Arabic Grammar I

Essential grammatical features of standard Arabic. An intensive study of the morphological patterns of derived Arabic verbs I-IV and kinds of sentences in Arabic.

Practical Arabic I

Identification of Arabic alphabet with essential vocalizations and pronunciation with the aim of attaining fluency. Audio-visual materials should be used.

Practical Arabic II

Intensive drills in reading and writing of Arabic texts. Excerpts may be taken from the Glorious Qur’an and the Hadith literature.

(Required for Islamic

Majors)

Introduction to Arabic Literature

An outline of the history of Arabic Literature from the pre-Islamic period. Introduction to the Arabian Peninsula, the pre-Islamic prose and poetry. A reading of the poetry of Imru al-Qays and some others.

Spoken Arabic

A practical course in spoken Arabic with particular attention to the correct pronunciation of Arabic phonemes; a broad range of Arabic vocabulary and a wide variety of conversation situations.

Arabic Literature in Early Islam and Late Umayyad Periods History of Arabic literature in the early Islamic and late Umayyad periods. The Impact of the Qur`ān and Hadith on Arabic literature. Detailed study of at least two poets and prose writers each from the

early Islamic and late Umayyad periods.

Reading Skills in Arabic I

Intensive course in the basic grammatical features of standard Arabic which will enable students to read and understand Arabic texts.

Arabic Writing Skills

Essay writing on familiar and current themes in politics, society and religion among others. Emphasis should be placed on practicals. Pre- requisite for ALL 204.

Intermediate Arabic Conversation

More advanced language drills with longer passages; samples are taken from news broadcasts, Arabic plays and stories. Emphasis should be placed on expression and attainment of proficiency in

Arabic speaking.

Arabic Grammar II

An intensive study of the morphological patterns of Arabic (al- Mīzāni al-Sarfī); tenses, sound and weak verbs, words and affixes, nominal and verbal derivatives, gerunds, plurals, noun inflection of al-Maqsūrah, al-Manqūsah and al-Mamdūdah .

Arabic Literature in the Abbasid Period

Brief history of the Abbasid eras in Islamic history. History of Arabic Literature in the early and late Abbasid periods. Major themes of literature of the eras. Detailed study of at least two literary figures of each period (prose and poetry).

Arabic Rhetoric I al-Bayan

Outline history of the development of Arabic Rhetorics. Definition of al-Bayan in Arabic Literary Tradition. Detailed study of Tashbih, or simile in Arabic, various modes of Tashbih, Haqiqah and Majaz.

Reading Skills in Arabic II

Selected extracts on a variety of topics with a view to attaining further fluency. Samples may be taken from Arabic scripts being used in Voice of Nigeria, Arabic section of al-Idha’at a al- Birtaniyyah (the British Broadcasting Corporation).

Writing Skills in Arabic II

More intensive drills and practices in Arabic essay writing on familiar and current themes; descriptive, narrative, argumentative and exploratory themes.

(Required for Major and Combined

Hons.)

Intermediate Arabic I

Grammatical structure of Arabic language within the context of reading materials. Reading and writing of fully vocalized Arabic passages, short stories and essays.

Intermediate Arabic II

Introduction to basic grammatical features of Arabic. Select extracts for beginners for the purpose of attaining fluency in Arabic.

(Required for

Islamic Majors)

Introduction to Arabic Short Story

Origin, Development and Schools of Arabic Short Story writing. Detailed study of at least two Arabic short story writers. Practical training in the art of short story writing in Arabic.

(Required for Major and

Combined Hons.)

Arabic Rhetorics II: Al-Maʽānī

General introduction to Al-Maʽānī as a branch of al-Balāghah (Rhetorics). Detailed study of Al-Khabar and the different types of al-‘Inshāʼ (prerequisite to ALL 402).

(Required for Major and

Combined Hons.)

Arabic Grammar III

Advanced study of Arabic Syntax i.e. Inflective and Non-inflective verbs and noun; Definite and Indefinite articles, Subjective Mood, Exceptional Particles, Subject and Pro-subject, Adverb, the Arabic numerals(al-Adad), the Masculine and the Feminine in Arabic.

Arabic Phonetics and Phonology

An analysis and articulatory description of standard Arabic phonemes. Identification and analysis of the Phonetic and Phonological problems confronting Nigerian learners and speakers of Arabic.

Arabic Lexicography

The historical development of Arabic lexicography; a descriptive and critical analysis of the early arrangements in each of the major Arabic lexicons.

Arabic Dialectology

Brief history of the emergence and development of dialects in the Arab world. A survey of the major Arabic dialects in cotemporary

Arab world. One modern Arabic dialect is selected for detailed study.

Ancient Arabic Prose

A survey of the extant Pre- Islamic literary Prose. Study of the various categories of the Ancient Prose such as Proverbs and Wise sayings, The Rhyme of the Soothsayers, Commandments and Advice, Social speeches and Moral and Religious Speeches prerequisite to ALL 406.

Tourism Industry in the Arab world

Introduction to the field of Tourism in Arabic-Islamic culture; Industrial Attachment with Ministry of Tourism; Travel agencies, etc.

(Required for Major and Combined

Hons.)

Arabic Prosody I

General introduction to the history and development of Arabic prosody. The role of Al-Khalīl b. Ahmad Al-Farahīdī. Detailed study of the first six metres of Arabic poetry and the permissible variants. Practical drills in versification (prerequisite to ALL 401).

Arabic Literature in Muslim Spain

Brief history of Islam in Spain. The development and pattern of literary writing in Spain. Textual studies of works by Andalusian poets and prose writers such as Ibn Zaydūn and Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al- Walladah bint al-Mustakfi etc.

Arabic Literature in the Decadence Period

Introduction to the notion of decadence in Muslim history. Critical study of the adequacy or otherwise of the term ^cAsr al-Inḥiṭāt”. Major terms of the literature of the period. Special features of Arabic

literature of the decadence period. A detailed study of selected poets and prose writers of the period.

Principles and Practice of Translation

General introduction to the theory and practice of translation with illustrative examples from Arabic and English Languages. Qualities of a good translator. Problems confronting bilingual translators and

their possible solutions – Pre-requisite for ALL 409

Arabic Novel

Historical development of the novel in Arabic literature. Theory and criticism of Arabic novel. Influence of modernity on the novel in the modern times. Detailed study of at least two modern novelists and

their works.

Advanced Arabic Reading

Select extracts from classical and contemporary works for the purpose of improving fluency and comprehension.

(Required for Islamic

Majors)

Creative Writing in Arabic

Introduction to creative writing in Arabic, prose (short story) and poetry (traditional and free verse). Practical training in the art of writing free verse and prose fiction. Samples from Arabic creative writers such as Nagib Mahfuz, Ahmad Shawqi and Muhammad al- Fayturi.

Research Methods in Arabic

Nature and importance of research in Arabic; essential parts of a research paper; collection and analysis of data; library research; basic methods of research; proposal writing; organization and presentation of research reports.

Arabic Prosody II

Detailed study of the remaining 10 meters of Arabic prosody and the permissible variants. Taqtī‘or scanning of short and long lines of Arabic poetry. Introduction to literary criticism of Arabic poems.

Arabic Rhetorics III: al-Badī‘

General introduction to al-Badī‘as a branch of Arabic Rhetorics. Various forms of al- Badī‘or beautifiers. Jinas, Iqtibās, Saj, Uslub ul- Hakim, etc.

Modern Arabic Prose

Arabic prose writing during and after the renaissance; major schools, trends and types of modern Arabic prose.

West Africa Arabic Literature

Origin and spread of Arabic learning in West Africa. Special emphasis on Nigerian Arabists, especially the Jihad writers. Samples of Nigerian Arabic texts for study and analysis.

Translation: Arabic/English/Arabic

Practical drills in translating passages from classical, modern and contemporary topics from English to Arabic and vice-versa.

Drama in Modern Arabic Literature

Outline history of the origin and development of drama in Arabic Literature. Modern Arabic drama and the modern theatre. Detailed study of modern playwrights and their works.

Arabic Literature in the Mahjar

An outline history of the emergence and development of émigré literature. Detailed study of émigré prose and poetry.

The Long Essay/Project

An extended essay on the subject in the field of Arabic Studies to be approved by the department.

Modern Arabic Poetry

The emergence of modernity and the renaissance in Arabic poetry. A detailed study of a modern poet and his/her work.

Schools of Arabic Grammar

A historical survey of the reasons for the codification of Arabic grammar; stages in the development of the art of grammar, the Kūfa and the Baṣrah Schools.

Advanced Arabic Writing

More advanced form of writing in Arabic such as minute-taking, report-writing, formal and informal letter-writing.

Arabic Manuscripts in West Africa

Study of individual background of the incursion of Arabic in Biād al- Sudān. The city of Timbuktu and its Arabic manuscript centres. Major centres of Arabic scholarship with particular reference to calligraphy and contents.

Arabic Composition

Select Arabic materials on a variety of topics with a view to attaining further fluency in Arabic.

