Hajj Mansa Musa, a one-time chairman of LCIII Industrial Division Mbale Municipal Council, found it quite disturbing to express himself in Arabic amidst biting hunger and yet well loaded with cash but couldn’t order chicken in an Arab shop simply because he couldn’t communicate in the Arabic language. The only option left was to imitate how a hen walks and flies through sign language, and he was finally understood by the Arab supermarket sellers.
Research findings indicate that over 95% of Muslims in Uganda cannot communicate in Arabic. They are thus only capable of speaking or responding to simple Arabic words like “naam” (yes), “laa” (no), “shukran” (thank you), and the common Arabic greeting “As-salamu alaikum.”
A survey by the Good Governance Centre Mbale revealed disparities and laxity in the Muslim community’s understanding and communication in Arabic. Once a prospective Muslim is taught to say “ashhadu” (submission to Allah and confessing that Prophet Muhammad is Allah’s true messenger), they disappear into other things, including business, only resurfacing for prayers uttered in basic Arabic and Luganda or Lugisu.
Unlike Europeans who concentrated on the conquest of colonies and governance, Arab traders were less interested in governance areas and did not deepen their roots in East Africa. They only had a visible presence in areas of governance and education systems in parts of West Africa and North Africa where they taught the Arabic language.
Even the few mixed Arabs on the East African coast speak more Kiswahili than Arabic. Beyond the strong Sunnah (beards), many Muslims have limited understanding of their religion’s language. They care more about Prophet Muhammad’s practices than communicating in Arabic, which is why many have trousers halfway down and long beards.
Hajji Waswa Masokoyi, the Chief Administrative Officer for Rukungiri, says that the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) has made significant efforts to shape Ugandan Muslims in terms of communication, a view shared by Muhamood Masaba, the Mayor of Industrial City Division Mbale.
Great efforts are needed by Muslim scholars to instill understanding of the Arabic language among the Muslim community of Uganda. Many are reluctant to go on holy tours to Saudi Arabia due to a failure to communicate in Arabic, even though making a lifetime tour to the Orient as commanded by Allah fulfills a fundamental pillar of Islam.
The writer is a researcher from Mbale.
