No nation is genuine without roots, and heritage is the foundation that extends to reach the fruits of the present. It appears as a magnificent artistic painting reflecting the nation's refinement at all levels. In other words, it is the basis from which the nation's creativity emerges and through which its values and civilization shine. Therefore, countries aspiring to a distinguished status among nations strive to instill in their people a pride in their heritage.
Our Islamic heritage is a great treasure that represents our identity, culture, and history. It connects the roots to the branches, and through it, we learn about our values, principles, and the lifestyle of our ancestors, who opened up the world and spread the message of Islam across the globe.
It is natural to find enemies of Islam from various directions and ideologies, resorting to adorned words and selective phrases to tarnish the heritage and alienate the Ummah's generations from their heritage. They seek to erase its existence from their present, let alone their future, believing that invoking pure heritage poses a threat to their social status, appearances, and ideas.
While it is true that our heritage is not without flaws, and scholars of the Ummah throughout the ages have tirelessly refuted these misconceptions, the enemies of the religion do not aim to tarnish the heritage for a temporary phase due to weakness or dispersion among Muslims. Their distortion extends from the time of the descent of Prophet Muhammad’s message to the present day, reaching the Arabic language, Islamic history, and the jurisprudence that formed according to the political and social circumstances.
It's astonishing that many of those who advocate for cutting ties with heritage are the same ones who brighten up when they find what they reject present in Western heritage! This reflects a disturbance in their standards and values, indicating a deviation in values. It simultaneously reflects an undeniable truth: the proponents of cutting ties with heritage seek to weaken the religious renaissance rooted in heritage.
Since the Arabic language is the primary source of legislation and the vessel of Islam, enemies of the religion sought to tarnish or diminish its sanctity, making it easier to strike at the foundations of the Islamic Ummah. They exploited all forms of media, and anyone who reflects on the reality of movies and series, both old and modern, can see this clearly. Many excelled in mocking the Arabic language and seducing youth with the symbols of European civilization, which shone due to the West's detachment from its past, while the West only rose for its connection to its past and documenting its relation to it.
Consider, for example, the movie “Soft Hands,” where the man who reads the advertisement for free housing in one of the palaces enters Ahmed Mazhar's palace and cannot find anything to feed himself. A scene that my weak memory continues to recall!
The man asked Salah Zulfikar (the tenant) about his profession, and he replied, “Doctor.” Ahmed Mazhar rejoiced because he would find, along with free accommodation in the palace, a doctor who would treat him for free as well. However, Zulfikar ruined his joy and informed him that he was a doctor in “Hatta” (till, meaning he’s a professor in Arabic). Then he gave an example, saying, “I ate the fish till its head,” and the scene ended with a sarcastic statement from Ahmed Mazhar, “Is your doctorate fried or grilled?”
But the comedy is not over; its banner was carried by “Adel Emam” to begin chapters of a sarcastic play that we are still living in until now!
In fact, all cinema scenes mock the Arabic language, just as they mock the religious marriage officiant (ma'dhun), as is the case with many aspects of our Islamic and Arab civilization.
What's striking is that this mockery finds a significant echo in the hearts of Arab youth, not devoid of ignorance and foolishness!
On the other hand, in a different place and time, there was a man known as the “Imam of Grammarians” named Sibawayh, the author of the greatest reference in Arabic grammar, “Al-Kitab.” Before his death, he repeated in front of those sitting around him, including linguists, friends, and relatives: “I die while still puzzled by 'Hatta'.” This word specifically puzzled grammarians who came before him and exhausted those who came after.
The Arabic language is not just a means of communication and creativity but is the historical, cultural, and spiritual vessel of the Islamic Ummah. Therefore, it is the target of enemies who seek to tarnish it and alienate its people from it, to destroy the remaining pillars of heritage. Thus, preserving the Arabic language is an urgent necessity, as it is the shortcut to reclaiming our identity. Surrendering to attempts to undermine it is pure madness. There is nothing worse than upringing a generation that does not learn it, ensuring they shy away from it, ridicule it, and belittle those who speak it!
Our Islamic heritage is not a problem hindering the nation's progress; rather, cutting ties with it leads us all to the path of destruction and loss. We can only understand Allah's purpose for us through our heritage. We cannot understand how the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his noble companions lived and then apply the religion in our lives to bring happiness to ourselves and others without strengthening our relationship with our heritage. We cannot solve the problems of the present and future without learning from those who preceded us.
Raising our children to love their heritage requires the following:
- To be fit role models for them, embodying in our behavior the values and principles of the righteous Salaf, and showing our love for heritage to our children by exploring our Islamic history and visiting Islamic sites locally and internationally if possible.
- Choosing entertaining stories that narrate the stories of the heroes of our Ummah and how they contributed to human civilization.
- Watching documentaries and films such as “Mohammed Al-Fateh” and “Omar Mukhtar” and other well-made films.
- Allocating books for different age groups that connect them with heritage, as well as encouraging them to research and self-learn.
- Encouraging children to speak Arabic and take pride in it, dedicating specific time daily or weekly for speaking classical Arabic (Fusha) within the household, with a reminder not to use foreign words or terms as substitutes for Arabic words.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Read the Article in Arabic
