A nuanced approach to the importance of grammar

November 2, 2026

Bismi Llāhir Raḥmānir Raḥīm Meaning: ‘In the name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful’. Allāh is the name of God Almighty.

After reading a wall of text that recently appeared on the News Feed of my Facebook account, I felt invigorated. I had finally met my match. Thereafter, I drowned myself in a stream of thought momentarily and then began typing away until this write-up was complete. It is here that I find it important to clarify that I do not disagree with the author of the original text but rather that I just find his/her take to be inadequate for this important matter. I hope that my humble addition below will help portray the whole picture and not just its bits and pieces.

The purpose of language is indeed to communicate. Now, take note: while I do understand the apathy towards the unreasonable expectations that are set by Grammar Nutsos, it is equally deplorable to ignore the rationale behind using correct grammar and to demean the importance of grammar to communication - and, by extension, to disrespect the beauty of a grammatically correct sentence. The latter approach does not make one better than Grammar Nutsos. So, do forgive me if I find it to be rather partisan when one merely focuses on those obsessed with grammatical accuracy and not on those who neglect it.

Furthermore, may I say that it is inappropriate to merely focus on the immediate consequences or on the fact that the purpose (communication) is being served during an interaction? It is neither the epitome of perfection nor is it of beauty. The ends do not justify the means – as the wise ones have said, say and will continue to say, ʾin shã ʾAllāhu taʿālā. The truth is that there are two groups, the Grammar Nutsos and the Grammar Hippies, diametrically opposed to each other – situated on opposite sides of the same coin – after having missed the path-in-between. The extremism displayed by both groups is truly lamentable – reflecting the sad state of today’s world which seems to be dominated by extremes everywhere (also known as: polarization).

To cut to the chase, the solution to this conundrum seems to be in Realism, Moderation and Gradualism. Have practical expectations, understand that grammar is key to fluency but not an end in itself, work to better yourself in small steps and save yourself from falling into the trap of either extreme – most often expressed in the form of unreasonable ambitions. I think that we will all agree on these principles.

TL;DRMeaning: ‘Too Long; Didn’t Read’.: Grammar is important for communication. Both those obsessed with it and those who neglect it are equally to blame for our current situation – even though the former seem to have gained greater popularity with the layperson. The solution is to respect it and try to maintain good grammar as feasible, without overloading oneself.