Arabic Foundations

ARB1: Conceptualization

Words are the vehicles to meaning. But not all meaning is limited to words. Learn how the miraculously beautiful language of the Qur'an conveys meaning through letters, vowels, words and structures. Gain a clear conceptualization of the Classical Arabic Language by learning the key mechanisms, word structures and phrases. Organically build vocabulary through a beautifully written series of Qur'anic narratives that take the reader from simple sentences to complex prose

Texts Covered: Qasas un-Nabiyeen V.1 (Story of Ibrahim عليه السلام) of Shaykh Abul Hassan Nadwi, published by UKIA and Ten Lessons (Das Sabak) of Shaykh Abdul Salaam Kidwai Nadwi

ARB2: Connection

The precision and beauty of a language is in its ability to express related meanings using interrelated words. Learn how the miraculously beautiful language of the Qur'an moves between interrelated word forms to produce precise intended meanings. Investigate the connections between the meanings of words and their structures, and between the sentence and its constituent phrases. Be empowered to build vocabulary connections by learning to navigate a dictionary. Continue to develop your analytic ability and linguistic taste through the beautifully written series of Qur'anic narratives that take the reader from simple sentences to complex prose.
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Texts Covered: Qasas un-Nabiyeen V.1 (Story of Ibrahim عليه السلام) of Sh. Abul Hassan Nadwi published by UKIA

ARB3: Advanced Foundations in Classical Arabic

This year-long module consolidates and completes the beginner phase of Arabic studies by bringing together a deep study of Arabic grammar with sustained reading of both Qur’anic narratives and classical scholarly texts. Students will strengthen their understanding of the key mechanisms and structures of the Arabic language through detailed study of noun and verb constructions, sentence structures, and the principles governing inflection (iʿrāb). Alongside this, they will continue developing reading fluency through guided analysis of increasingly complex Arabic passages.

The course gradually transitions students from reading vowelled instructional texts to confidently engaging with unvowelled classical Arabic. In the first half of the year, students will reinforce and expand their grammatical foundations through close reading of selected Qur’anic narratives from Qaṣaṣ al-Nabiyyīn of Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan al-Nadwī. In the second half, students will apply these foundations directly to a traditional primer in grammar: Iqnāʿ al-Ḍamīr fī al-Naḥw of al-Sayyid al-Sharīf al-Jurjānī (d. 816 AH). Through line-by-line analysis, students will determine grammatical functions, justify inflections, and develop the ability to independently read and interpret unvowelled Arabic texts.

By the end of the module, students will not only possess a strong command of foundational grammar and morphology, but will also gain direct exposure to the classical scholarly tradition and the linguistic precision that underpins it. The course serves as the bridge between introductory Arabic study and independent engagement with traditional Islamic texts.

Texts Covered: Qasas un-Nabiyeen (Story of Yūsuf عليه السلام), Vol. 1, by Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan al-Nadwī and Iqnāʿ al-Ḍamīr fī al-Naḥw by al-Sayyid al-Sharīf ʿAlī b. Muḥammad al-Jurjānī (d. 816 AH)