You can speak to a multilingual person who is from a completely different culture about a new concept or idea of something and chances are you can see how they’re working in their minds to find an equivalence in the worldviews they know, to understand the idea as closely as possible to the *original* language view of the idea. A monolingual instead would usually not only try to understand the idea from *their own* worldview, but it would not even occur to them that this is an inefficient and incorrect way of understanding the idea. And if their own language has preconceived notions of a similar idea, it will be really hard for them to view the new form in a different way. Try this out and see. I’ve noted it in my people who are basically monolingual Malay, and multilingual Malay, in monolingual English, multilingual Chinese, etc.

Teach your kids a second language – the cognitive and thinking benefits go far beyond knowing the second language itself.

So for dawah, or Islamic evangelism, if you want to use the English version of the Hebrew names, it would be wise to note the differences in each religion.

But those and others are just the center of the venn diagram. Kitabis and Muslims each have their own Prophets that aren’t mentioned that by name in the other’s books.

As an Arab brother, I’m with you all the way on this issue my sister! The arrogance of the “chosen people” mindset of the Jews has crept into the minds of a lot of Arabs unfortunately.

I do editing for an Islamic publishing company that produces English-language books, and our policy is to use English whenever possible. For those words that can’t be easily translated, we define them and include them in a glossary.

I’m reminded of The Deen Show, where the host always makes a point of having the guest define any Arabic words that are used.

One point about the converts/reverts taking Arabic names… Personally, I kept my name; I always liked it, I was in my 30s when I embraced Islam and was used to it, and it has a good meaning. Many of my friends chose to take Arabic names, and I can see where that can give you a fresh start identifying yourself as a Muslim. To me, either choice is fine. I do think, though, that if you’re going to take an Arabic name, you should take one that has some Islamic significance (names of Prophets or Companions of the Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, or Abdul… or Amat…, etc.), so that it is Islamic and not simply Arabic. I don’t see the point of taking an Arabic name that means some animal or something and has no Islamic significance.

@ N, yes, but not everyone will see it that way 100%. I was a Christian before and though I knew Muslims didn’t worship Jesus I know they worshiped what I, in my ignorance, viewed as God “the father”. Not all Christians will see that but plenty of them will. You know, even to this day with atheists, I sometimes thing to myself well, you say you don’t believe in God but how do you define Him? And then I think well I don’t believe in that god either. (Notice the lowercase ‘g’ there. Often atheists (esp. in this country) define God in a very Christian way and I don’t believe in that god either). Hope you understand what I am trying to say. Maybe tell these Christians you worship the CREATOR, and if they really think about it, they might get it, if not, you may have just planted a seed…