Arabic institute
Arabic for a life of seeking knowledge.
A structured institute for students balancing work, family, and the desire to seek knowledge. Study Arabic with guidance, review, and a steady path toward understanding more of what you recite and read.
How it works
What your week looks like.
You study on a path set at admission, through the texts you want to understand. Each week our team corrects your recording. On the One-to-one plan, you also have a one-to-one lesson with your teacher every week.
As-salamu alaykum
Week 3 · 4 days left. Hand in this week's work by Friday.
Up next · Step 1 of 3 · Lesson 3
الْكِتَابُ جَدِيدٌThe book is new
This week's work
Lesson 3: The book is new
40% done · next: exercises
Weekly recording
Three short parts · 3–5 min
Weekly check
Opens when you finish the lesson
Daily review
12 cards due today
Start review
Study time
3 h 20 min of 5 h
Your course
Level 0, Stage 1: Your prayer and al-Fatiha
2 of 4 lessons
This week's lesson, review, recording and test, in order.
Screens from the student platform, with example data.
Support and accountability
Your progress is followed every week.
What we do
- Review your admissions test and write to you with your level, the reason, and your first weeks.
- Correct your recording every week.
- Give you a named person on our team who follows your progress.
- Message you after a missed week, and call you after two to plan a catch-up.
What we ask of you
- At least 5 hours of study a week.
- Your recording and weekly check, every week.
- Pass each stage's oral exam to move on.
- After repeated missed weeks without a reason, you are withdrawn and billing stops.
You agree to these at admission.
The levels
Seven levels, from the foundation to reading the books.
Each level has three stages, and each stage ends with an oral exam with a teacher. You move on by passing it. Your admissions test decides where you start.
- 0
The noun phrase and the simple sentence
The foundationAl-Fatiha and the words of the prayer, word by word, then simple sentences: this and that, questions, he and she, plurals and numbers.
What you study
- This and that; what? who? and yes/no questions
- Al- and tanwin; masculine and feminine
- In, on, from, to; idafa; the adjective
- Pronouns, attached and separate
- Plurals, the dual, numbers 3–10
- The names: ism, fi'l, harf, jumla
Books
- Grammar course book
- DAA'II Foundation, in the order of topics of Madinah Book 1
- 1
The sentence and its parts
The parts of a sentence: the verb and its doer, subject and predicate, kana and inna, and the three-letter root.
What you study
- The complete sentence; noun, verb and particle
- Past, present and command verbs
- The doer and the object
- Subject and predicate; verbal and nominal sentences
- The present verb in raf', nasb and jazm
- Kana and inna and their sisters
- The noun in jarr; the adjective
Books
- Grammar course book
- al-Nahw al-Wadih, elementary stage, Part 1
- Grammar text (matn)
- al-Ajurrumiyyah, chapters on the topics above
- 2
I'rab
I'rab in full: the signs of each case, weak verbs, the passive, and the particles of nasb and jazm.
What you study
- Built and declined words; the signs of i'rab, original and secondary
- Weak-ended verbs and nouns; implied i'rab
- The five verbs, the five nouns, the dual and the plurals
- Idafa; definite and indefinite; pronouns, relatives and demonstratives
- The passive and its subject
- Maf'ul mutlaq, maf'ul li-ajlih, adverbs of time and place
- Particles of nasb and jazm; the condition
Books
- Grammar course book
- al-Nahw al-Wadih, elementary stage, Part 2
- Grammar text (matn)
- al-Ajurrumiyyah, continued
- Morphology (sarf)
- Imam University series, Level 2 sarf book
- 3
The accusatives and the followers
Hal, tamyiz, istithna', the vocative and the followers, with the verb forms from II to X.
What you study
- The predicate as a clause or phrase; anna and the interpreted masdar
- Intransitive and transitive verbs
- Istithna', hal, tamyiz, the vocative
- Diptotes
- The followers: adjective, emphasis, conjunction, substitute
Books
- Grammar course book
- al-Nahw al-Wadih, elementary stage, Part 3
- Grammar text (matn)
- al-Ajurrumiyyah, completed
- Morphology (sarf)
- Imam University series, Level 2 sarf book, continued
- 4
Morphology and the sentence in depth
Word patterns (the mizan) and weak verbs in depth, and the sentence in depth: fronting and omission.
What you study
- Subject and predicate in depth: fronting and omission
- Verbal nouns of command (asma' al-af'al); wonder (ta'ajjub)
- Verbs of approach; la that negates the whole kind
- Idafa in depth
Books
- Grammar text (matn)
- Qatr al-Nada
- Morphology (sarf)
- Shadha al-'Arf
- 5
Derived nouns and the condition
Conditional sentences, derived nouns and what they govern, numbers in full, and broken plurals.
