A curriculum of study for Grammar (Nahw) Morphology (Sarf) and developing general language proficiency.
How long will it take me to be fluent in the Arabic language?
This is a question that has been posed many times and the response is the same. Just follow through with a tried and tested curriculum and the language will come. Unsatatisfied with a vague answer and despairing of any fruitful results from their current curriculum, students jump from teacher to teacher and curriculum to curriculum void of benefit.
The following information is by no means comprehensive but may help a student of the Arabic language make an informed decision as to how they aim to learn the language, gain some fluency and progress in their studies efficiently. The advice is based on experience from senior students in Cairo and relies on translated excerpts from the book “Takween Malakat al-lughawiya” by Bashīr ‘Esām al-Marakishi”.
In Cairo there are two main curriculums of Arabic language taught:
1. Al-Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk
2. Al-Kitab al-Asasi
There are other methods but for now let us look at each curriculum in more detail.
1. Al-Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk
This has a new and old print. The older print is a set of three books and the new print is a set of four books. The content is largely the same however, the newer print has rearranged some difficult texts in each chapter present in the old version by placing them at them at the end in book four of the new version. The newer print also has some more excercises to aid in the learning of vocabulary.
The texts covers a range of topics as shown below:
In book 1 you learn the following:
- How to greet others and introduce yourself
- How to ask basic questions and then reply
- How to describe your family members and what they do
- How to describe your home
- To speak about your daily routine
- To speak about your meals and the foods you like
- To converse about prayers and prayer times
- To speak about school and studies
- How to say the time in Arabic
- To converse about your job
- How to count objects and practical applications for knowing the numbers
- A vocabulary list of approximately 400 words
- Speak about shopping and how to buy things
- How to describe weather
- Speak about people and places
- Speak about hobbies and pastimes
- Conversation you may have whilst on a journey
- Speak about Hajj and Umrah
- How to count objects and practical applications for knowing the numbers
- Speak about health and illness
- Speak about holidays and foreign places
The links are at the end of the article so a student can browse through the other books and get an idea of the topics covered.
2. Al-Kitab al-Asasi
This is a set of three books which has more modern vocabulary and book three is especially good as it has a variety of traditional texts from a range of scholars. Some teachers prefer teaching this book due to it covering more vocabulary.
A general course of study for private students:
If a student is deciding to pursue studies privately rather than in a Markaz it is important for them to have a clear plan ahead of them and clearly define what they aim to acheive from their studies. We will cover texts up to an intermediate level but not go further as by then a student would be able to access arabic texts and will be familiar with the appropriate texts for his level.
“Regarding Grammar (Nahw) and Morphology (Sarf).”
“Grammar and Morphology are like differing brothers in their inner characteristics and external speech but they are always seen together and their seperation cannot be imagined. These two sciences explore two differing domains as in essence Nahw concerns itself with the state of the terminal portion of the word, declinable or indeclinable as it is in a construction. As for the science of Sarf then it’s concern is to examine the structure of an individual word irrespective of its composition with other words. Therefore they have differed regarding the subject under consideration as we are examining the terminal portion of the word in Nahw and the structure of the whole word in Sarf…”
“As for the beginner he is of two types:
The first: The non-Arab associated with a land where Arabic is not spoken. Thereafter he wants to begin to assimilate into the group of those who are arabicised. So he requires these two sciences along with returns from his literary, lingusitic and erudite skills which cleanse him from the filth of incorrectness in speaking Arabic. Along with this example is another which is similar to it. It is the example of an Arab by lineage who was brought up speaking colloquial language or one of the foreign languages to the extent that his language became other than Arabic, therefore he is an Arab by lineage but he is virtually a non-Arab by consideration of his language.”
The above is what concerns us so most students should begin with advice for this group unless they have already studied in their respective countries.
“The second: The student upon whom it is not difficult to converse in Arabic or understand someone who speaks it but he requires knowledge of the principles of Nahw and Sarf which he may have learnt before, then was caused to forget them.”
“As for the first [student], it is incumbent upon him to include in his endeavor the study of college grammar textbooks in order to qualify for [a level that is] on par with the second group.
One of the most beneficial college textbooks in this group is the book “Al-Nahw Al-Wādih” written by the two authors: Ali al-Jārim and Mustafa Amīn. It is a book that relies upon a the method of deriving the [grammar] rule from selected sentences while advancing gradually from the foundation of the language to what is more complex and more detailed. The book also increases in practice questions and exercises that aid the student [in gaining] command over the priciples [of grammar] and using them correctly.
It is also possible to rely upon other textbooks from primary schools in the Arab world although [only] from the period that preceded the phase that wrecked the curriclums of study with the pickax of renewal and facilitation.”
The above is an excellent suggestion for students from the West who do not have a background in Arabic as it will allow a student to gain the fundamentals of grammar without struggling to understand the text itself. The practice exercises will especially help students learn the rules. Selections from this book are often taught in al-Azhar University.
“I am reminded here of a series of effective books, excellent in the selection of the texts and extraction of [grammar] rules from them. It is the “Iqra’” series by Ahmed Boukmakh. They used to be the stipulated elementary textbooks in Morocco a few decades ago.
If a student studies these texts he will be ready to join the second group of students in their curriculum which shall follow God Willing.”
Now the Sheikh goes on to suggest a books for developing Arabic language proficiency in general. Although he mentions the “Iqra” series Al-Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk or Kitab al-Asasi should also suffice and a student is more likely to find teachers who are experienced in teaching the latter two.
“The starting point in [this curriculum] is “Matn al-Ājrūmīya” in the subject of grammar authored by Muhammad bin Ājarūm al-Sanhāji.
