The Contributions of Orientalists to Arabic Language and Literature

Studies by orientalists in Eastern countries were conducted with different purposes in mind. They started their business through research on manuscripts of Arab poets and writers: works which were unknown even to the eastern people. What helped them most in this regard were allocating time and being enthusiastic on the one hand, and the attention paid by their statesmen and scholarly centers. Some of these Orientalists managed to translate dozens of Arabic works into other languages; some on Islam, some on Quranic studies and still others on Arabic language and literature. These translations were quite instrumental in making researchers familiar with Arabic works and authors. In addition, their meticulous patterns in carrying out their researches served as a pattern for Arab insiders