Spring 2007

ARA 382C • QUR'AN: A LINGUISTIC ANLY

Course Description

The main thrust of the course will be to analyze the language of the Qur'an in terms of its syntactic and morphological structures as well as its phonological and phonetic features. Following a review of the basic structures of Arabic and of a study of the history and collection of the Qur'anic text as well as of its various readings (Qira'at), the course will analyze some of the shorter (Makki) Surahs (e.g. the Hamim) and some of the longer (Madani) Surahs (e.g. Surat Maryam) and a Surah of the narrative genre (e.g. Surah Yusuf). In addition to this verse by verse analysis, the course will examine syntactic structures such as the conditional sentences, the deverbal (mushtaqqat al-ficl) constructions (e.g. the participles, the qualificative (al-sifa al-mushabbahah), the Hal, the various accusatives (such as the accusative of purpose), concord, etc., in Qur'anic usage. Students will also learn to use Arabic sources.

Grading Policy

Assignments 40% Reports 40% Term paper 30%

Texts

Use will be made of books on Icrab al-Qur'an such as 'Ukbari and of Ibn Hisham's Mughni al-Labib.

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