Foundations of Classical Arabic: Key to the Islamic Sciences

$150.00 every month for 1 year

Course Summary
The Arabic language is not merely a tool of communication but the very vessel of revelation, the medium through which the Qur’an was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ instructed, and generations of scholars preserved the faith. Its unique system of expression, rooted in naḥw (syntax) and ṣarf (morphology), elevates it above all other tongues and makes it the indispensable key to the Islamic sciences. Recognizing this, the scholars of our tradition devoted centuries to codifying and refining its sciences, producing vast literature that continues to serve as the foundation for any meaningful encounter with the sacred texts.

This course is designed to guide students along that path, establishing a strong and classical foundation in Arabic grammar and morphology. Carefully structured across three phases, it begins with the fundamentals and steadily advances toward engagement with the authoritative works of the tradition. Students will be trained not only in theory but in constant application — parsing, conjugation, and translation — until the principles of naḥw and ṣarf become second nature.

  • Phase I grounds students in the essential building blocks of syntax and morphology, explained in clear English while reinforced through rigorous practice. By the end, learners attain a working familiarity with the basic skeleton of the language.

  • Phase II deepens and expands this framework, introducing nuanced grammatical theories and advanced morphological forms, sharpening fluency and precision in analysis.

  • Phase III transitions into the classical curriculum, with direct study of al-Ājrūmiyya through al-Tuḥfa al-Saniyya and select chapters of ʿIlm al-Ṣīgha, cultivating the ability to read, parse, and translate directly from the sources themselves.

By course completion, students will be equipped with the tools to unlock the Qur’an, Hadith, and the classical Islamic sciences — gaining clarity of thought, access to the tradition, and an appreciation of the light and worldview embedded within the Arabic language itself.

Course Summary
The Arabic language is not merely a tool of communication but the very vessel of revelation, the medium through which the Qur’an was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ instructed, and generations of scholars preserved the faith. Its unique system of expression, rooted in naḥw (syntax) and ṣarf (morphology), elevates it above all other tongues and makes it the indispensable key to the Islamic sciences. Recognizing this, the scholars of our tradition devoted centuries to codifying and refining its sciences, producing vast literature that continues to serve as the foundation for any meaningful encounter with the sacred texts.

This course is designed to guide students along that path, establishing a strong and classical foundation in Arabic grammar and morphology. Carefully structured across three phases, it begins with the fundamentals and steadily advances toward engagement with the authoritative works of the tradition. Students will be trained not only in theory but in constant application — parsing, conjugation, and translation — until the principles of naḥw and ṣarf become second nature.

  • Phase I grounds students in the essential building blocks of syntax and morphology, explained in clear English while reinforced through rigorous practice. By the end, learners attain a working familiarity with the basic skeleton of the language.

  • Phase II deepens and expands this framework, introducing nuanced grammatical theories and advanced morphological forms, sharpening fluency and precision in analysis.

  • Phase III transitions into the classical curriculum, with direct study of al-Ājrūmiyya through al-Tuḥfa al-Saniyya and select chapters of ʿIlm al-Ṣīgha, cultivating the ability to read, parse, and translate directly from the sources themselves.

By course completion, students will be equipped with the tools to unlock the Qur’an, Hadith, and the classical Islamic sciences — gaining clarity of thought, access to the tradition, and an appreciation of the light and worldview embedded within the Arabic language itself.