(Required for Islamic

Majors)

History of the Jāhiliyyah and early Islam up to 632 CE

The state of the world in general and Arabia in particular during the

Jahiliyyah period; genealogy of Prophet Muhammad (SAW); Muhammad (SAW) at Makkah and at Madīnah, the Islamic State under Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Basis of Islamic Thought and Civilization

A survey of the original sources of Islamic thought and its essence; concept,

nature and scope of Islamic civilization; a survey of the Islamic contributions to civilization.

Introduction to Islamic Philosophy

Sources and development of Islamic Philosophy; Muslim critique of Greek

philosophy; the role of the early Muslim philosophers: the Ashʽarites and the Muʽtazilites; essentials of Islamic Philosophy.

Revelation and Prophethood in Islam

Philosophy and history of revelation and prophethood; humanity’s need for divine guidance; revelation as a universal experience, and the oneness of the message; definition of an-Nabiyy (The Prophet), ar-Rasūl (The Messenger); prophets mentioned in the Qur`an; limits of previous revelations; the universality and finality of Muhammad’s prophethood; connection between

revelation and prophethood in Islam and the previous ones.

Tawhid and ʽIbādāt: Faith and Worship

Meaning and Scope of Tawhīd and ʽIbādāt; advanced study of articles of faith; a comprehensive and detailed study of the five pillars of Islam with emphasis on their spiritual significance and their roles in character and

nation-building.

Introduction to the Study of the Qur’ān

Concept of revelation; preservation, compilation and standardization of the Qur`ān; the Makkan and Madinan suwar (chapters); the theory of abrogation; conditions under which passages were revealed; essence of the message of the Qur`an; principles of understanding the Qur`an; and

selections from the chapters of Qur`an.

Introduction to the Study of the Hadith

Definition of Hadith and Sunnah; differences between al-Hadīth an-Nabawi and al-Hadith al-Qudsi; importance of the Hadith in Muslim life; development of Hadith Literature; forgery or fabrication of Hadīth: method of verification and criticism of Hadīth (al-Jarḥ wa at-Ta`dīl); principles of understanding the Hadīth; and study of at least 20 Hadīth from Bukhari,

Muslim and other sound collections.

‘Ilmul-Kalām and the Development of Muslim Firaq

The rise and development of ‘Ilmu al-Kalām with particular reference to the Muʽtazilites, and the Ash‘arites; emergence of Firaq in Islam; general introduction to the main Muslim Firaq and their teachings: Kharijites, Shi`ites etc.

(Pre-requisite to ISS 301).

Early Muslim Philosophers

A study of the biographies and contributions of selected Muslim philosophers of the East and the West (Spain): Al-Kindī, Al-Farābi, Ibn Sīnā, Ibn Rushd, Ibn Bajah, Al-Ghazāli etc; diffusion of philosophy (East and

West).

The Science of Tajwīd

Definition of Tajwīd; origin of ‘Ilmu al-Tajwīd and the stages of its development; study of the rules governing the recitation of the Qur`an; signs used for correct reading; various types of recitation; At-Tadabbur. Various

readings of the Qur’an; the development of the science of al-Qiraat.

Sources and Development of Islamic Law:

The meaning, concept and scope of the Sharīʽah; pre-Islamic (al- Jahiliyyyah) Arab customs and reforms introduced by Islam; sources and the development of Sharīʽah; Sunni and the Shi`ah schools of law; Imam Shāfi’i and his reforms; Ijtihād and Taqlīd; principles of Fiqh; criteria for measuring actions. (The Qur’an as the basic source of the Shariah). ( Prerequisite to ISS

408 )

Sufism (Islamic Mysticism):

Definition of Sufism: Tasawwuf; Sharī’ah, Tarīqah and Haqīqah; opinions of some Imams on Tasawwuf; Sūfi doctrines, orders and leaders e.g. Al-

Ghazālī, Suhrawardi, Ibn ’Arabi, Jalāluddin ar-Rūmi etc. (Prerequisite to ISS 405)

Textual Study of the Qur`ān

Reading, with Tajwīd, and detailed study of Qur`anic teachings of the following chapters: Al-Fātihah, Al-Fīl to An-Nās, Al-Muẓẓammil Al-

Muddaththir, Al-ʼAlaq (Additional selections may be made from different chapters).

Islamic Family Law

Concept of Marriage, courtship, marriage as a contract; conditions governing

validity of marriage, impediments to marriage, divorce, polygamy, family planning and birth-control, guardianship and paternity, and child custody.

