140016 UE Arabic National Grammar (2016W)

Mulla Hadi Sabzawari (1797-1873) was an important figure in the later period of Islamic philosphy and is known as one of the most influential representatives of the Mulla Sadra (1571-1640) school of thought. In his magnum opus he expresses his ideas in verse, which are still studied in the Islamic world today due to their syntactical brilliance and philosophical significance. The content of Scharh al-Manzuma, as this work is known today, can only be fully understood and appreciated through careful syntactical analysis. In this course, we will conduct our analysis using the "the thousand verses" (al-Alfiyya) of Ibn Malik (1203-1275), which summarizes the rules of syntax (an-Nahw) and conjugation (as-Sarf) in almost one thousand verses and is considered to be one of the most important books ever written on the topic of Arabic grammar. We will also reference excerpts of the poem's most well-known exegesis, the Scharh b. Aqil. The aim of this course is to provide a general outline of the philosophy of Sabzawari and the school of Mulla Sadra and to show the indispensable role of syntax in the understanding of a classical Arabic text.
Students are expected to read and conduct syntactical analyses of excerpts from the two primary works, as well as other texts, in preparation for the discussion of verses from the Scharh al-Manzuma und Alfiyya in class. The content of the course will be enriched by lectures and discussion in class.