology (صرف), and as time progresses, they find themselves able to read books that are solely in Arabic, even if just a little. Regardless of how well one grasps these rules, one will inevitably make mistakes if they do not engage in practical application.
Many mistakenly believe that making errors in reading indicates a lack of intelligence or capability. In reality, making mistakes is a crucial part of perfecting a language. This fear of thinking, “I make mistakes, I can’t read Arabic, or I’m not smart,” will only prevent one from picking up Arabic books, ultimately causing them to miss out on valuable learning experiences. The key to overcoming this apprehension is consistency; challenge yourself by continually exposing yourself to the language!
Understand that you won't always grasp everything you read or know the meaning of specific words right away. Take your time. Aim to read a page or more each day, and once you finish, write a brief summary of what you understood. Don’t linger on what you don’t comprehend; instead, keep moving forward. Mastery of Arabic does not happen overnight or even within a specified number of years—it requires dedication and persistence over many years to achieve fluency. Additionally, while pursuing your ʿĀlimiyyah studies, continue to take grammar courses on the side to advance, or consistently review what you have learned. Trust me, once you start reading and picking up Arabic books, you will realize that you can actually read and understand most of it; it’s just that you might be procrastinating.
The goal is to set achievable objectives and work towards accomplishing them, and to remember that each step, including the mistakes, brings you closer to mastery. A reminder for me first, and foremost!
الله ولي التوفيق وهو الغفور الرحيم جزاك الله خيرا على القراءة