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It was a simple decision to take time off this academic year, since our 10 & 11-year-olds placed into college courses in July, and in October, we were blessed with the opportunity to make Hajj.
So, we’re here in this oppressed and very depressed land to focus solely on their Arabic & Qur’an. Alhumdulillah, in less than 3 months, my 11-year-old is reading, writing, and comprehending Arabic at an 8th grade level, and my 10-year-old at a 7th grade level. They started here at about 1st & 2nd grade. We’re working hard to finish most (if not all) of the high school grammar, spelling, and comprehension courses before we return to the States. Our 8 year-old is at the 4th grade level now, Alhumdulillah.
We’re intensively immersion studying Arabic as a language, so we can find some placement tests to really see their levels of comprehension when we return.
MashaAllah, their translation of the language is superior to that of their teachers, tutors, and some “scholars” or professors here, as many are unable to translate like my 11-year-old. She’s taking all the du’a & dhikr books, Islamic works, and translating these deep scholarly works that are presently unavailable in English, or even giving better translations to basic Islamic books.
All the girls memorize the Qur’an with translating nearly word-for-word, before they read the English translation and tafsir. So, this is how we’re using their Qur’anic studies as a means to learning fusha, grammatically correct Arabic.
As for memorizing the Qur’an, for religious purposes, both our 10 & 11-year-olds are almost done with their 2nd chapter in just 3 months; more importantly, we’re developing the habits and routine for them to memorize on their own. Our 8-year-old has here a Juz ‘Amma test tomorrow, InshaAllah, so please keep her in your du’a. What’s important is that we do not focus on memorization (and never had), we focus on comprehension and application.
MashaAllah, we found a fabulous teacher who is strict with arkam (reading with rules of Tajweed, and pronunciation) as well as teaching us the tafsir, supplemental hadiths and the stories within each ayat–all taught in Arabic. There’s this deep love for Allah’s word, solely on the comprehension–rather than the memorization. Our teacher also heavily works on reviewing past work every single day; so our girls review Juz ‘Amma every week, so it stays in their long-term memory, rather than short-term memory.
InshaAllah, we’ll teach all these tactics in our upcoming “Muslim Homeschool Success Program ~ From Pregnancy to College.” I assure you all the tactics we’re working on are systems I developed with the teacher to see what works best for using Qur’an to learn Arabic as a primary language that CAN be done at home…not solely in Gaza.
One thing we’re working hard on these last weeks here, is to develop the routine and habits, so my girls continue memorizing these principles for the sole purpose to truly KNOW the language of our Lord.
MashaAllah, even our 5 cousins in high school do not have the written, reading, or Arabic comprehension, grammar, spelling, or typing skills as my girls. My 11-year-old memorized the Arabic keyboard and actually types faster in Arabic with no Arabic letters on her laptop, than in English. And, add to the fact that my girls are learning this as a second language so they can translate makes their superior knowledge marketable and attractive to the top tier colleges, business life, and future opportunities. However, these are all second to the only goal to please our Creator and gain a closer relationship with Him so we can enter furdose, the highest level in jannah, heaven, InshaAllah, Ta’ala. God willing.
So, please comment with your questions, and we’ll be sure to answer them in our Muslim Homeschool Success Program, InshaAllah.
About admin: Ponn Sabra is a highly-prolific public health official-turned-best-selling author, internet marketer, and columnist who has been featured in the Associated Press, Washington Post, Fox, ABC News and other major media outlets. Founder and Owner of AmericanMuslimMom.com, the #1 ranked online community for American Muslim Moms. The Sabra’s are a world-traveling, homeschool family who offer numerous free products, such as popular ebook "Balancing Life as a Muslim Mom"", American Muslim Mom podcast, tutorials, and videos. Sabra also host numerous online businesses, such as overseeing her three young girls’ Kid Bloggers Club - where kids make money online, and her Online Publicity and Social Media Blogger ecommerce site with her partner at PublicitySpark.com. View author profile.
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Dear Brothers and Sisters by learning Arabic language you can do Two tasks which is very important in the life of a Muslim.
1- By learning this language you can understand the Holy Qur’an very easy and quickly.
2- By learning this language you can carry the message of Islam into other world.
for more join me by clicking my name
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As salaamu alaykum!
Maashaa Allaah! I am very impressed with your daughters’ zeal and determination to comprehend and connect deeply with the classical Arabic language.
I’m almost hitting 40 and my Classical Arabic Language comprehension (which includes reading, writing, and spoken) is at a 2nd/3rd grade level. Your daughters have obviously beaten me to it, maashaa Allaah!
However, I am so grateful to Allaah for sparing my life to realize how ignorant I am in terms of the divine language, and also for sparing my life and giving me the strength to take the bull by the horn, and immerse myself in the beautiful Arabic language.
Arabic is my 4th language so I give myself a tiny pat on the back for going this far. Wa lilaahi’l hamd.
Bravo to your daughters!
[Reply]