Dr Khalid A Al-Saleh

What is happening in our Gulf? It feels like there’s a war against our Arabic language, aimed at erasing our culture. The wealthy, who own malls, major stores, restaurant chains and hotels, must defend our culture and language as they are integral parts of our identity — don’t you agree? In hotels, malls and some major restaurants, employees are instructed not to speak Arabic — and where? Here, in the Arabian Gulf! Many have spoken out, scholars have written and studies have highlighted the importance of language in preserving identity.

Yet, the more we raise our voices, the more schools push our children to prioritize learning any language but Arabic. And, each time a seminar or conference is held to support our language, it feels like another attack is waged against it. Decades ago, we were demanding that science be taught in Arabic. Today, we’re asking for something even simpler: That our daily conversations and interactions happen in our own language. An English-speaking foreigner in our countries doesn’t need to know a single Arabic word, but an Arab who doesn’t speak another language will struggle. It’s unbelievable!

In some Gulf airports, you’ll only find foreign books for sale, and if there is an Arabic book, it’s placed in a hidden corner, almost invisible. If you check into a hotel in our countries and don’t speak English, you’ll struggle to communicate — even for something as simple as saying “I want tea” (and “tea” is a universal word!). Yet, hotel staff and employees in major stores are often instructed not to speak Arabic. And where is this happening? Right here in the Arabian Peninsula!

A year ago, I met with the Arabization committee alongside a dedicated group of language defenders from all parts of the Arab world. We shared our concerns, and we even shed tears together. When we requested a pan-Arab conference to defend the Arabic language, we couldn’t find an official or businessman willing to sponsor it. Businessmen who own hotels, malls and major stores: You have a significant responsibility to stand up in support of our nation’s culture. God willing, one of you will take the initiative to create a model Arabic establishment — profitable and proud of its language — right here in our countries. Even those who have become wealthier and expanded beyond the Gulf are responsible for supporting and spreading our language, instead of contributing to its decline, which we witness today with great regret.

We are living through a tsunami of cultural erosion that no one seems able to resist. We Arabs are the only people facing this storm, while others around the world continue to embrace their languages. They study, speak and live in their own tongues in restaurants, hotels, and stores. Some of these countries have populations of just a few million, and some speak languages not even recognized as official by the United Nations, yet they never put another language ahead of their own. They take pride in their language and culture. We ask Allah to guide the businessmen of our Gulf to become champions of our language, preserving the culture of our Arab nation.