Arabic alphabets where to learn them

Have this ever happen to you. What did you do?

There are basically two components in studying any language, first is of course speaking and then writing. Do you need to learn both writing and speaking or just speaking is enough?

This is of course depends on the purpose of studying Arabic, where you are. If you are like me, living in a land where Arabic is used only when praying and making supplication, then you will not get much chance to practice the language.

I am learning the language Alhamdulillah to understand and experience the miracle of the Quran and hopefully I have a chance to live in the Middle East.  Secondly, I frequently get mistaken for an Arab, and it is embarrassing when people come up to you and starting to speak in Arabic and you can’t respond. Usually it is the non Arab brothers who know Arabic. 

They muster their courage to speak Arabic to me thinking they got a chance to practice their Arabic.  I can bear to see the disappointment in their faces when I told them I am not an Arab and the only Arabic I know is what I read in my prayers.

Since I do not get the chance to practice, Arabic, I have to start to learn in from square one. I do know how to read Arabic but not fluently. So I figured I start from square one with Arabic writing, I would suggest anyone who wants to learn Arabic to consider learning Arabic writing. 

But if you have an urgent need to communicate in Arabic I would suggest, a book which come with CDs which can be very helpful. You can get it at Amazon, or at ttp://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Thackston_Arabic.pdf.

The benefits of studying Arabic writing is not just so you can read Arabic, but because of the nature of the language it self, in Arabic a word may change pronunciation depending on its location in a sentence and its role.  This may sound daunting but the wonderful thing about Arabic is it is scientifically precise, it is more accurate than science actually. 

Arabic Alphabet 

The Arabic Alphabet consist of 29 letters, and there are few alphabet that sound similar, you need to know what they are, and their correct sound. Because if you mispronounce it, may give different meaning.  For example tin and thin sounds very similar but one means clay while the other means clay.

The good thing about Arabic is it only has three vowel sounds which makes thing a lot easier compared to English. You must master the Arabic Alphabet preferable under an Arabic speaker. Yet this is easier said than done. 

Especially if you live in a country where Arabic is considered a foreign language. Alhamdullilah, there is a lot of resources online with audio which is free. 

I would recommend one good site and their program for Arabic, it is program developed by Madinah International University.  It is one of their teaching tools for online Arabic program. but the only problem is it can only be open with internet explorer. I tried with other browser, it didn't work.

You can go to the website and there is several link in the middle look the one that says learn arabic
once you click on that link, it will take you to the e mahaad. The main page contain all the subjects, you can browse through it.

Once you click on a subject it will take you to the lesson page. Each lesson has, translation and audio. If you want to learn the sound of Arabic alphabets go to lesson 1 page 11. The pages are at the bottom of the page you can hover on it. But you must open it with internet explorer otherwise you get a please wait massage and it will not load. This is the direct link to the alphabets page copy it and paste it in the Internet Explorer address bar http://iqra.mediu.edu.my/eBooks/nIndex.htm?en|1|1|Level1|ta|m1


This program by International University is available for everybody, you do not have to enter your e-mail address or fill any forms or enroll for the course.  The only problem is you can only open it with Internet Explorer but not other browser.

May Allah bless those people in MEDIU for their efforts