2012-11-01-Keepapitchinin-Book of Mormon Translations Arabic 1893

Book of Mormon Translations: Arabic, 1893

By Ardis E. Parshall - 1 November 2012

The Kawkab America – “The Star of America” – was a title that would fit quite comfortably into the constellation of LDS mission publications. And although it was not LDS, it does deserve a place in Mormon history as having published the first extracts of the Book of Mormon in Arabic … all the way back in 1893.

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In 1892, brothers Abraham (he went by “A.J.”) and Nageeb imported type from Turkey and founded the first Arabic press in the New World, on Pearl Street in New York City.

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Although he lived principally in the East, Abraham Arbeely was licensed and practiced medicine in California as well as on the East Coast. It may have been while traveling to or from California that he stopped in Salt Lake City and listened to a sermon, probably in the Tabernacle. He hunted up some missionaries in New York soon after his return there, and learned more about the Church, including something about the Book of Mormon. Perhaps because of the Jerusalem setting of the early chapters of the Book of Mormon, and with a definite eye toward the business of interesting their readers and earning income for his newspaper, the Arbeely brothers began translating the Book of Mormon, along with a brief outline of Church history, in weekly installments in the Kawkab America in early 1893.

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