Arabic العربية

History

Arabs are a population inhabiting the Arab world. They primarily live in the Arab states in Western Asia, North Africa, the Horn of Africa and western Indian Ocean islands. They also form a significant diaspora, with Arab communities established around the world.

The first mention of Arabs is from the mid-ninth century BCE as a tribal people in eastern and southern Syria and the north of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabs appear to have been under the vassalage of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (911–612 BCE), and the succeeding Neo-Babylonian (626–539 BCE), Achaemenid (539–332 BCE), Seleucid, and Parthian empires. Arab tribes, most notably the Ghassanids and Lakhmids, begin to appear in the southern Syrian Desert from the mid 3rd century CE onward, during the mid to later stages of the Roman and Sasanian empires.

Before the expansion of the Rashidun Caliphate (632–661), "Arab" referred to any of the largely nomadic and settled Semitic people from the Arabian Peninsula, Syrian Desert, and North and Lower Mesopotamia.Today, "Arab" refers to a large number of people whose native regions form the Arab world due to the spread of Arabs and the Arabic language throughout the region during the early Muslim conquests of the 7th and 8th centuries and the subsequent Arabisation of indigenous populations.

Today, Arabs primarily inhabit the 22 Arab states within the Arab League: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Arabs are a diverse group in terms of religious affiliations and practices. In the pre-Islamic era, most Arabs followed polytheistic religions. Some tribes had adopted Christianity or Judaism, and a few individuals, the hanifs, apparently observed monotheism. Today, about 93% of Arabs are adherents of Islam and there are sizable Christian minorities. Arab Muslims primarily belong to the Sunni, Shiite, Ibadi, and Alawite denominations. Arab Christians generally follow one of the Eastern Christian Churches, such as the Greek Orthodox or Greek Catholic churches. Other smaller minority religions are also followed, such as the Bahá'í Faith and Druze. History of the Arabs

Language

Where is Arabic spoken today?

• Arabic is today spoken by more than 200 million people in the Arab World, and it is an official language in 22 countries.
• Arabic is also an important language in many countries bordering on the Arab World, like Mali, Niger, Chad, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia. There are also Arabic-speaking populations in parts of southern Turkey and southwestern Iran.
• With the migration of Arab nationals to countries outside of the Arab World, the Arabic language has spread to practically all corners of the Earth.
• Being the language of the Quran, Arabic is highly respected across the Muslim world. Many non-Arab Muslim children begin learning Arabic at early age, to enable them to read and understand the Quran ( http://myeasyarabic.com/site/what_is_arabic_language.htm )
• Arabic alphabet, pronunciation and language
• Some lessons to learn Arabic
• Arabic Alphabet Song for children
• Arabic Alphabet Song

Community Resources

The Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax : "The Mission of the Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax is to be an entity that is truly responsible to the Lebanese Community. That is, one that listens and consults, that encourages innovation and individual initiation and seeks to unlock the full potential of the people of its community. A community that is both of its unique history and looks forward with confidence to its future".

Maritime Muslim Academy : "is an independent educational institution based on Islamic principles, whose mission is to educate students intellectually, physically, emotionally and socially in a trusting and caring Islamic environment. The Academy offers standard educational programs like any other school in Canada and also offers Quran and Arabic as well as the basic teaching in Islamic beliefs, principles and values".

Lebanese Festival : "Since 2001, the annual Halifax Lebanese Festival has been rated one of the most successful and vibrant summer events in the city of Halifax. Held at the Olympic Community Center on Hunter Street, the Festival offers a famously deliciously array of authentic Lebanese food, live entertainment, performances, and various activities for the whole family to enjoy".

Diman Association Canada: "DAC was formed in the 1970s by a group of youths in Halifax, Nova Scotia, whose families originated from the village of Diman in Lebanon. Today DAC's priorities are to be a youth driven organization that maintains the culture and values that were brought along almost fifty years ago when those first families left Diman".

Islamic Association of Nova Scotia :"The mission of the Islamic Association of Nova Scotia (IANS) is to provide support and services to the Muslim community of Nova Scotia for its religious and social needs. The Association administers the mosques in Dartmouth and Truro, Nova Scotia and maintains the Muslim cemetery in Truro".

Nova Scotia Islamic Community Center (NSICC): "is committed to preserving an Islamic identity, building and supporting a viable Muslim community, promoting a comprehensive Islamic way of life based on the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah upon him)".

Centre for Islamic Development : "The main goal of CID, being an educational hub, is to enlighten the mind where there is darkness of the soul, to improve the human character where there is no refinement of the heart, and to develop the skill-set of reading, writing and speaking where there is shallowness in thought-process".