Which is older Arabic or Islam?

Arabic is older than Islam.

## Understanding the Chronology

To determine which is older, we need to look at the historical timelines of the Arabic language and the religion of Islam.

### The Age of Arabic

According to linguistic and historical evidence, the Arabic language predates the advent of Islam.

*   **Early Forms:** The earliest known form of the language is called **Old Arabic**.
*   **Dating Old Arabic:** This early form of Arabic is traced back significantly in history. As stated in the provided reference: "The earliest known form of Arabic is **Old Arabic**, which dates back to the 4th century CE."

### The Age of Islam

Islam emerged in the 7th century CE with the revelations received by the Prophet Muhammad.

*   **Key Event:** A central event in the history of Islam is the revelation of the Quran.
*   **Dating Islam's Emergence:** The reference notes that the Quran, the holy book of Islam, "was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century CE."

## Comparison: Arabic vs. Islam

When comparing the dates:

| Subject             | Earliest Known Date from Reference |
| :------------------ | :--------------------------------- |
| Old Arabic          | 4th century CE                     |
| Islam (Quran Revelation) | 7th century CE                     |

Comparing the 4th century CE (Arabic) with the 7th century CE (Islam's key event) clearly shows that the *language* Arabic existed centuries before the *religion* of Islam emerged. Old Arabic served as the language in which the Quran was later revealed.

Therefore, the Arabic language is definitively older than the religion of Islam.