Lesson 1: الدرس الاوّل

[Ace Base]

Assalaamualaikum and Jazaak Allah Khairun to all those who have registered for the weekly Arabic classes. Whilst it was my intention to conduct these classes every Sunday, I now realise that this might not always be possible but with Allah's permission I shall post a lesson every week either on Sunday or a Monday.

This class is not for complete beginners in the sense that you must have recognition of the Arabic alphabet and its enunciation and pronunciation to fully benefit.

Since this class will take place weekly, the pace will really pick up after the first two weeks and its down to each participant to apply him or herself diligently. Arabic is a difficult language to master and requires the utmost focus and practice. The nuances and subtleties of the language, the various shades of meaning, the richness of its language, its rhythm; all these attributes add to the languages sophistication and complexity but equally add to its enjoyment.

I think it is safe to assume that most of you wish to learn the language as a means of further improving your Deen and hence it is important to purify your intentions and ask Allah for help.

For others, this may be a purely academic and intellectual pursuit and if so then we welcome you and hope to benefit you and pray to Allah, the Irresistible to grant you a better understanding of Islam and Muslims, to open your minds and hearts to us. Aameen.

And before I start, I pray to Allah to guide me, to forgive me my mistakes and to accept this as an act of Ibadah, an act of worship.

And all praise is to Allah and how far He is from Imperfection.

[Ace Base]

Lessons shall follow this methodology:

Each lesson shall centre around the word of the week.

Additional vocabulary shall be supplied.

We shall then learn to utlise the words we have learnt to build sentences.

Arabic grammar shall be taught simultaneously.

Homework shall be set.

All homework must be submitted to our brother, Wazeeri or any other moderator designated for this task.

I shall check the homework and announce the results the following week.

A points system shall identify the best students.

At the end of the term I shall personally reward the top five students, InshaAllah.

Brothers like MIG who already speak Arabic are requested to be patient and allow the rest of their brothers and sisters to catch up.

Brothers like Wazeeri and Momo who are quite well read on Islam might also find the initial two weeks rather slow paced. Patience is requested.

Ikwaan, one more thing. Please, donot clutter the thread with posts in between lessons. I'll start a separate thread after each lesson where you are free to ask questions, voice your concerns, complaints et cetera.

[Ace Base]

The most oft-occuring word in the Arabic language is فى

This is the word of the week.

Pronounced ''fee'', the word has a nmber of meanings including:

1. In or Inside

2. At

3. On

4. Upon.

The context the word is used in will determine its meaning.

In Arabic the definite article ال is prefixed to the noun to make it definite!

It is pronounced ''Al'' but without elongating the ''A'' as the Ameicans would. Hence its not ''Aaal'' but simply ''Al''.

There is no indefinite article in Arabic. In English you have ''a''. For example, ''A car''. In Arabic the indefinite article is implied by the abscence of the definite article ال.

Getting confusing? Don't worry, your homework will sort you out!

Vocabulary:

1. بيت Bayt House

2. سيّارة Sayyaratu Car

3. مستشفة Mustashfatu Hospital

4. أين Ayna Where?

Please pay attention to this particular word. It is used to ask a question and is very useful.

5. مفتاحٌ Miftahun Key

6. سريرٌ Sareerun Bed

Now for some examples:

أحمد في البيت
Ahmed is in the house.

Notice the use of ال to make the subject definite.

أين السيارة؟
Where is the car?

فاطمة في مستشفة
Fatimah is in a hospital.

Did you notice the lack of the definite article?

That concludes our lesson for today.

Now for homework.

Please donot copy from your fellow posters. Allah is watching you!

Besides you'll never learn if you don't make mistakes!

[Ace Base]

Homework

This must be submitted to أخ Wazeeri on or before Saturday.

Please translate into Arabic the following:

1. Ahmed is in a car

2. The key is in the car in a house.

3. Where is Fatimah?

4. Fatimah is at the hospital on a bed.

5. Where is a hospital?

6. The bed is in the car.

7. Where is the car-key?

Each answer carries two points except question 7 which is a bit tricky. Answering it will earn you three points

Next lesson will be much tougher and so will the homework.

