1. Background
Language competence is a foundational requirement in Qur’anic studies and Tafsir. Mastery of Arabic is central, yet access to the broader intellectual traditions of Qur’anic scholarship also requires familiarity with other languages. Hebrew provides important entry points into Qur’an and Jewish studies, Syriac opens perspectives on Qur’an and Christian encounters, Persian and Turkish are essential for the study of Tafsir traditions, while German and French have shaped theological, philosophical, and Sufi discourses in modern scholarship. English-Arabic, meanwhile, has become indispensable for engaging with contemporary global studies of the Qur’an.
Recognizing this, elbranstalk has designed the Language Course Program as a structured platform to build competence in reading and translating texts within these linguistic traditions. The program emphasizes reading for Islamic studies, combining script mastery, grammar, and vocabulary with systematic practice in comprehension and translation. It aims to prepare participants to directly access primary sources and academic works that are central to Qur’anic studies but often remain inaccessible without specialized training.
2. Objectives
The program aims to:
3. Program Design
Level 1
Level 2
4. Assignments and Evaluation
Evaluation components: