What Makes Darul Qasim College’s Department of Arabic Unique?
In Islamic sciences, the core subjects are the Qurʾān, hadith, fiqh, and ‘aqīdah. Before studying these, however, students need certain tools—chief among them is the Arabic language, which includes grammar, conjugation, and rhetoric (balāgha).
Most colleges offer two tracks for Arabic: classical and modern. Classical Arabic focuses on reading comprehension, essential for students training as historians who need to understand historical texts. After 9/11, interest in modern Arabic grew, emphasizing speaking and listening skills rather than grammar. Western academia often prioritizes communication over grammar in modern Arabic.
Typically, students choose one track, either classical or modern, due to the time commitment involved. Arabic spans at least 14 centuries of literature—far more than the three or four centuries of Shakespearean English. The beauty of Arabic is that the grammar remains consistent across both classical and modern forms, meaning studying either track requires the same foundational grammar.
What sets Darul Qasim apart is that we emphasize both classical and modern Arabic. While this requires significant effort, it’s essential. We need students who are proficient in reading and comprehending Arabic texts, especially the Qurʾān and Sunnah. Our program focuses heavily on grammar, conjugation, and rhetoric (balāgha) at the beginner level. As students progress, we also develop their listening and speaking skills, especially for engaging with Arabic-speaking scholars worldwide.
In addition, our students participate in Friday Labs—weekly sessions where students practice speaking and writing in Arabic, tailored to their proficiency level.
How Does Darul Qasim College’s Arabic Department Engage with Western Academia?
Looking to the future, Darul Qasim College aims to produce its own PhDs and scholars, who will serve as guardians of authentic Arabic knowledge. Many in academia today, unfortunately, lack the proficiency our senior students possess, and this gap sometimes leads to misguided or unsupported academic claims.
We aim to engage with western academia, especially in the fields of language theory and linguistics, by highlighting the depth of Islamic heritage studies. The study of the Qurʾān and its linguistic intricacies—such as semantics, phonetics, and syntax—requires a level of expertise often overlooked by those not trained in Arabic.
To stay at the forefront of international scholarship, it’s vital to understand Islamic heritage. As we advance, Darul Qasim plans to defend, present, and even challenge prevailing academic views on Arabic and Islamic studies, setting a new standard for excellence.