Learn the basics well and you'll go a long way, InshaAllah.

[Ace Base]

Please use an Arabic keyboard to answer your questions. Nothing else shall be accepted.

You may use one here: http://www.arabic-keyboard.org/

[Ace Base]

Lack of grounding in the basics of Arabic causes many to misunderstand and misinterpret the Quran and Hadith.

Many years ago Anis Sorosh was humiliated in a debate with Ahmed Deedat.

Anis was trying to prove that Jesus alahis salaam was dead by quoting an ayah from the Quran.

He should have paid more attention to Arabic 101 in school as what Anis translated as past tense was actually future tense in Arabic.

Similarly, many Muslims fall into Bid'ah and Shirk because they don't understand Arabic.

Here is another bonus question: Rasool Allah's nickname was ابوالقاسم and he forbade anyone from using it.

However ابوقاسم is allowed.

In the light of what you have just studied can someone tell us why>

Please don't look into the books of Ahadith to answer this one. Use your recently acquired Arabic skills and it'll be more fulfilling!

Three bonus points for this!

[Wazeeri]

PLEASE PM your answers to any of the other mods,
I will not be around for 2 days.

[Genghis]

Which mod can I post my homework to?

[racerx]

is it too late to get in on the arabic lessons?

[MIG]

send to me - MIG

[Genghis]

Thanks MIG ... I've sent it to you.

[MIG]

Thanks genghis 81 [ You learnt well in Dhahran !]

All:

pls put the following line in subject:

"Answers to Arabic Lesson 1"

[Ace Base]

Originally Posted by MIG Thanks genghis 81 [ You learnt well in Dhahran !] All: pls put the following line in subject: "Answers to Arabic Lesson 1"

MIG, akhi, you aren't allowed to participate in the competition since you speak Arabic so it'll be unfair to the others.

However, I do appreciate you signing up for the lessons to support this. Just demonstrates your humility. May Allah reward you.

[MIG]

AB - do I forward you all the PMs in one mega PM ?

[Wazeeri]

I have forwarded the PM's I received onto Acebase,
For future ref please forward to Mods just in case one is not in.

[MIG]

Originally Posted by Ace Base MIG, akhi, you aren't allowed to participate in the competition since you speak Arabic so it'll be unfair to the others. However, I do appreciate you signing up for the lessons to support this. Just demonstrates your humility. May Allah reward you.

La Wallah, Ya Akh-al-Kareem - I am really bad in spoken Arabic - but reasonable in written Arabic - possibly due to knowledge of URDU.

[Genghis]

Originally Posted by MIG Thanks genghis 81 [ You learnt well in Dhahran !]

Well to tell you the truth I struggled a bit with some of those. All the little bit I had learnt in Saudi I've lost over the years, so its pretty much a fresh start.

[mamoo gogo]

Ayna Akh Ace Base?

[Momo]

I hope you are doing fine, Ace Base.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by mamoo gogo Ayna Akh Ace Base?

why does he need mirror?

[shabs100]

Originally Posted by 12thMan why does he need mirror?

huh?

'Anya' inarabic means Where.

[shabs100]

guys have these lessons stopped?

[12thMan]

Al Sheikh ul farar

[Khabri420]

Originally Posted by 12thMan Al Sheikh ul farar

reminds me of omer sharif

[Momo]

Originally Posted by 12thMan Al Sheikh ul farar

On a serious note though, I hope he is okay.

Arabic lessons can wait, but what is worrying is that it's very unlike Akh Ace Base to just disappear without a trace unless there is a very good reason.

I hope he is just busy and no other serious reason.

[DHONI183]

Originally Posted by Momo On a serious note though, I hope he is okay. Arabic lessons can wait, but what is worrying is that it's very unlike Akh Ace Base to just disappear without a trace unless there is a very good reason. I hope he is just busy and no other serious reason.

Even I hope everything is fine and alright with him.

[nawal]

it is ( مستشفى Mustashfa ) not مستشفة

thanks

[Murakh]

Great this is the holy language of ALLAH

[soso_killer]

I wish this was done without the confusing signs. I just want to speak the language not wright it.