The Arabic language faces a great challenge, represented in the abandonment of speaking and teaching sciences in it, as its people break down and submit to foreign languages that have imposed themselves on our schools and universities. This situation puts the Arab identity at risk and may lead to the loss of several generations who stand in awe of the language, civilization, and sources of power of the West without awareness or realization of the dangers in this.
Several questions were posed by "Al-Mujtamaa" to Dr. Mohammed Younis Al-Hamlawi, the Secretary-General of the Egyptian Association for the Arabization of Sciences, in this interview.
Many Decisions of Linguistic Academies are just Ink on Paper
First, we would like to know the role of the Egyptian Association for the Arabization of Sciences
– The association was established in 1995, and the founders set a group of goals, the most important of which are: activating the role of the Arabic language in our Arab societies, working on improving educational efficiency and linking it to development, and working on activating fair laws for Arabic in its own countries, including the decisions of linguistic academies and the recommendations of linguistic conferences, as many of them are frozen or not activated, making them just ink on paper.
The association also works on the Arabization of various modern sciences that need Arabization, the most important of which are: human medicine, dentistry, chemistry, mathematics, biology, geology, physics, pharmacy, civil engineering, computer sciences, and other applied modern sciences.
How do you view the crisis of teaching in English in our Arab world?
– When you transparently examine the map of teaching applied sciences in all advanced countries, you will find that they teach them in their national languages, confirming that we are swimming against the tide by teaching in a language other than our own. If teaching in English or French is the best, why do some European countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Iceland, Austria, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and others insist on teaching in their national languages? Similarly, countries like Korea, China, Japan, and Russia also teach sciences in their languages.
Zionist Entity Revived Hebrew Language and Imposed it on the World
There is no doubt that these countries have realized, through real-world experience and scientific research, that the national language is a thousand times better than any other language in which a student learns, followed by learning the foreign language as a means of communication and additional scientific knowledge, not as a replacement or competitor.
In your estimation, what is the impact of this on Arab identity?
– It is unfortunate to say that teaching our children from a young age in foreign languages is a complete crime and a disaster for the present and future of the nation. For example, Japan prohibits teaching a foreign language before the age of 12 to ensure that the student masters the basics of his own language. But what has been happening in our Arab world for centuries is an extension of a conspiracy targeting our language, aiming to westernize our societies, which will make the Arabic language alien in its own homeland, becoming a second or third-class language. This is a fatal blow to the identity of our children and their Arab affiliation, and it will create conflicting generations in the midst of educational and social classist and racist situations, threatening societal security and peace.
Japan Prohibits its Students from Learning a Foreign Language Before the Age of 12
How do you view the Zionist entity’s experience in this context, given its destructive plans in Palestine and Lebanon?
– There is no doubt that the national sentiment of the "Israeli" generations, who study all sciences in Hebrew from kindergarten to university, gives them a strong national sense and a great affiliation to their state, whether secular or religious – despite the conflict between the two streams – but Hebrew is a common denominator for everyone, despite having been a dead language revived by the will of its people. It is sad that the Zionist entity, which teaches sciences to its children in Hebrew, has three universities ranked among the top 500 universities globally, while many of our Arab universities, which insist on teaching in foreign languages and marginalizing Arabic, have failed to make it into international rankings. To make matters worse, many families in our Arab countries take pride in their children mastering several foreign languages while being unable to speak proper Arabic.
How can we save our children who have been raised on foreign languages?
– The most effective solution lies in political decisions issued by rulers, education officials, and religious institutions, and these decisions must stem from a genuine political will to Arabize all aspects of our lives, then connect with the world after ensuring that our children master their national language. These decisions must be binding, and we have had enough procrastination because the situation is very dangerous, especially as store and hotel signs, among others, are now predominantly in English.
Vast Majority of Patents come from Countries that teach Sciences in their own Languages
Also, as educational, media, and educational institutions, we must get rid of the inferiority complex, dependence, and blind imitation of non-Muslims. This is what Ibn Khaldun warned us about in the 23rd chapter of his "Muqaddimah," where he said: "The vanquished is always fond of imitating the victor in his mannerisms, clothing, belief, and all other customs and traditions."
To those advocating Westernization and dependency, I say: consider the vast majority of global patents, which are found in countries that insist on teaching in their languages. According to data from the World Intellectual Property Organization, part of the United Nations, they are as follows: China, with more than a third of patents, followed by the United States, Japan, Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom. I ask: What will the devotees of teaching in English do when – very soon – Chinese becomes the first language of science!
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