South Tangerang, FAH Online News — The Arabic Language and Literature Study Program of the Faculty of Adab and Humanities (FAH), UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, held a commemoration of World Arabic Language Day along with an International Academic Seminar under the theme “Lughat al-Qur’an al-Karim wa Inbihar al-Mustashriqin Biha” (The Language of the Holy Qur’an and the Fascination of Orientalists with It).

The event featured two Arabic language experts: Dr. Husein Ahmad Husein Rifa’i, a lecturer at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates, and Ustadz Ali Hasan Al-Bahri, Lc., M.A., a lecturer at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. Both speakers discussed the development of the Arabic language from religious, academic, and global perspectives, as well as the factors behind Orientalists’ interest in Arabic. The seminar was held on Monday, December 22, 2025, at the Abdul Ghani Theater, 5th Floor.

This event served as an important momentum to celebrate the richness of the Arabic language as a language of knowledge, culture, and world civilization, while also strengthening scholarly bonds and reaffirming the role of Arabic in academic and international contexts.

In his opening remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Adab and Humanities UIN Jakarta, Dr. Ade Abdul Hak, S.Ag., S.S., M.Hum., CIQnR, emphasized the significant position of Arabic in Islamic academia. “Arabic is not only the language of religion, but also a scholarly language that has played a major role in the development of knowledge across various fields,” he stated.

During the presentation session, Dr. Husein Rifa’i explained that Arabic possesses extraordinary uniqueness because it is directly preserved by Allah SWT, as stated ini Q.S. Al-Hijr, Verse. 9: “Arabic is a language that will never become extinct because it is directly safeguarded by Allah. Its expressive power enables it to convey the meanings of revelation in a complete and profound manner,” he explained. He added that this excellence is one of the main factors behind Orientalists’ admiration for the language of the Qur’an.

Meanwhile, Ustadz Ali Hasan Al-Bahri emphasized that Arabic today is no longer limited to being merely a religious language, but has become a global necessity.
“Arabic now holds strong economic and political value along with the increasing role of Arab countries in global trade and investment,” he said. He also highlighted Indonesia’s role in preserving Arabic through thousands of Islamic boarding schools across the country. “Indonesia has made a significant contribution to maintaining the Arabic language through pesantren spread throughout various regions,” he added.

The seminar proceeded interactively with dialogue and question and answer sessions that were enthusiastically welcomed by participants. The event is expected to strengthen the academic awareness of the FAH UIN Jakarta academic community regarding the importance of preserving and developing Arabic as the language of revelation, scholarship, and Islamic civilization amid global dynamics. Moreover, it reaffirmed the academic community’s understanding of the position of Arabic as the language of revelation, worship, and the foundation of Islamic civilization.

Author: Asri Khairani

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