Islamic Civilisation under al-Khulafā´ ar-Rāshidin up to Abbasid

Death of the Prophet and the need for Khilāfah; Al-Khulafāʽ ar-Rāshidūn: Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Aliyy, and their achievements; the rise of the Umayyad dynasty: administration, achievements, and causes of its fall; the rise of the Abbasid dynasty, administration, achievements and causes of its

weakness and fall.

Advanced Study of the Sīrah

Early biographers of Prophet Muhammad (SAW); later developments in Sīrah writing; the Prophet’s biography in verse; contemporary Muslim writing on the Sīrah; contributions of the Jihad leaders to Sīrah Literature

and a critical assessment of orientalist studies on the Sīrah.

Science of Hadīth (Muṣṭalaḥ al-Hadīth)

Study of the terminology of Hadīth and method of its classifications: Musannaf, Musnad, Mawdū‘u, Munqaṭiʽ etc; study of al-Kutubu as-Sittah; attitude of Muslim Firaq towards Hadīth; textual studies of selected Hādīth

on various topics from Bukhari and Muslim.

Advanced Study of Islamic Theology

The concept of at-Tawhīd; at-Tawhīd in theory and in practice; al-Īmān, its meaning according to the different schools of theology; their major Creeds such as al- Manzilah bayn al-Manzilatayn; the concept of God’s justice. God’s names and

attributes; an-Nubuwwah / ar-Risālah, ash-Shafāʽah (intercession by the prophets

(Required for major and Combined

Hons.)

History and Creed of Ahlul-Sunnah and the Shi‘ah

Doctrines and principles of Ahl as-Sunnah; the eight classes of Ahl as- Sunnah and their roles in the Muslim community; their major leaders and their training; their influence on the salaf. The Shi‘ah: Definition, doctrines,

divisions and distribution.

Moral Philosophy in Islam

Moral teachings in the Qur`ān; the Prophets as Uswatun-Hasanah; Contributions of selected early Muslim scholars to moral thought: the Mutakallimun and Muhaddithun, the philosophers, and the Sufis; Muslim ethics in modern age, religion, law and morality, concept and importance of morality and ethics; Business and other interpersonal relations; lessons in

Qurān 17: 23-39.

Textual Study of the Qur`ān and Hadīth

Reading with Tajwid and detailed study of Surah al-‘Alaq, at-Tin; Tafsir of Surah al-Baqarah Verses 221-242. Surah an-Nisāi‘ verses 1- 25. Basic guidelines for the study of the Qur’an Selections of twenty Hadīth from the collections of Al-Bukhari and Muslim on various topics.

(Require d for

Major and Combine

d Hons.)

Islamic Civilization in the Medieval Period

The Fatimid; the Mamlūk; the Ayyubid; the Crusade; the Uthmanid. The rise

and fall of each dynasty and their contributions to Islamic civilization in North Africa.

Islamic Political Thought and Movement

Islam as a total way of life; governance in Islam; its historical and intellectual development; the treaty of Madinah; political institutions; Wizārah, Khilāfah, Mazālim, Hisbah; Political thought of the Jihad

movement and encounter with imperialism.

Islamic Economic System

Introduction to the law of Mu`amalat, the essential and requisites for valid contracts, and the modes of making sighah; Doctrine of Majlis al-Aqd, formulation of contract, contracting parties and subject matter of contract.

Islamic teachings on ownership of wealth, usury, interest, banking, insurance, gambling, labour and relevance of these to modern situations.

Revivalism and Revivalist Movement

The concept of Tajdīd, its development and early revivalist leaders; the revivalist movements and their leaders in the 19^th century such as the Mahdiyyah, the Sanusiyyah, etc; Contemporary revivalist movements such as Ikhwān al-Muslimin and al-Jama`ah al-Islamiyyah. A comparative study of religious reform movements with special attention to nationalism, pan Islamism and modernism; leading Muslim women in the revivalist

movements.

Science of Tafsīr al-Qur’ān

Introduction to Tafsīr al-Qur`an, its emergence and development;

identification of the sources; comparative study of Qur`anic exegesis; various kinds of Tafsīr: Sunni, Shi‘ite and Mu‘tazilite.

Islam in Africa

Advent of Islam in Africa; Islamic role in the development of institutions such as the mosque, the judiciary, political system, architecture and education. Relation with other part of the Muslim world, interaction with

traditional practices and interface with Christian evangelism.

Al-‘Uqubāt (Penal codes)

A study of Islamic regulations in respect of murder, theft, intoxication, al- Qadhf, etc with emphasis on relevance of these regulations to morality; comprehensive study of relevant verses from al-Baqarah, al-Nisai, al-

Maidah, at-Tawbah and an-Nūr.

