Doha, Qatar: The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) will hold a seminar Tuesday, on "The Present and Future of the Arabic Language in the Islamic World," with the participation of an elite select of researchers and academics specializing in Arabic language and its related sciences from Qatar University.
Director of the Department of Islamic Research and Studies, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani stated that this seminar represents a collaborative intellectual project, a cultural endeavor, and a scholarly call to revive the Arabic language, rebuild its cultural foundations, and breathe new life into the pillars of its identity.
He pointed out that the seminar, the first of its kind in an annual series, entitled "In Clear Arabic," stems from the Ministry's recognition of the importance of the Arabic language and its desire to elevate its status as the language in which the Holy Quran was revealed and the Prophetic Sunnah was transmitted.
It is also the language through which the Islamic sciences, history, and civilization flourished, and as the fundamental element in shaping the intellectual, cultural, and civilizational framework of the individual, society, and the Muslim nation.
He emphasized that Awqaf views this seminar as a cultural contribution to the efforts being made to revive the Arabic language and restore it to the forefront of the Muslim world, considering this a vital necessity and a prerequisite for the nation's revival and its return to the path of progress.
The seminar, held at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, explores its theme through three main axes.
The first axis, presented by Dr. Luay Ali Khalil, Professor of Cultural Criticism and Narratology, discusses the relationship between the Arabic language and the nation's cultural identity through three sub-themes: the connection between the Arabic language and the Holy Quran as a source of cultural and intellectual unity; the role of the Arabic language in building the nation's collective identity throughout history; and the impact of linguistic decline on the erosion of identity and weakened sense of belonging.
The second axis, presented by Dr. Mahrous Brik, Professor of Grammar, Morphology, and Linguistics, examines contemporary challenges facing the Arabic language in Muslim societies through three sub-themes: the reality of Arabic language use in media, education, and the digital sphere; globalization and foreign languages; and the marginalization of the Arabic language and its impact on future generations.
In the third session, "Arabic and the Future of Intellectual and Scientific Renaissance," Dr. Mohammed Khaled Al Rahawi, Associate Professor at the College of Arts and Sciences at Qatar University, will speak, looking ahead to: the future of the Arabic language in light of cognitive and digital transformations, and the future of the Arabic language in renewing Islamic thought and reviving sciences.
