Certificate · Intellectual Tradition

Masterpieces of Arabic Literature

Read and appreciate some of the greatest works of Arabic literature that have shaped intellectual and cultural life for centuries.

What this course gives you

A working command of the vocabulary of Islamic metaphysics — wujūd, māhiyya, the gradation of being — used precisely, not loosely.

The capacity to read primary texts of Ibn Sīnā and Mullā Ṣadrā with comprehension rather than reverence alone.

An understanding of why the tradition treats metaphysics as the science of realities — and what that claim asks of the knower.

Direct exchange with Professor Nasr in open Q&A after every session — the part no book can replace.

The eight weeks

A syllabus, not a playlist.

Download full syllabus
Your instructor
Bilal Orfali

Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies