<p>There are never any prereqs at any school to start a language at the introductory level, but I'd recommend that you buy a book soon and start learning a little, just so you're a step ahead and that A will come a little easier since you will have many harder courses. If you know what textbook you will be using for the class, then get that this summer. Most schools, or at least good ones, have Quran classes, but just to study and not to read it in the original language, which I'm sorry to say isn't Modern Standard Arabic but Ancient, which I'm assuming is very different.</p>
<p>Well, Modern Standard Arabic is based on Classical (Quaranic) Arabic, so they are mutually comphrehensible to some degree.</p>
<p>Well, I have tried to undersatnd the Quran but even its English translation is so confusing!</p>
<p>You could go to a sheikh or to a mosque and they have Quran lessons in English and Arabic where they discuss the meaning of the verses. It will probably help you.</p>
<p>Honestly, I tried that but i had a terrible personal experience with it. LOL</p>
<p>the more I listen to that clip from Xena, the more I'm falling in love with Arabic.</p>
<p>fate, you can try online websites, those help</p>
<p>Really? Do you know know any websites that translate the Quran is a simple, straight-foward, down to earth language?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Why do you want to read the Quran so badly?</p>
<p>WHy wouldn't he? ;) </p>
<p>How about [url=<a href="http://www.geocities.com/infoquran/%5Dthis%5B/url">http://www.geocities.com/infoquran/]this[/url</a>]? Not too bad right?</p>
<p>Aren't true Muslims not supposed to read translations of the Quran?</p>
<p>Uh no there is no such rule.
There are a lot of Muslims who don't even know Arabic.
Only like 18% of the Muslim population is Arab.</p>
<p>Oops, i guess i just made that up. I do that sometimes :-)</p>
<p>Muahahah, no problem. :)</p>
<p>Seriously though, Islam has been corrupted by all these stupid fundamentalists and extremists out there which is why it looks so bad today when someone approaches it.</p>
<p>just about every religion is corrupted, though some (like islam) more heavily than others.</p>
<p>but that's beside the point, because islam is not an 'arabic religion'; no more than christianity is an 'american religion' etc, as there are Christians all over the world and Muslims all over the world.</p>
<p>and can I just say: "wakhoo habibi delaawam delaagh.....pishvee.." again? hahah, i LOVE it.</p>
<p>Yeah. i agree. I feel bad committing so many sins while being a Muslim at the same time.LOL.</p>
<p>And you get more out the Quran by learning the true meaning of its content. </p>
<p>Thanks everyone</p>
<p>Islam has been corrupted by all these stupid fundamentalists and extremists</p>
<p>I agree. I have a personal story over this is anybodt is interested to read it.</p>
<p>georgetown has the best arabic department.</p>
<p>Are there non-fundamentalist mosques in the US, in particular in the NYC area?</p>
<p>I DONT THINK THATS POSSIBLE, to be honest! MOST priests (or whatever they are called) in mosques are fundamentslists. From my experience, they consider this whole war in Iraq as a war where Muslims have to fight for their religion. Thats pathetic in my view.</p>
<p>Dressagechick, Chicago and Michigan have the top two Arabic programs in the nation...followed by Penn, Harvard, Princeton and NYU. Georgetown has a good program, but it is not great.</p>
<p>Cryptic_fate, not all Imams are extremists. I am Maronite (Catholic), but I know many Muslims and have often sat in Mosques while friends of mine were participating in the Juma'a. Most Imams preach non-violence. </p>
<p>But you must understand that many Arabs, myself included, do not believe that the War in Iraq is justified. It is pretty evident that Bush and his cronnies are very anti-muslim. It is no wonder the Muslims are very frightened of that man.</p>