Intensive Arabic I

Arabic is both the native language of more than 300 million speakers and the language of the Qur'an, the scripture of the Islamic faith tradition. This course is an introduction to modern standard Arabic, the primarily written form of the language today, which is also spoken on formal occasions, in the media and elsewhere. Students will acquire basic vocabulary and grammar, learning how to read, write and understand simple sentences. Special attention will be paid to the pronunciation of consonants and vowels, in keeping with the standards of tajwid, the art of Qur'an recitation. No prior knowledge of Arabic is expected or required.