Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

and its different

dialect The term dialect (from Latin , , from the Ancient Greek word , 'discourse', from , 'through' and , 'I speak') can refer to either of two distinctly different types of Linguistics, linguistic phenomena: One usage refers to a variety (linguisti ...

s are spoken by around 422 million speakers (native and non-native) in the

Arab world The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...

as well as in the

Arab diaspora Arab diaspora (also known as MENA diaspora, as a short version for the Middle East and North Africa diaspora) refers to descendants of the Arab emigrants who, voluntarily or as refugees, emigrated from their native lands to non-Arab countries, ...

making it one of the five most spoken languages in the world. Currently, 22 countries are member states of the

Arab League The Arab League ( ar, الجامعة العربية, ' ), formally the League of Arab States ( ar, جامعة الدول العربية, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, E ...

(as well as 5 countries were granted an observer status) which was founded in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...

in 1945. Arabic is a

language cluster A dialect continuum or dialect chain is a series of language varieties spoken across some geographical area such that neighboring varieties are mutually intelligible, but the differences accumulate over distance so that widely separated varie ...

comprising 30 or so modern varieties. Arabic is the ''

lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...

'' of people who live in countries of the Arab world as well as of

Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...

who live in the diaspora, particularly in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

(especially

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

) or

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

(like

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Cypriot Arabic Cypriot Arabic ( ar, العربية القبرصية), also known as Cypriot Maronite Arabic or Sanna, is a moribund variety of Arabic spoken by the Maronite community of Cyprus. Formerly speakers were mostly situated in Kormakitis, but followin ...

is a recognized

minority language A minority language is a language spoken by a minority of the population of a territory. Such people are termed linguistic minorities or language minorities. With a total number of 196 sovereign states recognized internationally (as of 2019) and ...

in the EU member state of

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

and, along with Maltese, is one of only two extant European varieties of Arabic, though it has its own standard literary form and has no diglossic relationship with Standard Arabic. Maltese is one of the official languages of the EU.

Sovereign states where Arabic is an official language

As of 2018, there are 23 sovereign states where

Modern Standard Arabic Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) or Modern Written Arabic (MWA), terms used mostly by linguists, is the variety of Standard language, standardized, Literary language, literary Arabic that developed in the Arab world in the late 19th and early 20th ...

is an

official language An official language is a language given supreme status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically the term "official language" does not refer to the language used by a people or country, but by its government (e.g. judiciary, ...

. The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where Arabic is an official language.

States with limited recognition and territories where Arabic is an official language

The following is a list of

states with limited recognition A number of polities have declared independence and sought diplomatic recognition from the international community as sovereign states, but have not been universally recognised as such. These entities often have ''de facto'' control of thei ...

as well as

territories A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

where Arabic is an official or ''de facto'' official language.

Countries where Arabic is a national/working language or a recognized minority language

As of 2016, there are 7 independent countries where Arabic is a

national National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

working language A working language (also procedural language) is a language that is given a unique legal status in a supranational company, society, state or other body or organization as its primary means of communication. It is primarily the language of the dai ...

or a recognized

, but not primary language. The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where Arabic is a national language or a recognized minority language.

Cyprus

(alongside

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

) is one of the two recognized minority languages of

, since 2008. It is spoken by the

Maronite The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the larges ...

community, which is a minority in Cyprus especially in the cities

Nicosia Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...

Limassol Limassol (; el, Λεμεσός, Lemesós ; tr, Limasol or ) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population ...

and

Larnaca Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro population of 144 ...

. Cypriot Arabic (also known as Cypriot Maronite Arabic) is taught at the Elementary School of St. Maron, which is located in Anthoupolis southern of Nicosia, Cyprus.

Eritrea

Debate exists over the extent of Arabic in Eritrea; the government position is that the language was introduced by the British and is only in use by a professional elite and the

Rashaida The Rashaida () is an ethnic group inhabiting the coastal plain from Massawa in Eritrea to the border with eastern Sudan. They are descended from Arabs (descended from Banu Abs) who fled from the Hejaz in present-day Saudi Arabia after tribal warf ...

minority, whereas others have taken the view the language acts as the ''

'' of the country's Muslims. Eritrea is an observer state in the Arab League.

