Theological Dialect

You probably already know that every region in the Middle East has its own spoken Arabic dialect. But spoken Arabic is different from classical or standard written Arabic (Fusha). While it can be helpful to find audio resources and stories in spoken dialects, printed Bibles are normally in Modern Standard Arabic. However, even within written Arabic, Christians use a different set of vocabulary than Muslims do. Think of this a theological dialect.

What is not in doubt is that Christian Arabic scriptures speak in one theological dialect and the Qur’an in another. Christian Arabic, in all versions, reads incongruously to literate Muslims.

Cragg, K. (1991) The Arab Christian: a History in the Middle East. Louisville: Westminster

Vocabulary

One of the most popular Arabic translations, the Van Dyck Bible, is written in 19th century vocabulary and requires a glossary with definitions for over 3,000 words. Offering a Van Dyck Bible to an Arab non-Christian is a little bit like giving a King James Bible to a hip young English-speaking atheist.

Naming Conventions

You also want to pay attention to naming conventions. Most Arabic speakers use ancient Middle Eastern names taken from Syriac, Ethiopic, Greek, and Hebrew when referring to familiar biblical characters. The small minority who belong to traditional Church communities use another set of names which are perceived by most Arabic speakers as foreign names. It gets even more complicated when the same name is given to two different characters. For example, the traditional translation for the Holy Spirit, al-ruh al-qudus, is understood by most Arabic speakers to be a name for the angel Gabriel.

Design

Did you know that in Arab culture the design and color of a sacred book can communicate respect for the content? Bibles with hard backs, elegant borders, and gilt edges show reverence to a book as God’s Word. Researchers have found that plain, foreign-style Bibles with simple black covers and no artistic decoration are not trusted in Arab cultures.

Learn more about the history of sacred design in the middle east…

How to Choose

When you’re looking for a Bible to share with your Arab friends, it important to keep these linguistic, cultural, and artistic factors in mind. Try to choose, a translation that uses terminology and names that will be familiar to your friend. It’s also helpful to choose a book that’s consistent with a design tradition that communicates respect for the sacred content inside.