Arabic Literary Criticism in the First Four Centuries
The book “The History of Arabic Literary Criticism from the First to the Fourth Century Hijri” is a scholarly work that significantly contributes to…
Arabic and Language
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Yusuf and Zulaikha
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم During our studies at Zia-ul-Uloom, we read Jami’s Yusuf and Zulaikha under the guidance of our respected teacher, Maulana Abdul Ali Sahib (may Allah have mercy on him). Jami, born Nuruddin…
Do not deny Shaykh Yūnus (raḥimahullāh)
Where are those intoxications of the night’s wine? Rise now—for the delight of the dawn’s sleep is gone. O claimant! Your haste evokes both…
The Voice of ‘Qala Allah’
Every seeker of truth who traverses the madrasas and spiritual retreats of the Indian subcontinent often finds themselves engulfed in a strange melancholy and…
Introduction to Arabic Sciences
Praise All praise is due to Allah, who has honored the Arabic sciences and made them the key to understanding His noble Book and…
Reminder: Ramadan takes pride in the fasting and nightly devotions of the Muslims
Layla takes pride in her love for Qays al-‘Āmirī, that love which wandered through the deserts of Najd, yet was only made purer by…
Cucumbers in six months
In recent years, one encounters advertisements proclaiming, with the breezy boldness of a street magician, “Learn Arabic in six months!” The assurance is delivered…
How to progress in Arabic reading and comprehension
My dear students, It has been brought to my attention, through my dear student, Mr Ali Rasul, that many of you at Al-Salam feel…
The Method of Teaching Arabic Language and Literature
Our esteemed colleague, Mawlānā Ṣafwān Aḥmad Ḥalīmī Qāsimī, has asked what is the correct method for teaching Arabic language and literature. The Arabic language…
The Origin of “Kāhil”
Professor Mushīr Ṣāḥib, of Lucknow University (may God preserve him), wrote the following query: al-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmat Allāhi wa barakātuh. I hope that…
We Do Not Know Laylā
The story of Laylā and Majnūn has, since ancient times, been recognised in Eastern literature as a celebrated and authoritative tale of love. For…
Principles of Discussion
The fundamental principle of research and scholarly discourse is to understand correctly the relationship between language and meaning. In any investigation or intellectual debate,…
Knights of Knowledge and Literature
In an age in which libraries overflow with a multitude of publications, the book Fursān al-ʿIlm wa-l-Adab (Knights of Knowledge and Literature) by the…
Questions & Answers on Arabic and Language
View all Q&A →al-Jāḥiẓ on the definitions of balāghah
Assalamo Alaikum, I pray Almighty to find you in good health. Of late, I was studying up. It was Al-Bayan wa-Al-Tabyeen of Al-Jahiz (775-868 A.D.). An erudite para stuck me up. I was, indeed, at a loss. I could not…
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Respected Maulana Rida ul-Haq, Principal of Jamiat Al-Huda in Nottingham, may Allah preserve him, has a daughter, Ustadha Safiyya Zaid, who is an accomplished scholar, a specialist in Arabic language and Hadith, and also one of my students. She has…