Iran

Arabic is a recognized minority language of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. In addition, the constitution recognizes the Arabic language as the language of Islam, giving it a formal status as the language of religion, and regulates its spreading within the Iranian national curriculum. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Arabic (as the language of

Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...

) became mandatory for pupils in Iran. Arabic courses are mandatory starting from 6th year of schooling (1st year of Middle School) until the 11th year (penultimate year of High School). The local

dialects of Arabic The varieties (or dialects or vernacular languages) of Arabic, a Semitic language within the Afroasiatic family originating in the Arabian Peninsula, are the linguistic systems that Arabic speakers speak natively. There are considerable variati ...

spoken by Arab minorities in Iran (like

Ahwazi Arabs Khuzestani Arabs () are the largest Arab community in Iran which primarily reside in the western half of the Khuzestan province. This area is known as Ahwaz by the Arab community, and the capital of Khuzestan is Ahvaz. As of 2010, Khuzestani Arab ...

Khamseh Arabs The Khamseh Arabs are an Arab nomadic and pastoral tribe of Fars Province in Iran. They are a part of the Khamseh confederation. They speak a dialect of Gulf Arabic. Their population numbers about 1000. Branches The two Arab tribes in Fars Pro ...

, Marsh Arabs as well as Arabs in Khorasan) are Khuzestani Arabic and

Mesopotamian Arabic Mesopotamian Arabic, ( ar, لهجة بلاد ما بين النهرين) also known as Iraqi Arabic ( ar, اللهجة العراقية), or Gilit Mesopotamian Arabic (as opposed to Qeltu Mesopotamian Arabic) is a continuum of mutually intelligi ...

, (also known as Iraqi Arabic) mainly in

Khuzestan Province Khuzestan Province (also spelled Xuzestan; fa, استان خوزستان ''Ostān-e Xūzestān'') is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahvaz and it covers ...

as well as

Khorasani Arabic Khorasani Arabic is a dialect of Arabic spoken in Iran. It is a variety of Central Asian Arabic spoken in a few villages in the Iranian province of Khorasan Khorasan may refer to: * Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in mo ...

especially in Khorasan Province. There are several TV channels in Arabic language broadcasting from Iran, namely,

Al-Alam ''Al-Alam'' ( ar, العَلم, lit=The Flag) is an arabophone Moroccan daily newspaper. History and profile ''Al Alam'' was founded in September 1946. The paper, based in Rabat, is the organ of the nationalist Nationalism is an idea a ...

, Al-Kawthar TV,

iFilm iFilm is a discontinued U.S.-based video-sharing website on which users could upload, share and view videos. It was founded by filmmaker Raphael Raphael in 1997. It was later acquired by iFilm.net, a popular online interactive film and media arch ...

, Ahwazna TV,

Al Ahwaz TV AL, Al, Ål or al may stand for: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Al (Aladdin), Al (''Aladdin'') or Aladdin, the main character in Disney's ''Aladdin'' media * Al (EastEnders), Al (''EastEnders''), a minor character in the British ...

and Al-Ahvaz TV. Currently, the sole newspaper in Arabic language published in Iran is Kayhan Al Arabi out of 23 Persian dailies and three English dailies newspapers in Iran. In 2008, the public university

Payame Noor University Payame Noor University (PNU; Persian: Dāneŝgāhe Payāme Nur) is a large public university in Iran, with its headquarters in Tehran. Established in 1988, is a legal body under the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. ''Payame Noor'' ...

declared that Arabic will be the "second language" of the university, and that all its services will be offered in Arabic, concurrent with

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

Mali

Arabic is one of the recognized national languages in

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...

