The The Impact of Islamic Identity on Linguistic Change

Abstract

 

This study explores a central pillar of linguistic change, with particular emphasis on the Islamic linguistic domain—arguably one of the most influential due to its comprehensive nature. The Islamic sphere inherently encompasses multiple dimensions of social, intellectual, and political life, all of which contribute to and are shaped by linguistic evolution.

Islamic terminology, in particular, has undergone significant semantic shifts as a result of the socio-cultural transformations that accompanied the rise and expansion of Islam within Arab society. The interrelationship between Islam and linguistic change is both intricate and substantial. Scholars have long likened language to a living organism—dynamic, adaptive, and subject to processes of growth and transformation over time. As a social phenomenon, language responds to the rhythms of the society in which it functions, reflecting and refracting its historical and cultural developments.Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the semantic transformation of Islamic terms by examining their evolving identities, the socio-linguistic factors driving these changes, and the linguistic manifestations that reveal them.