Professor Al-Jiryan: Claims of Arabic Inability to Keep Pace with Modernity "Ignore Reality"

Minnesota, December 18, 2026 - Dr. Khaled bin Qasim Al-Jiryan, Vice President of the Makkah Arabic Language Academy in Saudi Arabia, described claims that question the Arabic language's ability to absorb modern sciences and keep pace with the times as "ignoring reality." He made these remarks in a speech delivered during the celebration of World Arabic Language Day, organized by the Arabic Language Department at the Islamic University in Minnesota.

Khaled Al-Jiryan affirmed that the Arabic language, thanks to its unique structural characteristics and limitless expressive capacities, has remained the language of science, thought, and civilization throughout the centuries, and is capable today and tomorrow of absorbing the terminology of research, innovation, and renewed human knowledge.

The Saudi guest pointed out that the existence of a specialized Arabic Language Department within an American university represents "a source of pride and practical evidence of the language's universality and the depth of its message." He emphasized that the selection of the Arabic language to be the vessel for the Holy Quran is a guarantee of its immortality and spread.

Dr. Al-Jiryan noted the increasing demand for learning the Arabic language in non-Arabic speaking countries such as China, Korea, Japan, Britain, and France, considering this an indicator of its global standing and its candidacy to be among the leading languages in the future.

The speaker highlighted the exceptional features of the Arabic language, such as the phenomena of derivation and blending, and its grammatical and rhetorical richness, confirming it is a living, growing language without limits.

 Al-Jiryan expressed his happiness at participating in the event and pledged full material and moral support to the Arabic Language Department at the university, thanking the university's administration for carrying the message of the Arabic language in this academic institution.

Dr. Khaled Al-Jiryan is a professor at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. He holds a Ph.D. in Arabic Language Philosophy and Literature from King Saud University, serves as Vice President of the Makkah Arabic Language Academy, and has numerous publications and research papers in his field of specialization.