. Hassaniya Arabic (a variety of

Maghrebi Arabic Maghrebi Arabic (, Western Arabic; as opposed to Eastern or Mashriqi Arabic) is a vernacular Arabic dialect continuum spoken in the Maghreb region, in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Western Sahara, and Mauritania. It includes Moroccan, Alger ...

) is spoken by a minority in Mali especially by the

Azawagh Arabs The Azawagh Arabs ( ar, عرب أزواغ) (also known as nomadic Moors) are nomadic ethnic Arab-ancestry tribes who are settling mainly in the area of Azawagh which is a dry basin covering what is today northwestern Niger, as well as parts of ...

(also known as nomadic

Moors The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or ...

) nomadic

ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

-ancestry tribes who are settling mainly in the area of

Azawagh The Azawagh (alias ''Azaouagh'' or ''Azawak'') is a dry structural basin, basin covering what is today the northwestern Niger, as well as parts of northeastern Mali and southern Algeria. The Azawagh is mainly made up of Sahelian and Saharan f ...

which is a dry basin covering what is today northwestern

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesMali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...

and southern

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

Niger

Arabic is one of the recognized national languages in

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesminority in Niger especially by the

Diffa Arabs Diffa Arabs ( ar, عرب الديفا) (also known as Mahamid Arabs) is the Nigerien name given to Arabicized nomadic tribespeople living in eastern Niger, mostly in the Diffa Region. In 2006, approximately 150,000 and accounting for less than 1.5% ...

(also known as Mahamid Arabs) an Arab nomadic tribespeople who is living in eastern Niger, mostly in the

Diffa Region Diffa is one of the seven Regions of Niger, located in the southeast of the country. The capital of the region is Diffa. Geography Diffa Region is situated in the extreme southeast of Niger between 10° 30’ and 15° 35’ longitude East and 1 ...

Senegal

Arabic is one of the recognized national languages in

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

. Hassaniya Arabic is spoken by a minority in Senegal.

Turkey

There is an Arab minority in Turkey who speak Arabic as their native language. Therefore, Arabic is a recognized minority language in

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. Historically Arabic was the official language (in the territory which form nowadays the state of Turkey) during the time when this region was a part of the

Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by th ...

between 661 and 750 and later when it belonged to the

Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...

(750–1258). The national public broadcaster of Turkey the

Turkish Radio and Television Corporation The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT; Turkish : ) is the national public broadcaster of Turkey, founded in 1964. TRT was for many years the only television and radio provider in Turkey. Before the introduction of commercial radio ...

(also known as TRT) broadcasts

TRT Al Arabiya TRT Arabia, () is an Arabic television channel of TRT, broadcasting to Arabic-speaking audiences in Turkey and the Middle East, 24 hours a day, on subjects, events, and news as well as soap operas from and pertaining to Turkey. It was launched on ...

a 24 hours a day TV channel in Arabic language (launched in April 2010). The Arab Christian (

Antiochian Greek Christians Antiochian Greek Christians (also known as Antiochian Rūm) are a Levantine Arabic-speaking ethnoreligious Eastern Christian group residing in the Levant region. They are either members of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch or the Melkite Gree ...

) minority has the right to teach Arabic under the Treaty of Lausanne, however they tend to refrain from doing so in order to avoid sectarian tensions as the treaty does not apply to the Muslim majority. In 2015, the Turkey's Ministry of Education announced that as of the 2016–17 academic year, Arabic language courses (as a second language) will be offered to students in elementary school starting in second grade. The Arabic courses will be offered as an elective language course like

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, French and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

which are already being offered to elementary school students for a long time. According to a prepared curriculum, second and third graders will start learning the Arabic language by listening-comprehension and speaking, while introduction to writing will join these skills in fourth grade and after fifth grade students will start learning the language in all its four basic skills.

Countries where Arabic has a special status according to the constitution

As of 2018, there are 5 independent countries where Arabic has a special status according to the constitution. The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where Arabic has a special status according to the constitution.

