Reading Classical Arabic Texts (316-2-20)

Instructors

Ragy Mikhaeel
8474670927
Crowe Hall 4-117
A native of Cairo, Egypt, Ragy Mikhaeel has taught Arabic at Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He joined Northwestern University ten years ago. He is the author of Barron’s Learn Arabic: The Fast and Fun Way (as Ragy H. Ibrahim) and the recipient of the 2015 Excellence in Foreign Language Teaching Award from the Council on Language Instruction and the 2017–2018 Provost’s Fellowship for Digital Learning.

Meeting Info

Kresge 4531 MENA Seminar Rm: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

This course is an introduction to Arabic Islamic Manuscripts (Codicology) with applied exercises. The course is dedicated to the study of the manuscript literature of the Arab-Islamic civilization and heritage. It uses seven different Arabic scripts to provide students interested in Arabic and Islamic manuscripts with professional and functional linguistic skills that enable them to conduct research in the field of Arabic and Islamic studies in the future. While decoding the texts, we will also delve into a literary analysis of the material and learn about style, new vocabulary, calligraphy, and advanced grammar concepts. Students will continue their study of Arabic while reading an ancient Qur'anic sura or manuscript. The course provides readings to back the manuscript culture in Islamic Sufism (e.g. Al-Tawasiin-AlHallaj), Quranic suras, Hadith, Arabic and Islamic (heritage Stories of the prophets قصص الانبياء الثعلبي. This course changes content from year to year and students who took it before should be learning new material with this year's new topics and themes, design structure and diverse material.

Registration Requirements

Course Prerequisite:
Strong performance in Arabic 211-212 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

Learning Objectives

The overall goal of this class is for students to reach a proficiency level close to or equivalent to Advanced Low or Advanced Mid in reading, speaking, and writing Modern Standard Arabic.

Specifically, by the end of the quarter, students will:
• be able to read and comprehend authentic Arabic literary texts and manuscripts with the help of a dictionary;
• be able to identify essential codicological elements (script-related) of seven different Arabic scripts;
• be able to identify key rhetorical features and figures of speech when reading Arabic manuscripts or equivalent literary documents;
• have mastered several advanced grammatical concepts and learned how to integrate them into their writing;
• be more confident when reading Arabic scripts or conducting research related to Arabic manuscripts;
• gain deeper knowledge of Arabic culture and heritage and be prepared for higher-level courses in Arabic Literature and/or Arabic Manuscript Codicology.

Teaching Method

This course emphasizes the analysis and understanding of the use and function of Arabic manuscripts. Students will engage in both codicological and literary analysis of each manuscript.
Through critical reading and discussion of the texts, students will not only learn to appreciate the different styles of Arabic script but also explore a variety of manuscript themes—such as Qurʾanic texts, letters of correspondence, and miraculous healing amulets.

Each manuscript discussed will be fully supported by activities that build vocabulary, grammar, and rhetorical/balāgha skills. In-class discussions will reinforce the use of new vocabulary and grammatical structures, while deepening students' understanding and appreciation of manuscript culture within the Arab-Islamic tradition. Special attention will be given to the manuscript Ḥuqqa al-Bukāʾ, an original held in the Herskovitz Collection at Northwestern University. The instructor will post six focused online videos demonstrating methods of textual and codicological analysis, using Ḥuqqa al-Bukāʾ as a model.

Evaluation Method

Attendance and active participation account for 30% of the final grade. In addition, students will complete two midterm assessments, each consisting of a manuscript exercise and an analytical paper. The course will conclude with a final class project based on the analysis of a selected manuscript.

Class Materials (Required)

Course materials consist of a custom course packet authored by the instructor and a selection of supplementary readings made available by the instructor. All materials will be provided in compliance with copyright regulations and accessible through the university's approved digital platform or in print as indicated in the syllabus.

Class Notes

Course Prerequisite:
Strong performance in Arabic 211-212 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area