Arabic is difficult, but knowledge can be taken to the hereafter - Nuha Bahrin

Singer Nuha Bahrin is dedicating her free time to learning Arabic, a pursuit uncommon among artists tied to demanding careers. Her interest stems from a deep affection for Arabic culture and music, ignited in childhood by her mother's playlists. This passion led her to enroll in specialized classes to master the language more seriously.

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Actually, I really started learning basic Arabic at the end of last year with my friend who grew up in Syria and Egypt.

Nuha began studying basic Arabic in late last year with a friend who grew up in Syria and Egypt. This year, she is focusing on improving her conversational fluency. She acknowledges that Arabic is one of the most difficult languages globally, making mastery a significant challenge. Nuha finds the language's complexity and nuanced meanings fascinating, noting that similar pronunciations can carry vastly different meanings, indicating layers of depth beyond the literal.

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This year, I've started getting into speaking more fluently, especially in terms of communication. What I'm learning now is more about communication in Arabic only.

She views learning Arabic not just as a skill for communication but as a valuable form of knowledge that transcends worldly benefits. "If you learn with the intention of gaining knowledge, I feel that knowledge is not just for this world but can be carried into the hereafter," Nuha stated. She believes there is no loss in acquiring any form of knowledge, as it remains with an individual permanently.

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It's not yet delving into the language comprehensively because we know Arabic is among the most difficult languages in the world. So, for me to truly master it is quite challenging.

Her travels to West Asian countries further fueled her determination. During a trip to Jeddah, she experienced being looked down upon for her inability to understand Arabic, while her friend communicated fluently. This experience served as a powerful motivator for her to learn the language more effectively. Nuha emphasizes that learning a third language is crucial not only for communication but also for personal enrichment and understanding different cultures.

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To me, Arabic is indeed difficult. But I am fortunate because my language teacher explains everything in detail because sometimes the pronunciation is the same but the meaning is different. There are many interesting things about Arabic because it is not straightforward or direct. There are always deeper layers of meaning.