This language course will teach Arabic to non-native speakers with literary texts related to multiple contexts. This course is specifically offered to provide Arabic learners with an exposure to classical and contemporary literary texts and the ability to recognise and distinguish these texts from one another to truly reach an advanced level of proficiency in the Arabic language.

Through this course, Al Balagh intends to help students who have some level of linguistic communication competence with a taste for the beauty of Arabic reading, and understanding not only the language but also the culture of the language.

This course provides a comprehensive introductory review of the various literary texts in Arabic, from its early beginnings in the 5th century AD to the present, emphasising on the major genres of Arabic literature, engaging with sacred Islamic text (Nafhat Al Arab, Maqamat, Mutanabbi), the Qur'an, and the wealth of poetry, and narrative prose. The course will examine the link between the creative output of the present day to the illustrious literary heritage of the past that incorporates an immensely rich collection of renowned literature. This course provides the students with a remarking invaluable introduction to a major non-Western literary tradition.

This is an innovative concept in teaching the Arabic language will become a milestone for intermediate students in both linguistic skills and literary appreciation through the reading of contemporary texts (Qasas an-Nabiyyin, Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, Raheeq Al-Maktoum), classical prose in the original Arabic dialect by great and very different writers to give an insight of the various writing styles. Creative reading tasks and practices will help students to refine their knowledge of various literary styles of different writers, while grammar is sharpened through text analysis and writing assignments, with an emphasis on building vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, as well as developing an in-depth understanding of classical writing styles. This course is integrated with the basics of Balagha to ensure that students should have a clear and applicable understanding of Balagha (History, key points, key figures, key books). Read more