Iran

The

constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...

of the

Islamic Republic of Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

recognizes the Arabic language as the language of Islam, giving it a formal status as the language of religion, and regulates its spreading within the Iranian national curriculum. The constitution declares in Chapter II: (The Official Language, Script, Calendar, and Flag of the Country) in Article 16 "''Since the language of the Qur`an and Islamic texts and teachings is Arabic, ..., it must be taught after elementary level, in all classes of secondary school and in all areas of study.''"

Israel

Arabic was an official language of

Mandatory Palestine Mandatory Palestine ( ar, فلسطين الانتدابية '; he, פָּלֶשְׂתִּינָה (א״י) ', where "E.Y." indicates ''’Eretz Yiśrā’ēl'', the Land of Israel) was a geopolitical entity established between 1920 and 1948 ...

and was retained as an official language when the State of Israel was founded in 1948. In 2018, the Knesset upgraded the status of Hebrew from official to State language of Israel, and gave Arabic a special status in the State by adopting the relevant Basic Law. The Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People (an Basic Laws of Israel, Israeli Basic Law which specifies the nature of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish People) states in No. 4 (B) that "''The Arabic language has a special status in the state; Regulating the use of Arabic in state institutions or by them will be set in law.''" The law declares in No. 4 (C): "''This clause does not harm the status given to the Arabic language before this law came into effect.''" The law was adopted by the Knesset 62 in favor, 55 against and two abstentions on 19 July 2018. Arabic is an indigenous language in the territory which form the state of Israel and which is still the

of Arab citizens of Israel as well as of Arabs, Arab foreigners (especially Palestinians who have only a Palestinian Authority passport, not recognized by many countries. Thus, they consider Palestinians statelessness, stateless). In addition, Arabic is spoken by Arab Jews in Israel who Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries, immigrated from different Arab countries to Israel (as Aliyah) and got the Israeli nationality law, Israeli citizenship according to the Israeli Nationality Law of 1952. Arabic name is shown on some Arabic majority cities seal. It is semi-official and used in ethnically mixed cities including Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv-Yafo, as well as on most highway signage, official websites, and public buildings in areas with significant Arabic-speaking populations.

Pakistan

Historically Arabic was the official language (in the territory which form nowadays the state Islamic Republic of Pakistan) during the time when this History of Pakistan#Arab Caliphate and Arab countries, region was a part of the

between 651 and 750. According to the Constitution of Pakistan of 1956 the two languages Urdu (which is very close to Hindi, both also called Hindustani language which were two of the ''

'' of North India and Pakistan that time) as well as Bengali language, Bengali (at that time the lingua franca in the territory which is today the independent state Bangladesh) became the national languages in the new founded state Islamic Republic of Pakistan. General Ayub Khan (President of Pakistan), Ayub Khan the second List of Presidents of Pakistan, President of Pakistan advocated the institution of Arabic language teaching as part of national planning. "Ayub`s educational plan emphasized Urdu and English as the primary language of Pakistan, but additionally recommended that Arabic be a secondary language of instruction along with English." The Arabic language is mentioned in the constitution of Pakistan. It declares in article 31 No. 2 that ''"The State shall endeavour, as respects the Muslims of Pakistan (a) to make the teaching of the Quran, Holy Quran and Islamic studies, Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language ..."'' There is also an Arabs in Pakistan, Arab minority in Pakistan. In addition, a remarkable number of Pakistanis are able to speak Arabic as they were living in the rich Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC Countries for working reasons (in Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia around 2.5 million; in Pakistanis in the United Arab Emirates, UAE around 1.5 million; in Pakistanis in Qatar, Qatar around 650,000; in Pakistanis in Kuwait, Kuwait around 430,000; in Pakistanis in Oman, Oman around 300,000; in Pakistanis in Bahrain, Bahrain around 180,000) for a very long time. These overseas Pakistanis who are living in countries of the