It is suggested that the student study it with the commentary by Sheikh Muhyi al-Deen ‘abd al-Hamīd called “Al-Tuhfat al-Saniya Sharh al-Muqaddimat al-Ajrūmiya”. There is no need for a student to tire himself by relying on other explanations alongside it except on the condition that he has gained proficiency of “Al-Tuhfat al-Saniya” in its entirety.
If he is from those who posess an excellent memory he may memorise the text or the versified version. If he isn’t able to then let him suffice by memorising its meaning without concerning himself with the recalling of words.
In this first level the student shouldn’t study anything in Sarf.”
He begins by talking about the second group of students and if the first student has completed the required texts he should find these texts much easier to access. The Sheikh clearly sees a benefit for the foreign student in studying a contemporary book such as “Al-Nahw Al-Wādih” before beginning the study of al-Ajrūmiya. I have found that in compensation of not studying “Al-Nahw Al-Wādih” many teachers tend to simplify Ajrūmiya and teach it in a diagram format where they summarise the most important points and provide practice questions for the student. However, this all depends on the skill of the teacher.
“At this stage the student begins to familarise himself with the principles of these two sciences and their terminology. [This is] after the rust of ignorance has been removed from his intellect with the first stage as explained above.
The focus of this level in grammar involves two books which are complementary to each other. They are written by the same author with the meticulousness of the same editor. His work can [be describe as being] closer to footnotes and explanatory remarks as opposed to an editing although it is still an excellent editing.
The first book is “Sharh Shudhur al-Dhahab fī ma’rifat kalām al-‘arab” and the second book is “Qatr al-Nadā wa bala al-Sadā” As for the author, he is Jamal al-Deen Ibn Hishām and the editor is Muhammad Muhyi al-Deen ‘abd al-Hamīd.
The student should rely on the above two books and should summarise their main points in a single notebook. He should also give attention to the points requiring greatest attention by solving difficult grammar question from author of the footnotes. He should [also] read by pondering and examining his commentary of the grammatical evidences and it’s parsing (I’rāb), then he should try to recall the I’rāb from his memory and compare [his answer] to the writing of the Sheikh, May Allah have mercy upon him.
He should give attention to memorising the evidences as they are to Nahw like the proofs of jurisprudence (fiqh) are to the subsidiary rulings. In my opinion memorising the evidences is more important than memorising the Matn and whoever memorise both has won two honours.
The student should be cautious of considering these evidences burdensome and taken aback by their oddness as this is surely the path of those who are lazy!
If he adds to this his criticism and belittling of the grammarians as a result of [his laziness] he will remain of the path of those feigning erudition.”
The above is really for a student who can apply what he has previously learnt while reading an Arabic text. There is limited benefit in a student moving on to the the next books while not being able to remember previous rules so before this stage it would be useful if a student applied some of the grammar rules. Some possible texts a student could read an apply the rules on are three great books that have been taught through many seminaries across the Muslim world by the late scholar Sheikh Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi.
1. “Qasas al-Nabiyyīn”
2. “Khātam al-Nabiyyīn”
3. “Qira’at al-Rāshida”
“As for Sarf the student should read with devotion the book “Shadha al-‘arf fī fan al-Sarf” by Sheikh Ahmed al-Hamlawī and summarise it’s most important points in a small notebook.
He should then read at an intermediate level and for application the book “al-Tatbeeq al-Sarfi” by Abd- al-Rajihi and he should give attention to answering all the practice questions. He should be intent on the chapters relating to the morphological changes of verbs attached to pronouns (Tasreef al-af’aal al-musnadat ila al-damāir) as many books of Sarf neglect it while it one of the most important objectives in gaining proficiency in this science. Making mistakes in it -while it being widespread in our age-is disliked and ugly.
If he completes this level he should read the book “Jāmi’ al-Durūs al-‘Arabiya” by Mustafā al-Ghalayīnī it is an excellent scholastic book whereby the student may go over what he has learnt from before in the sciences of Nahw and Sarf…”
After this the book mentions further books that an advanced student can study. However, to keep this post brief we will leave this for a future article and in most instances the student will be more aware of where he should go with his studies.
In summary for a beginner student from the west:
2. Once the student is nearing the end of book two of “Al-Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk” or “Kitab al-Asasi” he can begin to read with the aid of a dictionary “Qasas al-Nabiyyīn” by Sheikh Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi. A student can also study “Al-Tuhfat al-Saniya Sharh al-Muqaddimat al-Ajrūmiya” alongside the grammar lessons included in Bayna Yadayk or Kitab al-Asasi.
3. After one has finished “Al-Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk” or “Kitab al-Asasi” book 3 they can read other books by Sheikh Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi such as “Khatam al-Nabiyyīn” and “Qira’at al-Rāshida”
4. In Sarf one can study “Shadha al-‘arf fī fan al-Sarf” and “al-Tatbeeq al-Sarfi”
5. Intermediate level studies to further ones grammar include “Sharh Shudhur al-Dhahab fī ma’rifat kalām al-‘arab” and “Qatr al-Nadā wa bala al-Sadā”.
Of course if one is failing to remember the rules then it is more important for the student to sit with a teacher and practice I’rab of a suitable Arabic text.
The above was by no means encompassing and there are many alternatives out there which are taught across the world. The advice includes some common books taught in Egypt. Below are links to the books and some suggestions of online recordings.
May Allah allow us to gain proficiency in this language and keep our intentions in learning this language pure, solely seeking His reward.
where’s the link of these books. jazakallahu khayran
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