What you study
- The condition in depth
- The masdar and derived nouns, and what they govern
- Definite nouns in depth; numbers in full
Books
- Grammar text (matn)
- Qatr al-Nada, continued
- Morphology (sarf)
- Shadha al-'Arf, continued
- 6
Reading the books
The last chapters of grammar, the i'rab of whole clauses, and rhetoric (balagha).
What you study
- Diminutive and relative adjective (nisba)
- Ighra', tahdhir, ikhtisas, ishtighal
- Calls for help and lament; pausal forms
- I'rab of whole clauses
Books
- Grammar text (matn)
- The Alfiyyah, with Sharh Ibn 'Aqil, begins
- Morphology (sarf)
- Lamiyyat al-Af'al
- Rhetoric (balagha)
- A balagha text, chosen by the ustadh
Lead teacher
Ustadh Abu Hanifah.
Ismail Rufai
- 30+ years teaching, counselling, imam duties, and translation
- BA in Sharia
- Teaching upon the Qur'an, authentic Sunnah, and the way of the Pious Predecessors
Studied under
From his students
“He first meticulously gauged my existing knowledge and then designed a progressive path forward, ensuring I was never overwhelmed yet constantly challenged. He provided all the requisite textbooks and study materials, and kept me accountable by administering regular tests to track my progress.”
Jamil Ahmed Khan
Air Commodore (Retd), Pakistan Air Force
Understanding the Qur'an
“Instead of merely reading the words, I am now able to appreciate the language and its grammatical structure, which has greatly enhanced my comprehension.”
The method
“His practical and structured teaching style makes every lesson clear, meaningful, and easy to remember. He connects Arabic with everyday life, focuses on what students truly need, and adapts his approach to each learner's level.”
From no Arabic to confidence
“[I had] very scant capacity to speak or write Arabic, but Ismail turned it around for me and my colleagues. His everyday simple and common exchanges in daily life made us confident to interact with our Arab brothers more confidently.”
Plans
Two ways to study.
Both plans include admission, your path, the weekly work and its correction, and an oral exam with a teacher at the end of each stage.
Standard
Brothers and sisters
$69 a month
or $690 a year, the same as ten months
- Admission and your personal path
- Daily lessons and review on the platform
- Weekly recording, corrected by our team with a voice note
- Weekly check, and an oral exam with a teacher at the end of each stage
One-to-one
Brothers only · Limited places
$349 a month
or $3,490 a year, the same as ten months
A one-to-one lesson with your teacher, every week
- Your weekly recording, gone through with you in that lesson
- Everything else in Standard
30-day money-back guarantee.
Questions
Before you apply.
The practical details matter: level, schedule, teacher support, platform work, and whether this first intake is the right starting point.
Who is this for?
Students who can read Arabic script, even if their understanding is still limited, who want Arabic to help them understand the Qur'an and study beneficial texts, who can give at least 5 hours a week, and who value structure, review and teacher feedback. It may be better to begin elsewhere if you are still learning the Arabic letters, need a fully self-paced option with no live component, cannot yet give regular weekly study time, or are looking for a short workshop rather than ongoing study.
Do I need to already know Arabic?
You need to be able to read Arabic script, even if your understanding is still limited. If you are still learning the letters, it is better to begin with a pre-reading course first.
Is this live teaching or platform work?
Both have a role. The platform holds the preparation, readings, submissions, review, and teacher notes. Your weekly recording is corrected by our team, and each stage ends with a live oral exam with a teacher. One-to-one students also have a one-to-one lesson with their teacher every week.
How does this work around a busy schedule?
You study at times that suit you. The program is built around consistent weekly work, at least 5 hours a week, not a large fixed class timetable.
What is the target outcome?
Each stage carries one clear outcome, tested at the end of the stage. If you start at the foundation level, the first stage covers al-Fatiha and the words of the prayer, understood word by word. From there the levels continue through the grammar books, applied to the Qur'an, the Sunnah and the books of the scholars.
What happens after I apply?
We send you the admissions test. Our admissions team reviews your application and your test, and within 3 working days you receive our decision: your level, the reason for it, and what you will study first.
What happens if I fall behind?
We contact you after one missed week and call you after two. After repeated missed weeks, you are withdrawn and billing stops. You can apply again later.
Admission
Apply for admission.
Leave your details and a short note. We will send you the admissions test. If you have not studied an Arabic grammar book, it begins with short sentences; if you have, it asks grammar questions on ayat, ahadith and lines from the books of the scholars. Our admissions team reviews every application, and you will have our decision within 3 working days.
No fee to apply
About 20 minutes
The application and the admissions test together.