Course curriculum

  1. Course Resources

  2. Week 1

  3. Week 2: Vowels

  4. Week 3 - Tanween and Joining Letters

  5. Week 4: Disjointed Letters and Long Vowels

  6. Week 5: Divine Names, Sun and Moon Letters

About this course

  • £60.00
  • Resources provided
  • Every Sunday 12:30-2:30pm UK time
  • 6 week course, beginning 11th May

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

Discover the beauty of Arabic by immersing yourself in its sacred letters, resonant sounds, and spiritual meanings. Deepen your reading and reflection skills while memorising Qur’anic verses, invocations, and the Divine Names.

  • Learn to recite Qur'anic Arabic

  • Learn about the symbolism of letters and mystical meanings of vowels and words

  • Reflect on inner meanings through classical Sufi commentary of Ibn Arabi, Ibn Ajiba, Kashani et al

  • Learn Prophetic prayers and supplication

Session Details

  • Reading

    In the first part of the session, guided instruction will be given in learning to read classical Arabic, using a blend of modern pedagogical tools and traditional resources. Students will expected to read and be given immidiate corrective feedback to help refine their recitation.

  • Reflection

    In the second part of each session, we will enter a meditative space of reflection, drawing upon the mystical sciences of Arabic as articulated by scholars such as Ibn 'Arabi, Abdul Razaq al-Kashani, Ibn Ajiba, and Tilmisani.

  • Embody

    To deepen learning, students are encouraged to engage in embodied practice, applying what is learned with heart and hand. Homework assignments may include writing Arabic letters with intention and presence, tasting the reality of Divine Names through invocation and reflection, memorising and reciting ayāt, supplication and prayers, journaling insights and reflections.

📖 Reading Session

Letters, Sounds and Words

  • Arabic Letters (الحُرُوف العَرَبِيَّة) – Learn to recognise, pronounce, and read the foundational Arabic alphabet.

  • Vowel Marks (الحَرَكَات) – Understand how short and long vowels bring life and rhythm to the language.

  • Connecting Letters (أَشْكَال الحُرُوف المُتَّصِلَة) – Discover how Arabic letters change form when joined in words, forming a flowing, cursive script.

  • Elongated Sounds – Madd Letters (حُرُوف المَدّ) – Explore the role of stretching letters in pronunciation, meaning, and spiritual resonance.

  • Heavy and Light Sounds (الحُرُوف المُفَخَّمَة وَالمُرَقَّقَة) – Refine your pronunciation by distinguishing between emphatic (heavy) and soft (light) letters.

  • Sun and Moon Letters (الحُرُوف الشَّمْسِيَّة وَالقَمَرِيَّة) – Uncover one of the keys to Qur’anic recitation through this unique phonetic feature.

Reflection Session

Symbolism & Inner Meanings*

  • Symbolism of Letters and Vowels (رموز الحروف والحركات)
    Enter the world of letters as portals of divine unveiling, guided by the metaphysical vision of Ibn ʿArabi and his school. Each sound and form becomes a reflection (tajallī) of Divine Reality, calling the reader inward to contemplation and presence.

  • The 99 Divine Names (أسماء الله الحسنى)
    Contemplate the Divine Names through the luminous commentary of Ibn ʿAjība, who unveils their inner dimensions (ḥaqāʾiq) as stations of transformation and nearness. These Names are not merely recited—they are tasted through the heart in the practice of dhikr.

  • Sufi Terminology (مصطلحات صوفية)
    Explore the symbolic language of the inner path as articulated by ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Kāshānī, whose precise definitions offer keys to realities such as sirr (inner secret), fanā’ (dissolution of self), and tawḥīd (unitive vision of the Divine).

  • Qur’anic Verses (آيات قرآنية)
    Read and reflect on selected Qur’anic verses through the lens of Sufi tafsīr, drawing from the insights of Kāshānī, Ibn ʿAjība, and others. Discover how the Divine Word opens into veiled meanings, subtle correspondences, and spiritual guidance encoded in the sacred language.

  • Prophetic Prayers & Invocations (الأدعية النبوية والأوراد)
    Cultivate a direct heart-connection to the Prophet ﷺ through his transmitted supplications. These prayers, drawn from authentic ḥadīth, serve as luminous keys that open the door to divine mercy, guidance, and inner transformation.

  • The Wazīfah of Ibn Mashīsh (وظيفة ابن مشيش)
    Engage with this radiant litany, transmitted through the Shādhilī tradition, as a path of ascent toward the Muḥammadan Light (النور المحمدي). Through its rhythm and meaning, it offers a doorway into spiritual intimacy (uns) and unveiled witnessing (shuhūd).

* These are examples of the content which can be explored; selection will depend on students' interests and needs


Instructor(s)

Sulaiman Safdar

Sulaiman has been a student of the Arabic language for over a decade. Having studied a variety of curriculums including Ibn Jabal and with private tutors from Jordan, Egypt and Pakistan, he brings his years of experience of learning Arabic as a non-native together with an interest in Ibn Arabi and Sufi commentators on the Qur'an.

FAQ

  • I am a complete beginner to reading Arabic, is this suitable for me?

    Yes, this course is designed to start right at the beginning to reading and pronouncing the Arabic alphabet.

  • I may not be able to make the time, will recordings be available?

    Yes, recordings will be availabe. Where possible, depending on student time zones, we can try and adjust the times if it helps

  • Why study this course?

    Alongside learning to recite Qur'anic Arabic, you will delve into the symbolism and inner meanings of its sacred letters and words. Without this deeper dimension, language learning can feel dry for the traveller of the Way. Our approach is rooted in dhawq—the tasting of the Reality of a word and reflection on inner and outer meanings.

  • What is the level 2 course about?

    Ibn Arabi develops his whole metaphysics through the subtle nuances of the Qur'an and hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammed pbuh). We intend to explore this further with other mystical commentaries such as that of Ibn Ajiba, alongside exploring the symbolism of Arabic grammer through works of Qushayri, who demonstrated that even the structure of the Arabic language carries meaning for the traveller on the Way.

  • Will I become fluent in reading Arabic?

    This course will insha'aLlah, give you a foundation to build upon when it comes to reciting Arabic. The reading will be further refined through level 2 course. Recition of the Qur'an however is an art and science and can take years to perfect depending on the level you wish attain.

  • I can already read Arabic, is this course suitable for me?

    Yes, you may use the session to refine your recitation skills while also exploring the symbolism and inner meanings of letters, Names and sounds. Depending on needs, we can look into providing seperate tajweed sessions, to learn the art and science of Qur'anic recitation. Please email [email protected] if you need this

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter." [At- Tirmidhi].

Social proof: testimonials

“Thank you for this beautiful journey through Ramadhan. It felt like everything was orchestrated by the One through you all to touch each and every partcipant's soul in the way that they needed. I personally had huge shifts on a cognitive level as well as experientially throughout Ramadhan and as a result of the interactions with the teachers, the material provided and especially the Writing From the Heart piece. Thank you Sulaiman for being there to answer questions both inside and outside of the sessions. Jazakallah Khair. ”

Anonymous

“The "Journey of God Consciousness" course for Ramadan was a profound and deep process of connection, day by day, with lectures, reading and sharing with the community online. Every activity was very well chosen and related to spiritual inside that nourish the heart of every seeker. Thank you for this course! ”

Morgane

“Amazing concise, rich content; great teachers and fabulous support throughout the course. The course was like a buffet where each chapter nourished the soul at a deep level. Alhamdulillah ”

Sheeba

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ​

Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran so that you may understand (12:2)

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