Why should young people in the West learn their parents' language?

Because language carries values. Whoever knows their family’s language understands its social and religious values from within and is less likely to end up with a split identity between two worlds.

Many young people who grow up in the West wonder why they should learn their parents’ language. They hardly know the country of origin and feel at home here. The question is understandable. But the answer has less to do with the country than with the values a family carries.

A language is more than a tool for communication. It carries a way of thinking, of courtesy, of family relationships and also religious values. One can read history and teachings in another language and still not fully absorb what they mean. The second verse above shows how important one’s own language is for a message to become truly clear.

Whoever does not preserve their own values can end up in a difficult position. They do not fully belong to their new surroundings, because their background shows despite all kindness. Nor do they fully belong to their parents’ world any longer. This easily leads to an inner split. It is different for people who find Islam in their own country, because their background stays intact.

The responsibility lies mainly with the parents. Children learn the language best from an early age, quite naturally in everyday life. If it is pressed on them only later, it becomes hard and resistance easily grows. Families who pay attention to this early see far fewer such tensions in their children.

Anyone who does not yet speak the language well and mixes words need not feel ashamed. Language is a servant of people, not their master. Whoever learns it for a good purpose may make mistakes along the way.