Learning Arabic

For example, traditionally one of the fastest and best techniques for a Muslim to learn Arabic was to live
with an Arabic-only speaking family in an Arabic country.  While this is still probably the case, there are 
now also many technical tools to help one review and refine one's Arabic.

• As far as technology goes, the coolest aid is online translation of Arabic to English (or vice versa) at http://tarjim.ajeeb.com/ajeeb/default.asp?lang=1 . (Part of the ajeeb.com website). (Also see http://www.almisbar.com/dict_page.html). (Also see http://www.ectaco.co.uk/Arabic-English-Dictionary/ ). The problem with machine translation is that it is not particularly accurate. However, it often gives you the gist of the communication. For futher proper analysis get a real human translator to help you out. Or better yet learn Arabic yourself.
• The CD-ROM Learn ArabicThe CD-ROM Learn Arabic Now! Version 7 by Transparent language (available from http://www.chumbo.com ) could help one study alone before one’s trip to the Arab nation. The CD-ROM has several sections. There is a section on the most common Arabic words. The words are individually clickable and are pronounced and translated. There is a very good section on transliterated survival phrases in Arabic with a similar clickable theme. Crosswords and phrase unscrambling games add an element of fun to the learning process.  Remember one is learning colloquial spoken Arabic not necessarily classical wriitten Arabic.  (The Quran is written in the classical Arabic.)  Perhaps this software would be most useful if used in conjunction with classes in Arabic.
• CD-ROM Al-Qari Plus available from Soundvision.  Al-Qari Plus is useful for learning
  how to read and write Arabic.  In addition, ten short surahs of the Quran appear in Al-Qari
  Plus.  These surahs are clickable at each word.  By clicking one not only hears the computer pronounce the word in Arabic but the English meaning of the word is also displayed.  Therefore, although Al-Qari Plus is most useful in learning to read and write and well perhaps learning tawjeed  (the Quranic science of recitation) of the Quran, one can also pick up (a few) Arabic words from the 10 short surahs.

• CD-ROM Alim 6.0 from ISL Software.  Alim 6.0 has a feature that will play  on the computer
  a sentence in Arabic from the Quran, as this is being done one can simultaneously view the translation of the sentence across several well-known English translations.  Unfortunately translations are only available at the sentence level not the word level. 

• Check out http://www.emuslim.com/quran/lughat.asp for learning Quranic Arabic

• Arabic newspapers, radio stations, Arabic TV can also have a very strong and beneficial impact on fluency and colloquial language development. Fortunately, these can be found on the internet.

• Arabic Radio:  Listen to BBC Arabic News

• Arabic TV:    (however, you may need a cable modem to properly view internet television).

• Pocket translators:  Unfortunately, the ones I have seen are more useful for Arabs
  to learn English than vice versa. (e.g. the word is entered in Arabic and pronounced by the speech synthesis chip in English).

• Translating software does exist but is a little too pricey for me.  See Sakir Software.

Memorizing Quran

If you want to apply to Islamic Universities you will find that in addition to having an Arabic language
requirement they will also want you to have memorized a juz (1/30) of the Quran.  Memorizing the Quran
has many benefits.

To encourage you allow me to quote the following:

Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 8, Number 1448:

Narrated Mu'adh al-Juhani:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If anyone recites the Qur'an and acts
according to its contents, on the Day
of Judgment his parents will be given to wear a crown whose light is better
than the light of the sun in the dwellings of
this world if it were among you. So what do you think of him who acts
according to this?

Here is another one to inspire you.

Tirmidhi, Ahmed, Ibn majah, and Abu Dawud (e.g. #1459), recorded that the Prophet
(saw) said "It will be said to the companion of the Qur'an on the Day of
Judgment, 'Recite and ascend (in Paradise), recite slowly (or with tajweed)
as you used to do in your earthly life, for your place (or station in Paradise)
will be where (you are when) the last verse of your recitation ends."

What a tremendous reward !!!!! How generous is our Rabb!!

Look for hazif lessons at your masjid. (Sooner is better since the older you get the harder is memorization).

Here is a memorizing tip:  If you want to memorize the Quran as part of your Islamic studies, see the following article 
Also,  one of the things to remember when one embarks on this journey is
perserverance. One is sometimes very enthusiatic at the beginning and then
lags off. It is better to do small things repeatedly then one larger thing only
once. This is because:

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 21, Number 232:
Narrated Masruq:
I asked 'Aisha which deed was most loved by the Prophet. She said, "A deed
done continuously. ..."

Do not worry if you have difficulty learning the
Quran.  Our Rabb (Cherisher & Sustainer) is so
generous that even the extra exertion has a  reward!!

Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Number 459:
 Narrated Aisha:

The Prophet said, "Such a person as recites the Quran
and masters it by heart, will be with the noble
righteous scribes (in Heaven). And such a person
exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart, and
recites it with great difficulty, will have a double
reward."

Most of all, remember our purpose for why Allah (swt) created us. Allah (swt)
gives the the reason for our creation in the Quran

051.056
"I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me."

Software tools that can help:
CD-ROM Al-Qari Plus
CD-ROM Alm 6.0

Alim resources

• For researching the Quran & Sunnah the MSA at USC has a keyword-searchable index on the Quran and 
  several of the important hadith collections.
  MSA at USC Hadith collection
  MSA at USC Quran collection
  How do we know that hadith are sahih? Also some commonly repeated hadith and their authencity (quite interesting) in a work: introduction to the science of hadith
• Alim, by ISL Software, covers a very wide selection iincluding:  Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Islamic history, 
  biographies of the companions of the Prophet(saw) and a dictionary of Islamic terms.  
  CD-ROM Alim 6.0 information at ISL Software.
• www.harf.com . Harf Information Technology has a number of software products (primarily in Arabic, but we include it since the products cover such an extensive range, one should definitely be aware of it. -- Yet another reason to learn Arabic if you do not know it already).
• CD-ROM The Islamic Scholar is somewhat similiar to Alim and has letters, treaties, and documents of the 
  the Prophet(saw)

Islamic Universities

"If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned man over the devout is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion."