Schedule

W1 (2/27) Induction

W2 (3/6) Akhb?r (I) — Quiz

W3 (3/13) Akhb?r (II) — Quiz

W4 (3/20) Biography — Quiz

W5 (3/27) Biography

W6 (4/3) Biography

W7 (4/10) The Qur’an and Interpretation — Quiz

W8 (4/17) The Qur’an and Interpretation

W9 (4/24) The Qur’an and Interpretation

W10 (5/1) Midterm

W11 (5/8) Poetry and Wine — Quiz

W12 (5/15) Poetry and Wine

W13 (5/22) Poetry and Wine — Quiz

W14 (5/29) Poetry and Wine

W15 (6/5) Maq?m?t — Quiz

W16 (6/12) Maq?m?t

W17 (6/19) Akhb?r (III)

W18 (6/26) Final

X

Evaluation

Attendance: 5%

Presentation/ Assignment: 30%

Midterm Examination: 20%

Final Examination: 25%

Quizzes: 20%

*Failing to attend the lectures for more than three times means no mark will be given for Attendance (5%), unless under objective circumstance that is unforeseeable, unavoidable, and insurmountable.

*Please note that cheating in quizzes and exams is unacceptable in any circumstance. If you cheat in a quiz or exam, you will be failed.

Presentation and Assignment Guideline

• Each student will have to make one presentation on one of the following topics (see below, Presentation and Assignment Topics). Each presentation lasts 10-15 minutes (depending on the number of the students enrolled in the course), including Q & A session.


• Each student has to select his/her topic on Moodle, by Week 2 (3/6). Each topic only allows for a limited number of presenters (depending upon the number of students enrolled in the course).


• Students will be informed of the time of their presentation by Week 3 (3/13).


• With each presentation, students will have to turn in one written assignment addressing the given topic before the presentation. Without either (i.e. presentation and written assignment), the mark of Presentation (30% in total) will not be given.


• The assignments have to be submitted via email in electronic (Word) format to the course organiser (isu@nccu.edu.tw), before his or her presentation.


• The assignment must be written in formal English, less than five pages (A4 in size), 1.5-spaced, font size 12. Referencing is obligatory, if an idea, statement, or evidence is taken from others’ works. Students must use referencing (for referencing style, students should follow The Chicago Manual of Style: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html)


• Plagiarism, once spotted, will be severely penalised (no mark given to Presentation, 30%).  


• Copying other students’ assignments is also considered plagiarism.


• Unless certain circumstances prevail (selon University policy), the assignments must be submitted before the presentations. Late submission will not be accepted.

Presentation and Assignment Topics

1. Write a news article about one of the following subjects: Ab? al-?Ibar, Ta?abba?? Sharran, al-Wal?d b. ?Uqba, Kh?lid al-Qasr?, al-?Arj?, al-?u?ay?a, al-?usayn b. al-?a???k, based on the biographies in Ab? al-Faraj al-I?fah?n?’s Kit?b al-Agh?n?. Every of these subjects did something sensational. You need to write a news-report about the subject and his deed or misdeed. In the news article, you will have to provide the following information: (1) basics about the subject (dates and places of birth and death, if known; his occupation; his associates, including relatives, friends and/or patrons; any information that is relevant to this news); (2) his deed or misdeed that is newsworthy (explain what he did and why it is controversial, from your perspective); (3) include an eyewitness report about the deed or misdeed (you have to provide the name of this witness, as noted in the Kit?b al-Agh?n?). Every piece of information has to be referenced (for example, when the birthplace of the subject is given, you need to note the page number, where this information is found in the al-Agh?n?).

2. Write a biography about one of the following subjects: ?Amr b. Kulth?m, Ab? Nuw?s, and ?af? al-D?n al-?ill?. The information should include: the dates and places of the subject’s birth and demise (if available), his upbringing (family background, education, or anything that may inform his personality), and evaluation of his achievement(s). You need to use at least three primary sources to provide the above information for the biographee. Every piece of information has to be referenced.

