Winter 2020/Fuller Online

MR566

Johnston

MR566: BASIC ARABIC FOR ACCESSING THE QUR’AN (4 Units: 160 hours). David L. Johnston.

DESCRIPTION: This course provides a beginner’s working knowledge of qur’anic Arabic: its alphabet, morphology and syntax, foundational vocabulary and grammar. It also introduces the student to online resources with translations, dictionaries, commentaries, and important articles. Finally, it offers a brief introduction to the Qur’an as literature and to some of the issues its history and composition continue to raise for scholars.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: MAICS Area of Interest Class PLO4, “Students will have demonstrated capacities to pursue vocations that engage the mission of God globally.”

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours, which is outlined below in the assignment and assessment section. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING AND RESOURCES: 400 pages required.

This is primarily a language course, so besides the language textbook (see below), there is only one other required book which introduces the Qur’an. A large part of the course work will also be centered on The Study Qur’an (see below in “Recommended Reading”), which is available free of charge online. We will discuss a couple of articles in it as well.

Ranginwala, Masood. Essentials of Quranic Arabic, Vol. 1, rev. 3rd ed. Jamaica, NY: Islamic Learning Foundation and the Islamic Circle of North America, 2018. ISBN: 978-1257644988, Pub. Price $14.20. [188 pp. assigned].

Ernst, Carl W. How to Read the Qur’an: A New Guide, with Select Translations, new ed. University of North Carolina Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-1469609768, Pub. Price $35.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [212 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein, et all, eds. The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary. HarperOne, 2015. ISBN: 9780061125867, Pub. Price $69.99.

Mohammed, Khaleel, and Andrew Rippin, eds. Coming to Terms with the Qur’an: A Volume in Honor of Professor Issa Boullata, McGill University. Islamic Publications International, 2007. ISBN: 9781889999470, Pub. Price $22.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Readings, media, and practice: Each week, readings, instructional videos and ungraded practice exercises will be assigned. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4]. [60 hours].
  2. Weekly quizzes [20% of the final grade]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 3, 4]. [20 hours].
  3. Tests [30%]: There will be three tests related to a) pronouns and nominal sentences; b) verbs; c) verb forms [3,000 words]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 4]. [30 hours].
  4. Group discussions [20%]: Most weeks there will be a group discussion activity. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #5 and 6]. [35 hours]
  5. Oral exam [10%]: Students will be tested on reading simple sentences aloud via videoconference or recording. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [5 hours].
  6. Final exam [20%]: A final exam will test students’ mastery of the course’s material. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-5]. [10 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective. Option to count in the Islamic Studies area of interest.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Online.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.