Fawakih Level 5 & 6 Quranic Arabic Courses

Advanced Arabic: Balagha Target Student Audience: Levels 5-6

Course 1: Arabic Figurative Speech and Imagery (`Ilm al-Bayan) This course is the first of four courses in the study of balagha (Arabic eloquence and rhetoric, which is central to discussions on the linguistic beauty and inimitability of the Qur'an) . After briefly introducing the broader field of balagha, the major part of the course delves into `ilm al-bayan, the study of modes of presentation. Just as a painted picture can represent its subject to varying degrees of accuracy and beauty, so too language can express an idea with different degrees of clarity and eloquence. You learn to recognize and understand the major stylistic devices (simile, metaphor, metonymy and tropes), which allows for deeper understanding of the depths and nuances of language in general and the Qur'an in particular. More specifically, you gain insight into how these dimensions of language tie into some prominent theological (`aqida) and (fiqh) discussions that revolve around literal and figurative interpretations of certain Qur'an and hadith texts. . Course 2: Arabic Linguistic Pragmatics (`Ilm al-Ma`ani) This is the second of four courses in the study of Arabic eloquence and rhetoric. Language is power. Utterances are not merely sounds, nor just intelligible sounds. Speech arises out of a context, and contributes to changing that reality. Ilm al-Ma`ani (Pragmatics) is the study of approriateness of speech to the context and to the condition of the listener. In this course, you thus learn to look beyond the immediate, grammatical meanings, exploring secondary (illocutionary and perlocutionary) meanings of the Arabic language, such as how language functions to elicit responses, to induce feelings and emotions, and to convey consequences. This course aims to further develop your appreciation for the depths of language, and to enable you to start accessing deeper levels of meaning in the Qur'an.

Course 3: Rhetorical Embellishments (`Ilm al-Badi`) This is the third of four courses in the study of Arabic eloquence and rhetoric. The Quran's powerful influence on so many people across the world and through the centuries is based on both its aesthetics and its content. Human beings are attracted by beauty, and beauty is, in many ways, an Islamic value. This course introduces students to some prominent rhetorical devices that make speech more beautiful, whether in its external form and sound, or its meaning/coherence, or both. Topics include: the distinctions between prose, poetry and Quran; the devices of consonance, contrast, comparison; and rational arguments. Students are also introduced the important theme of coherence (nazm) in the Quran, which explores how verses connect in meaning to those immediately before and after them, and also contribute to a thematic unity of the entire surah.

Course 4: Selected Topics & Application This is the final of four courses in the study of Arabic eloquence and rhetoric. Students will look at selected topics that look at various aspects of balagha at once. They will also analyze various examples of eloquence from the Quran, Hadith and other famous Arabic literary selections. This will help students tie together all of the main branches of Balagha, so they can step back and appreciate the beauty of Arabic language.

Advanced Arabic: Classical Text Reader

`Aqida (Theology) Readings This module involves reading selections from original theological literature in order to gain exposure to some of the technical vocabulary and major topics of Islamic theology (`aqida). Students also become aware of different approaches used in discussing theological topics -- such as traditionalist (scripture- focused), dialectical (kalam), and spiritual -- and that theological discussions also occur within other genres (such as tafsir). This course does not teach `aqidah, nor does it adopt or promote a particular theological stance. Rather, readings span a variety of schools and approaches, and the focus is on reading and comprehending the text extracts lexicologically and grammatically, but some basic content is of course learned in the process.

Fiqh (Islamic Law) Readings This module involves reading selections from classical legal (fiqh) manuals in order to gain exposure to some of the technical vocabulary and major topics of Islamic law. Students also become aware of different approaches in fiqh, such as books centered around hadith texts, and systematic summary texts (mutun). Readings span a variety of schools (madhhabs) and approaches, and contain a representative selection of topics in worship, food and drink, family law, business, legal process and state law.

Qur'anic Studies Readings This course introduces students to some of the major topics and technical vocabulary of Qur’anic studies (`ulum al-qur’an), including: the history of the Qur'an, the ordering of its surahs, the circumstances of revelation, the concepts of i`jaz and naskh, and the genres of tafsir (including prominent books within each genre). You are also exposed to selections from works on Qur’anic phonetics (tajwid) and Qur’anic recitations (qira’at). The primary text for this course is Dr Akram al- Nadwi's Mabadi' fi Usul al-Tafsir, along with some supplementary materials created by Fawakih.

The Life of the Messenger (Sirat al-Rasul) Readings This course aims to increase students' confidence and ability in reading on the biography and character of the Prophet Muhammad, through reading selected topics from the sira. Reading selections start with simplified, vowelled texts, through unvowelled modern books, and eventually tackling extracts from early writings on seerah, such as Ibn Hisham and Tabari. In addition to developing reading ability, students would also start appreciating that writings within this genre differ in their scope and intent, such as whether they are concerned with the transmission of information, or its analysis and interpretation.

Advanced Arabic: Quran Analysis

Level 5: Surat al-Kahf Part I & Part II

Surat al-Kahf contains three unusual stories, and also addresses major spiritual and theological themes. This course undertakes a close language-focused study of the second half of the sura (the first half is covered in a separate course), with a view to increasing Quranic vocabulary and applying grammatical and morphological knowledge, as well as gaining insight into some of the deeper, rhetorical dimensions of verses. Students are also introduced to some prominent Arabic-to-Arabic lexicons, and classical tafsir works.

Level 6: Surat Maryam & Surat Yasin

The aims of these courses are the same as Level 5 courses, with more depth and attention to balagha concepts for the new surahs being studied.