Classical Arabic Stories


Book Description

Short fiction was an immensely innovative art in the medieval Arab world and speaks to the urbanization of the Arab domain after Islam. It reflects the bustling life of Muslim Arabs and Islamized Persians and the sure stamp of an urbanity that had settled very staunchly after big conquests. Reading these texts today illuminates the wide spectrum of early Arab life and the influences and innovations that flourished so vibrantly in medieval Arab society. Classical Arabic Stories selects from an impressive corpus, including excerpts from seven seminal works: Ibn Tufail's novel, Hayy ibn Yaqzan; Kalila wa Dimna by Ibn al-Muqaffa; The Misers by al-Jahiz; The Brethren of Purity's The Protest of Animals Against Man; Al-Maqamat (The Assemblies) by al-Hamadhani and al-Hariri; Epistle of Forgiveness by al-Ma'arri; and the epic romance, Sayf Bin Dhi Yazan. Organized thematically, the volume begins with pre-Islamic tales, stories of rulers and other notables, and thrilling narratives of danger and warfare. It follows with tales of love, religion, comedy, and the strange and the supernatural.




A Reader of Classical Arabic Literature


Book Description

A Reader of Classical Arabic Literature is one of a very small group of resources in English for the teaching of intermediate and advanced level classical Arabic. Based on his lecture notes, the late Seeger Bonebakker designed a superb teaching text, which he then asked his UCLA colleague, Michael Fishbein, to help him annotate and augment. The result is a truly valuable reader, one used widely in the United States and Europe, featuring judicious and instructive selections from such works as Ibn al-Qifti's Inbah al-ruwat, al-Tanukhi's al-Faraj ba'd al-shidda, and al-Dhahabi's Siyar a'lam al-nubala', among others.




The Rise of the Arabic Book


Book Description

The little-known story of the sophisticated and vibrant Arabic book culture that flourished during the Middle Ages. During the thirteenth century, Europe’s largest library owned fewer than 2,000 volumes. Libraries in the Arab world at the time had exponentially larger collections. Five libraries in Baghdad alone held between 200,000 and 1,000,000 books each, including multiple copies of standard works so that their many patrons could enjoy simultaneous access. How did the Arabic codex become so popular during the Middle Ages, even as the well-established form languished in Europe? Beatrice Gruendler’s The Rise of the Arabic Book answers this question through in-depth stories of bookmakers and book collectors, stationers and librarians, scholars and poets of the ninth century. The history of the book has been written with an outsize focus on Europe. The role books played in shaping the great literary cultures of the world beyond the West has been less known—until now. An internationally renowned expert in classical Arabic literature, Gruendler corrects this oversight and takes us into the rich literary milieu of early Arabic letters.




Arabic Stories for Language Learners


Book Description

Arabic Stories for Language Learners--a language learning experience for beginner to intermediate students of the Arabic language. The traditional stories of a country are invaluable at providing insight into understanding the culture, history and language of a people. A great way to learn Arabic, the sixty-six stories found in Arabic Stories for Language Learners present the vocabulary and grammar used every day in Arabic-speaking countries Pulled from a wide variety of sources that have been edited and simplified for learning purposes, these stories are presented in parallel Arabic and English, facilitating language learning in the classroom and via self-study. Each story is followed by a series of questions in Arabic and English to test comprehension and encourage discussion. Online companion audio helps students of Arabic improve their pronunciation and inflection, and immerses non-students into the uniquely Arabic storytelling style. All audio content is accessible on tuttlepublishing.com/downloadable-content.




Essentials of Quranic Arabic: Volume 2


Book Description

This second volume is a continuation of study from the first volume. It focuses on several advanced and intermediate Arabic grammar important in a higher level of Qur'inic study. This includes topics in Morphology, Irregular Verbs, and other topics found in Intermediate Arabic Grammar study. Similar to the first volume, numerous examples from the Qur'an have been given so that our focus is maintained. "Review Questions" are included in the back of this book on the chapters that have been detailed. The last three chapters are focused on more advanced discussions relative to Qur'anic Arabic such as Eloquence (Balagha) and the Inimitability of the Qu'ran.




