Learn Arabic! I started my formal classes in Arabic when I was 13, but I wasn't really good at it. However, a technique my dad taught me since I was young helped.
My dad used to
assign us pieces of du'a to learn from time to time. When memorising, he'd ask
us to break them up by drawing lines after each word or phrase, and write their
translations underneath. Alhamdulillah, as a result, I was not only able to
memorise supplications, usually from the Quran, but I also knew what they
meant.
The habit
continued. In most cases, the memorisation process gets easier because my
vocabulary has grown. Otherwise, words are translated and planted in the heart.
Today, I am
still unable to fluently converse in Arabic or understand a full lecture in
this holy language but being able to understand the gist is very refreshing.
When in the holy lands, I have to remind myself (often too late) to never ask
the locals ANYTHING in Arabic because once they start responding, I'd be the one
lost and dumb-folded!
Having said that, on one occasion in Madinah, my limited Arabic vocabulary saved us from being cheated by a shopkeeper! I was walking along the shops with my room-mate who was keen in buying one of those mini laptops that read the surahs from Juzuk Amma. I asked the price in English, and the shopkeeper said '20 Riyal.' So my room-mate began to examine the item, while considering whether to buy or not. Suddenly, two Turkish women came up and asked for the price in Arabic. What did the shopkeeper say? 'Khamsata 'Ashara' which meant 15! Astonished, I looked at the shopkeeper and said, 'Khamsata 'ashara?' His face turned red when he realised I understood, and quickly apologized and lowered the price. I grabbed my room-mate's hand and fled.
Perhaps now I
should pick up the language where I left so that I can understand the Quran
better and hopefully, be able to follow it more closely, in sya Allah ♥
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