Foreign Language Learning Recounts by Two Muslim Religious Scholars: A Narrative Education Discourse Analysis

Abstract

The study analyzes two narratives written by Muslim religious scholars describing their experiences in learning a foreign language. Imam Mohammad Abduh’s account on learning French and Sheikh Salman Al Ouda’s account on learning English are the subject of analysis. These two scholars were selected because they represent two different cultures (Liberal Egyptian and conservative Saudi), two different ages (end of the 19 th century and end of the 20 th century) and two different language learning strategies (learning French and learning English). They were also selected because they are the ones whom are known to have written their experiences with learning a foreign language; Abduh through his student Rashid Reda in 1935, and Ouda by himself in his autobiography published 2011. The study analyzes these narratives and draws on literature from modern Educational theories in language learning and applied linguistics. Based on this analysis, the mentality of the Muslim religious scholars is unlocked with respect to foreign language learning. Differences and similarities between the two scholars’ experiences are sorted out and implications for designing an ESP course based on these successful strategies are then proposed for similar religious scholars who wish to learn a foreign language.