are also named Pakistanis, Arab Pakistanis or Pakistani Arabs. The National Education Policy 2017 declares in article 3.7.4 that: “''Arabic as compulsory part will be integrated in Islamiyat from Middle to Higher Secondary level to enable the students to understand the Holy Quran.''“ Furthermore, it specifies in article 3.7.6: “''Arabic as elective subject shall be offered properly at Secondary and Higher Secondary level with Arabic literature and grammar in its course to enable the learners to have command in the language.''“ This law is also valid for private schools as it defines in article 3.7.12: “''The curriculum in Islamiyat, Arabic and Moral Education of public sector will be adopted by the private institutions to make uniformity in the society.''“ In 2021, Senate of Pakistan, Pakistan's upper house of parliament approved the ‘Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill 2020’ which makes the teaching of Arabic mandatory at all primary and secondary schools in the capital, Islamabad.Arab News
''Senate approves bill making Arabic classes compulsory at Islamabad schools''
1 February 2021, Retrieved 27 March 2021. The text of the bill says that Arabic should be taught from the first to the fifth grade and Arabic grammar should be taught from the sixth grade to the eleventh grade. The main reasons are Arabic would open up more job opportunities for Pakistanis in the Middle East and lead to lower unemployment and increased remittances as well as Arabic is the language of the Quran. Making it compulsory at school level will help to improve the understanding of the Holy Quran in its true spirit.

Philippines

The Arabic language is mentioned in the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986, Philippine constitution of 1986. It specifies that ''"Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis."'' Arabic is mainly used by some Islam in the Philippines, Filipino Muslims in both a liturgical language, liturgical and instructional capacity since the arrival of Islam in the Philippines, Islam and establishment of several Sultanates (like Sultanate of Maguindanao, Sultanate of Sulu and Sultanate of Ranaw) and during Bruneian Empire in the present-day state Philippines. Along with Malay language, Malay, Arabic was the ''

'' of the Malay Archipelago among Muslim traders and the Malay aristocracy in History of the Philippines, the Philippines' history. Arabic is taught for free and is promoted in some Islamic centres predominantly in the Mindanao, southernmost parts of Philippines.

South Africa

The Arabic language is mentioned in the Constitution of South Africa. It declares in Chapter 1 (Founding Provisions) Section 6, Languages that "A Pan South African Language Board established by national legislation must (b) promote and ensure respect for – (i) all languages commonly used by communities in South Africa, including ...; and (ii) Arabic, ... for religious purposes in South Africa."Constitution of South Africa
South African Government Information: Constitution ''Constitution of South Africa, 1996 – Chapter 1, Section 6, Languages''
1996, retrieved 19 September 2021

Non-sovereign entities and territories where Arabic is an official or de facto official language

The following is a list of polity, non-sovereign entities and autonomous administrative division, autonomous regions as well as

where Arabic is an official or ''de facto'' official language.

History

Umayyad Caliphate

The Early Muslim conquests, Muslim conquests ( ar, الفتوحات الإسلامية, al-Futūḥāt al-Islāmiyya) and the following Spread of Islam, Expansion of Islam ( ar, انتشار الإسلام, Intishar al-Islām) led to the Arabization, expansion of the Arabic language in North Africa, Northern Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, the Caucasus, Western Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. Along with the Islam, religion of Islam, the Arabic language, Arabic numerals, Arabic number system and Arab customs spread throughout the entire Arab caliphate. The caliphs of the Arab dynasty established the first schools inside the empire which taught Arabic language and Islamic studies for all pupils in all areas within the caliphate. The result was (in those areas which belonged to the Arab empire) the creation of the society that was mostly Arabic-speaking because of the assimilation of native inhabitants. During the period of the

(661–750), the 5th Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, Abd al-Malik (646–705) established Arabic instead of the local languages as the sole official Official language, state language of government across the entire caliphate.