Classical Arabic Biography


Book Description

Pre-modern Arabic biography has served as a major source for the history of Islamic civilization. In this 2000 study exploring the origins and development of classical Arabic biography, Michael Cooperson demonstrates how Muslim scholars used the notions of heirship and transmission to document the activities of political, scholarly and religious communities. The author also explains how medieval Arab scholars used biography to tell the life-stories of important historical figures by examining the careers of the Abbasid Caliph al- Ma'mun, the Shiite Imam Ali al-Rida, the Sunni scholar Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and the ascetic Bishr al-Hafi, each of whom represented a tradition of political and spiritual heirship to the Prophet. Drawing on anthropology and comparative religion, as well as history and literary criticism, the book considers how each figure responded to the presence of the others and how these responses were preserved by posterity.




Abundance from the Desert


Book Description

Abundance from the Desert provides a comprehensive introduction to classical Arabic poetry, one of the richest of poetic traditions. Covering the period roughly of 500-1250 c.e., it features original translations and illuminating discussions of a number of major classical Arabic poems from a variety of genres. The poems are presented chronologically, each situated within a specific historical and literary context. Together, the selected poems suggest the range and depth of classical Arabic poetic expression; read in sequence, they suggest the gradual evolution of a tradition. Moving beyond a mere chronicle, Farrin outlines a new approach to appreciating classical Arabic poetry based on an awareness of concentric symmetry, in which the poem’s unity is viewed not as a linear progression but as an elaborate symmetrical plot. In doing so, the author presents these works in a broader, comparative light, revealing connections with other literatures. The reader is invited to examine these classical Arabic works not as isolated phenomena—notwithstanding their uniqueness and their association with a discrete tradition—but rather as part of a great multicultural heritage. This pioneering book marks an important step forward in the study of Arabic poetry. At the same time, it opens the door to this rich tradition for the general reader.




Easy Arabic Reader


Book Description

The bestselling Easy Reader series, with its distinctive three-part structure that leads beginners to intermediate-level comprehension, now offers Arabic - and aids learners with audio recordings of selected readings from the book freely accessible online. About the Book The highly successful Easy Reader series is based on the distinctive approach that the best way to build language skills is to start reading it. Suitable for beginners to intermediate-level learners, this book features engaging readings of progressive difficulty that allow readers to rapidly build comprehension. Review sections and comprehension questions are integrated throughout the text to reinforce what is learned through the readings. This book, divided into three parts, begins with a series of stories about an Arab-American as he takes a tour of the Middle East as a graduation present. In the second part, readers are introduced to key figures of Arab History, from Saladin, who fought the Crusades, to Said Ouita, the Moroccan Olympic runner. Finally, learners encounter adapted stories from tradition sources like the 1001 Arabian Nights, with a humorous modern slant. Complementing this bestselling series is an online component that provides a tremendous new dimension for beginning learners. A free-access website provides recordings of many of the readings contained in the book - providing learners with a perfect way to recognize unknown words and improve their pronunciation. Features Easy Reader series has excellent track record: 140,000+ copies sold of all editions. No other book on the market offers beginner-level Arabic readings. Convenient audio format allows listening online. Growing audience: study of Arabic has grown since 2000, but there are limited materials to progress beyond beginner. Progression of readings builds language skills gradually Introduces overview of rich history of Arab world Audio recordings promote stronger listening and pronunciation skills




Classical Arabic Literature


Book Description

NYU Press and NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) announce the establishment of the Library of Arabic Literature (LAL), a new publishing series offering Arabic editions and English translations of the great works of classical Arabic literature. The translations, rendered in parallel-text format with Arabic and English on facing pages, will be undertaken by renowned scholars of Arabic literature and Islamic studies, and will include a full range of works, including poetry, poetics, fiction, religion, philosophy, law, science, history and historiography. Unprecedented in its scope, LAL will produce authoritative and fiable editions of the Arabic and modern, lucid English translations, introducing the treasures of the Arabic literary heritage to scholars and students, as well as to a general audience of readers.




Tales of Juha


Book Description

Includes 20 to 30 tales, accompanied by an introduction and an historical overview which give readers insights into the culture, the folk literature, and the lives of the people in various regions.