Mystical Arabic Level 1 Course - Sacred Letters, Sounds and Divine Names

For Companions of the Heart & Wayfarers of the Way

6-Week Course
Begins: 11 May 2025
Time: 12:30 – 14:30 pm UK time*

This six-week online course offers a sacred journey into the art and spirit of Classical Arabic. Beginning on 11 May 2025, each Wednesday from 12 pm to 2 pm UK time*, you will be guided—first through rigorous reading practice with immediate feedback, then into a meditative reflection on the mystical dimensions of letters, words and Qur’anic verses as taught by masters such as Ibn ʿArabi, ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Kāshānī, Ibn ʿAjība and Tilmisānī. Weekly homework (‘Embody’) assignments will help you integrate your learning through mindful writing, dhikr of the Divine Names, memorisation of sacred āyāt, recitation of Prophetic duʿā’s and heartfelt journaling.

*Timings may be adjusted to accommodate students in other time zones where possible.

Session Structure (2 hours each)

1. Reading (1 hr)
   Guided instruction in classical Arabic reading—combining modern pedagogical tools with traditional primers and Qur’anic texts. Students read aloud in each session and receive immediate corrective feedback to refine pronunciation and fluency.
2. Reflection (1 hr)
   Enter a meditative space drawing on the mystical sciences of Arabic as articulated by Ibn ʿArabi, ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Kāshānī, Ibn ʿAjība, and Tilmisānī. Explore symbolism, inner meanings, and spiritual resonances of the language.
3. Embody (Homework)
   Internalise and enliven your learning with heart-and-hand practices:
   • Mindful writing of Arabic letters and words
   • Invocation and tasting (dhawq) of Divine Names through dhikr
   • Memorisation and contemplative recitation of short āyāt
   • Recitation of Prophetic duʿā’s and invocations
   • Journaling insights, emotional responses, and moments of spiritual opening

Arabic Content

Letters, Sounds and Divine Names

• Arabic Letters (الحُرُوف العَرَبِيَّة)
  Recognise, pronounce, and read the 28 foundational letters.
• Vowel Marks (الحَرَكَات)
  Master short vowels (fatḥa, kasra, ḍamma) and their long-sound counterparts.
• Connecting Letters (أَشْكَال الحُرُوف المُتَّصِلَة)
  Discover how letters morph in connected script.
• Elongated Sounds – Madd Letters (حُرُوف المَدّ)
  Explore lengthened vowels and their phonetic/spiritual impact.
• Heavy & Light Sounds (الحُرُوف المُفَخَّمَة وَالمُرَقَّقَة)
  Differentiate emphatic (“heavy”) from soft (“light”) pronunciations.
• Sun & Moon Letters (الحُرُوف الشَّمْسِيَّة وَالقَمَرِيَّة)
  Uncover a key to correct Qur’anic recitation.

Reflection Content*

Inner meanings and symbolism

• Symbolism of Letters & Vowels (رموز الحروف والحركات)
  Enter the world of letters as portals of divine unveiling—each shape and sound a tajallī of Reality (Ibn ʿArabi).
• The 99 Divine Names (أسماء الله الحسنى)
  Contemplate their inner dimensions (ḥaqāʾiq) in Ibn ʿAjība’s luminous commentary; taste each Name through dhikr.
• Sufi Terminology (مصطلحات صوفية)
  Unlock key concepts such as —sirr, fanā’, tawḥīd—via ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Kāshānī’s precision.
• Qur’anic Verses (آيات قرآنية)
  Read and reflect on select āyāt through Sufi tafsīr, drawing out hidden allusions (Kāshānī, Ibn ʿAjība, Tilmisānī).
• Prophetic Prayers & Invocations (الأدعية النبوية والأوراد)
  Cultivate heart-connection to the Prophet ﷺ with authentic duʿā’s—keys to mercy, guidance, and inner transformation.
• The Wazīfah of Ibn Mashīsh (وظيفة ابن مشيش)
  Engage this Shādhilī litany as a ladder toward the Muḥammadan Light—inviting uns and shuhūd.

*Content selections will be tailored to the group’s interests and needs.