MSA basically anglicized Arabic. When you have studied the original Arabic, the pure Fus-haa, كلام العرب الفصيح, as is found in the دواوين العرب, like the Deewaan of al-Mutanabbi, etc. and the pure Arabic literary style as can be found in مقامات الحريري, etc. MSA becomes almost an insult, a slur against the name of Arabic. Nevertheless, MSA is necessary to learn in these times because the majority of those living in Arab countries are not fluent in Fus-haa, and are only accustomed to `Aamiyyah, but because MSA is taught in the schools, they know it. So, I am not saying that MSA must not be learnt, but it's obviously very important, but what I am talking about here is how the original Arabic has almost been lost. MSA removed the "Soul" of Arabic. Balaaghah, Fasaahah, Ma`aanee, Badee`, `Uroodh, Qaafiyah, Shi`r; none of that exists in MSA. Even many things of Sarf and Nahw don't exist in MSA.
The MSA used in news reports is basically just English translated over into Arabic. The original Arabic used to be something the Arabs paid a lot of attention to. It was their art, you could say. Like ibn al-Wannaan says in his Qaafiyah, his القصيدة الشمقمقية:
كم خامل سما به إلى العلى *** بيت مديح من بليغ ذلق
مثل بني الأنف *** ومثل هرم وكالذي يعرف بالمحلّق
وكم وكم حطّ الهجا من ماجد *** ذي رتبة قعسا وقدر سمق
مثل الربيع وبني العجلان مع *** بني نمير جمرات الحدق
لو لم يكن للشعر عند من مضى *** فضل على الكعبة لم يعلّق
Learn MSA. Learn even `Aamiyyah as well (of whichever of the Arab countries you prefer, or even all of them). But don't learn only that and neglect the original Arabic, the classical Arabic, الكلام الفصيح.
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