I.M.A.M.’s U.N. Representative Attends Session on the Need to Preserve Indigenous Languages

July 10, 2024

On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Dr. Sayyed Masoud Noori, I.M.A.M.’s representative at the UN, attended a session on the Sustainable Development Goal 16 and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. The session highlighted two initiatives: the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL 2022-2032), which draws attention to the need for preserving indigenous languages; and Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Global Agenda, which is designed to promote peaceful and inclusive societies. 

After the session, Dr. Noori explained Islam’s perspective on linguistic diversity by way of the following verses from the Quran: 

1. “And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed, in that are signs for those of knowledge.” (Quran 30:22)

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْعَالِمِينَ

2. “We never sent a messenger who did not speak the tongue of his people, that he may explain to them distinctly. God leads whosoever He wills astray and shows whoever He wills the way: He is all-mighty and all-wise.” (Quran, 14:4)

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ ۖ فَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ 

3. “God has certainly favored the believers by raising among them a Messenger from among themselves.” (Quran, 3:164)

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ

4. “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves.” (Quran, 9:128):

لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُم

Dr. Noori extracted the point from these verses that the prophets’ audiences did not have to adopt a foreign language to understand and appreciate the message of God. 

Further, he explained, it can be understood from certain verses of the Quan that, in addition to sharing the same language as their people, the prophets were fully aware of the culture and customs of their audiences. The expression “from among themselves” in verse 3:164 as well as the phrase “from among yourselves” in verse 9:128 can be used to support this idea.

The U.N. representative of I.M.A.M. also made clear that, in Islam, human beings have inherent rights regarding languages. They have the right to learn their mother tongues within the official education system of their residence. And they have the right to receive education in their mother tongue if they choose. 

Finally, Dr. Noori addressed a potential concern about Arabic being the language of worship for Muslims. He explained that the obligation to perform prayers in the original Arabic of the Quran serves a practical purpose: unifying the Islamic Ummah around the language of revelation. But in no way does this encourage believers to disregard the non-Arabic languages of the Muslim community.

I.M.A.M.’s U.N. representative clarified that the emphasis placed on Quranic Arabic does not contradict the value of preserving the linguistic diversity of the Muslim Ummah. This is because, as mentioned above, linguistic diversity is one of the signs of God’s power and wisdom.