Curriculum

Methodology

The “Foundations Program” in Classical Arabic is designed to take students from basic recognition of Arabic letters to attaining a high degree of proficiency in the language. Students ultimately develop the ability to independently read and comprehend classical Islamic texts in subjects such as Fiqh, Hadith, and Tafsir – in the shortest time possible.

In a systematic manner, the course progresses expeditiously through the essentials of both Arabic grammar and morphology required to access classical texts. In-class reading of unvoweled texts by students themselves begins in the 6th month and continues until the end of the course. Carefully chosen manuals in various Islamic disciplines are introduced gradually into the program to familiarize students with the Islamic sciences and consolidate their ability to decipher the texts.

There are two formats for the Foundations Program: an intensive 6-month offering held at our learning institute in the Greater Toronto Area, and an online part-time schedule in which the same content is spread over a period of two years. Please use the menu on the sidebar of this page to access specific details on the format that is most convenient for you. For readability purposes, the rest of this curriculum page will focus on the 2-year online format.

‘Foundations Program’ Structure

• The Foundations Program spans 2 years.
• Two 6-month semesters each year (beginning late March and Early October).
• 5 hours of instruction per week:
o 3 hours of prerecorded lessons.
o 2 hours of live tutorials.
• From 2nd semester, live hours gradually increase to a maximum of 6 per week.
• As live hours increase, dependence on recordings decreases proportionately.
• 1-week break after every 4 weeks of continuous class.
• 2-week break for Hajj and 5-week break during Ramadan and Eid.
• Midterm and semester exams.
• First year focuses entirely on the Arabic language.
• Second year introduces other Islamic sciences in addition to the Arabic language.
• Only 2 subjects taught at any given time.

Classical Arabic Content

Sarf (Morphology):

• Teacher prepared materials.
• Charts, drills, verb analysis.

Nahw (Syntax):

• Teacher-prepared materials.
• Hidayah al-Nahw.
• Grammatical Analysis of verses from the Qur’an (1.5 juz)
• Vol. 1 of Sharh ibn Aqil.

Adab (Literature):

• Al-Nadwi’s Qasas al-Nabiyyin Series (Volumes 1-3).
• Miscellaneous selections from biographical works on the Sahabah and other Islamic luminaries.
• Al-Zarnuji’s celebrated Ta’lim al-Muta’allim.
• Abu Ghuddah’s min adab al-islam.
• Abu Ghuddah’s al-Rasul al-Mu’allim, along with supplementary commentary from the works of ibn Hajr and al-Nawawi.

Balaghah (Rhetoric):

• Opening chapters from Mukhtasar al-Ma’ani.
• Rhetorical analysis of Qur’anic verses.

Islamic Sciences in Addition to Arabic

Tafsir (Qur`anic Exegesis):

• Thematic analysis conducted by the instructor, drawing from renowned commentaries such as Bayan al-Qur`an, Ruh al-Ma’ani, and al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir.
• Linguistic analysis conducted by the students themselves and guided by the instructor.

Fiqh (Sacred Law):

• Al-Shurunbulali’s Nur al-Idah in ‘ibadat (acts of worship).
• Al-Quduri’s Mukhtasar in mu’amalat (social dealings, commerce, etc.)

Mantiq:

• Al-Ghazali’s al-Qistas al-Mustaqim
• Al-Ghazali’s Mi’yar al-‘Ilm
• Intermediate level Mantiq text al-Mirqat
• Analysis of arguments by kalam scholars, ibn Taymiyyah, Kant, Fawdah, and others.