Islamic Banking and Insurance

Introduction to the law of Muʽāmalāt; concept of ‘aqd (contract) and other similar terms; principles of commercial contracts; elements of contract: vitiating elements of contract e.g. ribā; operational techniques such as wakālah, kafālah, hawālah and rahn; Islamic appraisal of conventional banking; origin of Islamic banking. Islamic banking products, operational performance analysis of Islamic banking versus conventional banking; Islamic appraisal of conventional insurance; at-Takāful (Islamic insurance)

and its various applications.

(Require d for

Islamic Majors)

Research Method in Islamic Studies

Nature and importance of research in Islamic studies; essential parts of a research paper; collection and analysis of data; library research; basic methods of research; proposal writing; organization and presentation of research reports.

Tafsirul -Qur`ān (al-Qur`an)

A comparative study of the exegesis of selected Suwar or Ᾱyāt of the Qur`ān. Selected materials should be in Arabic and may be taken from two or more works of

Tafsir.

Advanced Studies of Hadīth

The position of Hadīth in Islamic Law; Tadwīn, Isnād and authenticity; critical assessment of the orientalist studies of Hadīth; and detailed study of selected Hadīth on various topics.

The Qādiriyyah and the Tijāniyyah

Brief account of each of the two Sūfi groups; their doctrines, rites, social and political roles in Africa. Specific contributions of some Sufi leaders such as Ibrahim Inyās and Nasr Kabara; influence of the two sūfi groups on the practices of Islam. The Tarīqah and women education; contributions of Sūfi Women leaders e.g. Nana

Asma bint Usman dan Fodio; Spiritual experiences (adhwāq) and their foundation in the Qur’ān; The excellence of Allah’s remembrance.

Advanced Study of Islamic Law

Sources of Islamic Law; contributions of early companions to legal knowledge, Ijtihād and Mujtahidūn; the Sharī‘ah in modern times; modern reforms concerning marriage, divorce, inheritance; the principles of as-Siyāsah ash- Shar`iyyah, at- Taysīr, at-Takhayyur and at-Talfīq; recent demands for Sharī`ah in some Muslim

countries, Muslim women and modern reforms.

Islam in Nigeria

The spread and development of Islamic institutions in Nigeria; Islam under colonial rule especially a comparative study of the Islamic penal system (hudūd) in Islam and

the penal code in Northern Nigeria. Alikāli and the Sharī`ah courts in Nigeria.

Islamic Interpretation of History with Special Reference to Ibn Khaldun Qur`anic concept of history; Dialectical study of Islamic historiography and historiography among the Muslims, Ibn Miskawaih and al-Biruni’s career. Ibn Khaldun as father of modern social science; a detailed study of his work, al-

Muqaddimah.

Islamic Education

Qur`anic concept of education; sources and development of Islamic education; contributions of early Muslims to Islamic education, educational institutions in Islam: Masjid, Madrasah; Nizamiyah, Cordova, al-Azhar Universities and others. Educational theories of al-Ghazālī; Islamic education in West Africa; Qur`anic,

Islamiyyah and ‘Ilmi Schools. Muslim contributions to N/Pry, tertiary and higher education in Nigeria in our contemporary times.

Islam’s Contribution to Civilization

Islam and its attitude to research and learning; its contributions to the arts, sciences and other disciplines; Islamic impacts on western renaissance; causes for the decline of Islamic civilization.

Heretical Movements according to Islam

Definition of heresy; Islamic view on heresy; Origin and development of heretical

movements such as the Qādiyaniyyah, the Babiyah, the Bahahiyyah etc.

The Long Essay/Project

Compulsory for Islamic Major.

Islamic Economic System

Its definition, sources and foundational principles; Factors of production from Islamic perspective; Basic economic concepts such as wants, need, resources and demand in Islam; Macroeconomic variables such as ribā and inflation; Concept of money and other commodities; Prices; Islam and other economic systems; Public finance in Islam; Monetary policy in Islam; Trade and conditions for its validity;

Islamic money and capital market instruments.

The Ikhwānus- Safā and the emergence of Islamic Psychology

Origin and development; its main doctrines; the theory of numbers, astronomy, logic, psychology, ethics and contributions to the development of Islamic Theology and psychology.

Advanced Study of Islamic Family Law

Al-Wasiyyah: its meaning, scope and relevant provisions; essential elements of

Wasiyyah; definition of Mīrāth, inheritance in pre-Islamic era; elements of succession; conditions relating to the estate and the heirs; Aṣhābul-Furūd, Al- ʽAṣabah etc; Definition of Waqf; its rationale and essential elements.