Sharjah24: The Arabic Language Academy magazine, in a special feature published in its latest issue, highlighted the inauguration of the Arab Cultural Institute at the Sacred Heart Catholic University in Milan by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The magazine described this initiative as a pioneering step in Sharjah’s global cultural project, which reflects a wise vision aimed at reviving Arab heritage and presenting it clearly to the world.
In its 12th issue, the magazine noted that the teaching of Arabic in Italian universities dates back to the 14th century. At the Catholic University, it began in the 1980s, and with the dawn of the new millennium and growing global interest in the Arabic language, the number of students eager to study Arabic increased. This prompted significant and systematic improvements in educational materials, further strengthening cultural and educational ties with Sharjah.
In a study titled "Al-Bashir Al-Ibrahimi: A Distinguished Scholar and Leader of the Arabic Language," Dr. Mohamed Safi Al Mosteghanemi, Secretary-General of the Arabic Language Academy (ALA) in Sharjah, shed light on one of the great figures in Arabic scholarship. He highlighted Al-Bashir Al-Ibrahimi's brilliance in both Arabic and intellectual sciences, noting his mastery in rhetoric and eloquence, which resonated in his speeches and articles that spread far and wide. His deep knowledge was such that he memorised the entire "Nafh al-Tib," a book of over seven thousand pages, filled with exquisite poetry, eloquent prose, wise sayings, and captivating stories and proverbs.
The 12th issue also included an article titled "Is Arabic the Greatest Language?" which explored the criteria for the greatness of any language, emphasising that the greatness of a language is tied to the achievements of its speakers. The article stressed that Arabic, being the language of Islamic civilisation, has been graced with figures like Al-Biruni, who lived in the 10th century and made significant contributions in philosophy, astronomy, physics, geography, and more. The United Nations even named a library after him in recognition of his accomplishments.
In another article, "Orientalists and Their Fairness Towards the Arabic Language," researcher Wafiq Safwat Mokhtar highlighted the positive contributions of several Orientalists who worked to revive Islamic heritage using organized and meticulous methods. He mentioned Hungarian Orientalist Abdul Karim Germanus, who remarked that Islam played a vital role in preserving the beauty and immortality of the Arabic language, and German Orientalist Sigrid Hunke, famous for her statement, "How can one resist the beauty of this language, its flawless logic, and unique charm?"
Dr. Baha Al-Din Dandis, a linguistic researcher at the Academy, examined the development of the Arabic root "S-B-H" in the historical Arabic lexicon, showing its evolution beyond the commonly understood meaning of "swimming" to include meanings of striving, worship, and hastening. In biology, it refers to microscopic bodies that move within the cell's cytoplasm, and the word "Masbah" in the 7th century referred to a wide area, later used in the 8th century to denote a swimming place, as mentioned in Al-Hariri’s Maqamat.
The magazine also delved into linguistic insights from Al-Tha’alibi’s book "Fiqh Al-Lughah," such as the specific use of the word "ka's" only when it is filled, otherwise it’s just a glass, and "ma'idah" only when loaded with food, otherwise it's just a table. The issue included a variety of studies, from reflections on Quranic eloquence to discussions on the Sharjah Award for Linguistic and Lexical Studies, as well as explorations of the importance of Arabic in religious sciences, linguistic morphology, and entertaining anecdotes about the book "Al-Ain." It also featured readings of two books: "Language as a Spoken Identity" and "Al-Misbah Al-Muneer."
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