Abbasid Caliphate

While the

(750–1258) originally gained power by exploiting the social inequalities against non-Arabs in the Umayyad Caliphate, Umayyad Empire, during Abbasid rule the empire rapidly was Arabization, Arabized. As knowledge was shared in the Arabic language throughout the empire, people of different nationalities and religions began gradually to speak Arabic in their everyday lives. Resources from other languages began to be translated into Arabic, and a unique Islamic identity began to form that fused previous cultures with Arab culture, creating a level of civilization and knowledge that was considered a marvel in Europe and the Western world.

Fatimid Caliphate

The Arabic language remained the

of high culture under the Fatimid Caliphate, Fatimids (909–1171), Caliphate of Córdoba, Spanish Umayyads (856–1031) in the Iberian Peninsula, and later List of Muslim states and dynasties, Muslim dynasties in North Africa and Spain and of the Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo), Mamluks (1250–1517) in Egypt Eyalet, Egypt and Levant, Syria-Palestine.

Al-Andalus

In the history, Andalusian Arabic was the official language in Spain and Portugal, formerly Al-Andalus for more than 700 years until the fall of Granada, fall of the last Islamic state in Iberia at Granada in 1492.

Italy and Malta

Siculo-Arabic (or Sicilian Arabic) was a spoken language on the islands of Sicily and neighbouring Malta (at that time Emirate of Sicily (831–1091)) between the end of the ninth century and the end of the twelfth century.

Greece

A form of Arabic was spoken on the Mediterranean island of Crete (Emirate of Crete) from the late 820s (c. 824 or 827/828) until the Siege of Chandax, Byzantine reconquest in 961.

Omani Empire

Arabic was the official language of the Omani Empire (1696–1856). Several Varieties of Arabic, Arabic dialects and languages were the

s in the different areas of this empire, like Omani Arabic, Yemeni Arabic,

, Balochi language, Balochi and Swahili language, Swahili.

South Sudan

Arabic (alongside English) was an official language in South Sudan from 1863 (these days a part of Egypt Eyalet (1517–1867)) until 2011 (that time the independent state South Sudan, Republic of South Sudan), when the former government canceled Arabic as an official language. Since 2011 English is the sole official language of South Sudan. The Arabic dialect Juba Arabic is still the

of the people in South Sudan.

The Gambia

In 2014, Gambian President of the Gambia, president Yahya Jammeh announced that The Gambia would drop English as the official language because it is a "colonial relic". He replaced Gambia's official language English with Arabic in 2014. However, such change was not enacted.

Israel

The Arabic language (alongside Modern Hebrew, Hebrew) also remained as an official language in the State of Israel for the first 70 years after the proclamation in 1948 until 2018. The Knesset canceled the status of Arabic as an official language by adopting the relevant Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People on 19 July 2018. This Basic Laws of Israel, Israeli Basic Law states in No. 4 (A) that "''The state’s language is Hebrew.''"

Territories where Arabic was an official or de facto official language and later replaced or repealed

There were several territories (which later became independent states) where Arabic was an official or de facto official language and where Arabic has been replaced by other languages or repealed. The following list specifies territories (which later became independent states) where Arabic was the official language when these territories were parts of the

. During the reign of the fifth Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, Abd al-Malik, Arabic became the official language of the Umayyad Caliphate. The previous local official languages in the different territories were replaced by the Arabic language.

Notes

References

Official languages by country
;Bibliography * *

External links

List of countries where arab is official language with pictures and flags
{{Countries and languages lists Arabic language Arabic-speaking countries and territories, *

Sovereign states where Arabic is an official language

States with limited recognition and territories where Arabic is an official language

Countries where Arabic is a national/working language or a recognized minority language

Cyprus

Eritrea

Iran

Mali

Niger

Senegal

Turkey

Countries where Arabic has a special status according to the constitution

Iran

Israel

Pakistan

Philippines

South Africa

Non-sovereign entities and territories where Arabic is an official or de facto official language

History

Umayyad Caliphate

Abbasid Caliphate

Fatimid Caliphate

Al-Andalus

Italy and Malta

Greece

Omani Empire

South Sudan

The Gambia

Israel

Territories where Arabic was an official or de facto official language and later replaced or repealed

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links