3. Write a comparative analysis of the story of a prophet mentioned in the Qur’an. You need to outline what the Qur’an and al-Tha?lab? say about the prophet in question. You have to compare the elements or details missing in the Qur’an but fleshed out by al-Tha?lab? as the conclusion (references are required).

4. Write an analysis of one of the following maq?m?t by Bad?? al-Zaman: al-Baghd?dhiyya (71–74), al-Makf?fiyya (93–96), al-S?s?niyya (108–112), al-Ibl?siyya (208–212). You need to outline the plot of the maq?ma in question, and identify its punch-line(s) (quote the key sentences, if necessary). That is, you need to analyse what makes the given maq?ma funny.

Reading

*Coverage of quizzes in bold.

Week 2 Akhb?r (I)

Ibn al-Marzub?n. Taf??l Al-Kalb ?Al? Kath?r Mimm? Labisa Al-Thiy?b. Edited by ‘I??m Mu?ammad Sab?r?. Cairo: Mu’assasat al-Ahr?m, 1998, 45–47, 50–53 [Quiz], 57, 61–64, 79–80, 85–90.

Week 3  Akhb?r (II)

Al-R?ghib al-I?fah?n?, Mu???ar?t al-udab?? wa-mu??war?t al-shu?ar?? wa-l-bulagh??. Beirut: D?r al-Arqam b. Ab? al-Arqam, 1999, vol.2, 660–666 [Quiz].

Weeks 4–6 Biography

Ab? al-Faraj al-I?fah?n?. Kit?b Al-Agh?n?. Edited by I?s?n ?Abb?s, Bakr ?Abb?s, and Ibr?h?m al-Sa???f?n. 3^rd ed. Beirut: D?r ??dir, 2008, vol. 18, 122–152 [Quiz: 122–124].

Weeks 7–9 The Qur’an and Interpretation

The Qur??n, 18:83–98 [Quiz W7].

Al-?abar?, Mu?ammad b. Jar?r. J?mi? Al-Bay?n ?an Ta?w?l Al-Qur??n. Edited by Ma?m?d M. Sh?kir and A?mad M. Sh?kir. Cairo: D?r al-Ma??rif, 1954–1969, vol.15, 368–412.

Al-Tha?lab?. Qi?a? Al-Anbiy??. Cairo: Maktabat al-Jumh?riyya al-?Arabiyya, n.d., 409–415 [Quiz W9]. 

Weeks 11–14 Poetry and Wine

?Amr b. Kulth?m. Mu?allaqat ?Amr B. Kulth?m. Edited by Mu?ammad ?A. al-?asan?. Abu Dhabi: D?r al-Kutub al-Wa?aniyya, 2012, 18–69 [Quiz W11: 19–21].

Ab? Nuw?s. D?w?n Ab? Nuw?s. Beirut: D?r ??dir, n.d., 7–8 [Quiz W11].

?af? al-D?n al-?ill?. D?w?n ?af? Al-D?n Al-?ill?. Edited by Mu?ammad ?awwar. Beirut: al-Mu?assasat al-?Arabiyya li-l-Dir?s?t wa-l-Nashr, 2000, 601–602. [Quiz W13]

Weeks 15–16 Maq?m?t

Bad?? al-Zam?n al-Hamadh?n?. Maq?m?t Bad?? Al-Zam?n Al-Hamadh?n?. Edited by Mu?ammad ?Abduh. Beirut: D?r al-Kutub al-?Ilmiyya, 2005, 62–66 (al-maq?ma al-i?fah?niyya) [quiz].

Week 17 Akhb?r (III)

Al-R?ghib al-I?fah?n?, Mu???ar?t al-udab?? wa-mu??war?t al-shu?ar?? wa-l-bulagh??. Beirut: D?r al-Arqam b. Ab? al-Arqam, 1999, vol.2, 264–304 [quiz; 264–270].