Welcoming Statement
Welcome to a new Arabic course organized by Talimul Islam and the Institute of the Language of the Quran.
Aim: To help students understand 85% of the Quran directly.
Instructor Background
The instructor lacks formal scholarly credentials but has gathered experience across various countries and learned from many supportive teachers.
Aspiration to share knowledge to help students comprehend the Quran in prayers and daily life.
Handbook Introduction
Clarification about Arabic alphabet:
Common notion: 28 letters; the correct count is 29 (includes Alif, but it does not have a speech sound).
Hamzah's Role
Hamzah requires support from other letters (like Alif) to be pronounced; metaphorically described as needing a chair.
Rules will be introduced gradually about writing Hamzah.
Parts of Speech
English language: 8 parts of speech (noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, interjection).
Arabic language parts of speech: 3 (noun, verb, particles).
Arabic noun encompasses pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and interjections.
Alphabet and Vowel Signs
29 letters in total: 28 consonants and one with no speech sound (Alif) which serves as a vowel.
Arabic has three vowel signs: Dhamma, Fatha, and Kasra (short vowels).
Elongation
Alif is used for elongating vowels.
Example: Understanding short and long vowel combinations with Alif for elongation.
Sukoon (حُرُوف السُكُون)
Described as identifying the absence of a vowel sign on Arabic letters; visually represented as a tiny circle.
Examples of Sukoon consequences within pronunciations of words.
Concept of Sukoon
Reinforcement of what a Sukoon signifies: absence of vowel sound on a letter.
Examples illustrating Sukoon applied to different letters in sentences.
Noun Types
Nouns can be definite or indefinite; English uses "a/an" for indefinite and "the" for definite.
Arabic indicates indefiniteness by the use of Tanween—double vowel markers at the end of nouns.
Definite Nouns
Definite nouns are marked by using the definite article "Al" at the beginning.
Example: "Al-Kalamun" instead of "Kalamun".
Learning Structure
Praise for Dr. Abdurrahman's methodology in teaching Arabic through a focus on nouns initially.
Importance of learning one step at a time (brick by brick approach).
After the basics of nouns, verbs will be introduced in a subsequent book to ensure preparedness.
Declension of Nouns
Nouns in Arabic decline and can have different endings based on their grammatical function (Marfu, Mansub, Majrur).
Understanding changes due to grammatical cases.
Practical Examples
Use of Muhammad in different contexts to illustrate declension and function in sentences.
Understanding Declension
Importance of recognizing how noun endings are crucial in determining their role in sentences.
Identifies the conditions that affect noun endings based on their function (subject, object, etc.).
Functionality of Noun Endings
Examples provided to showcase the differences between definite and indefinite nouns and their respective declensions.
Memorization Techniques
Use of song-like repetition to facilitate memory retention regarding noun endings and their cases (Marfu, Mansub, Majrur).
Emphasis on continual review to reinforce understanding of noun declensions.
Absence of Linking Verbs
Discussion of how Arabic does not use linking verbs like "is, are, m", making translations different from English.
Explanation of how sentences are formed without explicit linking verbs.
Interrogative Nouns
Clarification on using "man" for intelligent beings and "ma" for non-intelligent objects.
Techniques for properly asking questions in Arabic using Hamza.
Arabic Grammar Overview
Definition of the classification of Arabic words as nouns, verbs, and particles.
Understanding basic vocabulary associated with human intelligence and everyday objects.
Class Structure Recap
Importance of constant practice and the role of students’ time and effort in learning.
Encouragement that the effort will be rewarded both spiritually and academically.