Classical Arabic speaking NON-Muslims

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- JH121
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Classical Arabic speaking NON-Muslims
OP - June 09, 2014, 07:01 PM

There are many Arabic speaking Ex-Muslims, such as Hassan and Happymurtad on this forum, who are both fluent in Classical Arabic. However, far rarer are people who know Classical Arabic but have never been Muslim. The reasons for this is obvious. Most Muslims who learn it do so in order to further their understanding of the Quran. Obviously if you are not a Muslim you would have little reason to do this.

I can imagine that some people who are interested in Islam may choose to learn the language before they read the Quran, most likely after hearing the oft-repeated line about the Quran only being holy in it's original language. Inevitably, much like those who read the Quran translations in their own languages out of curiosity and interest, at least some of these people may not have liked what they read, and so chose not to convert.

One of the few examples of people who knew Quranic Arabic without being or becoming a Muslim is Arthur John Arberry, who was Professor of Arabic at Cambridge University, and wrote his own translation of the Quran: The Koran Interpreted. While he had a great respect for Islam and the Quran, as far as I know he never converted, so he wasn't a believer. Apart from Mr Arberry, I cannot think of anyone who learned or knew Classical Arabic who wasn't a Muslim at least at some point in their lives.

Can anyone else think of someone who knew Quranic Arabic but was never a Muslim?
- Qtian
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Classical Arabic speaking NON-Muslims
Reply #1 - June 09, 2014, 07:08 PM

One name that jumps to mind is Alfred Guillaume who famously translated Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah.
He was a (Christian) scholar of Islam.
I'm not sure if he ever was a Muslim because most sources only state that he died believing in Christianity.

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Classical Arabic speaking NON-Muslims
Reply #2 - June 09, 2014, 08:21 PM

N J Dawood - one of the many forgotten Jewish sons of Iraq, IIRC.

The guy's much overlooked these days, but I remember quite liking his translation of the Thousand and One Nights - he did a translation of the Qur'an as well.

Before it gets too late, you will find escape.
- kulay
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Classical Arabic speaking NON-Muslims
Reply #3 - June 13, 2014, 06:10 PM

I met a very nice old orthodox christian lady from my last visit to Lebanon who taught classical arabic and was well versed in quranic scripture. She wasn't much interested in religion though (neither islam or christianity for that matter lol) , just the arabic in the quran. People tend to forget sometimes that not all people in the middle east are muslims.

"Ours is the age which is proud of machines that think and suspicious of men who try to."
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