Step 2: Foundations of Classical Arabic

Course description:

Begin to understand the language of the Qur'an with the textbook 'Arabic Through the Qur'an' by Alan Jones. Each of its 40 lessons contain explanations of Arabic grammar, relevant Qur'anic vocabulary, and numerous examples from the Qur'an with translation exercises.

After completing the beginning of 'Arabic Through the Qur'an,' students will continue its study while also reading Ẓād al-Ṭālibīn (Provisions for the Seeker). It is a collection of 327 hadiths that are arranged according to their grammatical structures, which will help students to improve reading comprehension and practice applied grammar (i'raab).

Throughout the course, some lessons will be supplemented with 'Fundamentals of Classical Arabic' by Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar to learn about Arabic morphology (sarf), which focuses on grammar at the word level. Students will learn how to conjugate verbs and how to derive words using various patterns and their root letters.

Using an Arabic-English dictionary can be difficult for beginners, but after learning how to identify root letters and morphological patterns, students will gain practice in using the Hans Wehr Arabic-English dictionary, which is an essential skill for students of the Arabic language.

By the end of the course, students will gain a firm foundation in Classical Arabic with a focus on understanding the language of the Qur'an. This is arguably the most important course in the program, and it will provide students with comprehensive preparation for further studies and the ability to begin directly undertanding the Qur'an in its original Arabic.

Main texts:

• Arabic Through the Qur'an by Alan Jones
• Ẓād al-Ṭālibīn (Provisions for the Seeker)

Supplementary texts:

• Fundamentals of Classical Arabic - Volume 1 by Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar (available for download at: https://www.sacredlearning.org/fundamentals-of-classical-arabic/)
• The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic

Classes:

• Live Zoom sessions twice per week.
• Live sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the student portal.
• Classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 5:45 PM US Central Time.

Prerequisites:

• Students must be comfortable reading the Arabic script and have completed at least one course in Arabic grammar and reading comprehension.

Cost:

• $50 per month

Registration:

• This course began on Tuesday May 14, 2024.
• Registration has been extended, but students who join late may have to catch up with recordings.