The Arabic language is one of the most ancient and oldest living languages currently used by more than 400 million people around the world. Arabic continues to build on its major contributions to the progress of human civilisation, enriching the knowledge, intellectual, cultural, and scientific output of humanity.
The significance of Arabic lies mainly in the fact that it is the language of the Qur’an, as evident in the Qur’anic verse in which Allah says: "Surely We have revealed it-- an Arabic Quran-- that you may understand." [Yusuf 12:2]. This is a testament to our original Arabic identity and our Islamic culture and heritage. Recognising the significance of the Arabic language, our wise leadership has been leading the efforts to restore the Arabic language to its natural place among the advanced languages. H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has said that preserving the Arabic language, the language of the Qur’an, is ‘our national, religious, and moral responsibility.’
On the World Arabic Language Day, we, at the Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai (SLC), renew our commitment to protecting and preserving our Arabic language by maintaining its position as the official language of legislation. We are also determined to support the UAE national drive to become the center of excellence for the Arabic language, and a beacon of Arabic culture and enlightenment.
We, at the SLC, will continue to support diverse initiatives aimed at enhancing the global prominence of the Arabic language. One of the ongoing initiatives is the Arabic Knowledge Sip (Qahwa Arabiya) initiative launched to empower the use of the Arabic language by legal professionals through correcting common mistakes, highlighting subtle differences in words, and explaining other linguistic nuances.