Arabic Citadel
A WORLD OF WORDS AWAKENED
Learn to speak Arabic by travelling through the Arabic Language Citadel with Mufti Moinul as your guide
Enter The Citadel
-
Family Friendly
A family-friendly place to learn Arabic for the first time with both Online & Onsite access
-
Many Ways To Learn
Onsite and Online Drills with multiple male and female teaching assistants
-
Weekly Catchup Sessions
Optional midweek sessions to ensure you never fall behind
-
Never Miss A Lesson
Recorded Access for all students and professionals with busy schedules
-
Practice Drills Galore
Speaking drills with male and female teachers for brothers anad sisters until the language comes naturally to you
-
Learn In Peace
Children's creche to support mothers (Age 2+) included to support young families
Why Speaking Arabic Works
Onsite & Online & Recorded | Starts Feb 1st 2025 | 10 Weeks
Speaking can take you to new peaks in your Arabic studies that grammar did not. In the end, if you're saying it right, you're implementing grammar!
Language is fueled by the burning desire to express one’s thoughts, feelings, and needs. When that need to connect is ignited, one’s Arabic skills will naturally come to life.
One of the main challenges with studying grammar is that we often think in English. We also translate words back and forth—English to Arabic, then Arabic to English—which can be tiring. The goal is to reach a point where saying "أنا" feels as natural as saying “I” and “نَحْنُ” naturally feels like “We.”
Indeed, familiarity with a language comes from speaking.
What an experience it must be to know the exact words and pronounce the precise letters as the Prophet (pbuh) did when speaking to Khadijah (ra) and as Khadijah (ra) replied to the Prophet (pbuh). It’s like tasting history through the beauty of speech.
Enter The Arabic Citadel
Welcome to the Arabic Citadel, where words come alive in meanings and metaphors. You will be taught to walk through the Citadel's marketplaces, houses, gardens and courtyards and learn to feel at home in this new world. You will soon learn in your journey that Arabic is a science and an art. Its creative capacity, spanning over centuries, is expressed in calligraphy, modes of recitation and metres in poetry. This rich tapestry of texture and decor is matched by its cold, hard grammatical structures that underpin it.
Arabic words have a sense, feel, and predictability in how melodies and symphonies resonate with the human ear, while discordance is also felt by the keen listener. The musicality built into the Arabic language is born in the feelings of Arab Bedouins, who forged and tempered their tongues and swords to express their values, passions, and desire for vengeance amidst the desert heat of the day and the biting cold of the night. Their warm nightfires were surrounded by kindled conversations infused with the smoke of poetry and prose. Their sophisticated light of language built the kingdom for which the Quran came as its leader.
Find the Arabic bedouin in you! Study the relationship between the three base letters of every word. This discipline, known as ilm-as-Sarf (morphology), is required learning for any aspiring student of knowledge. To explain a little about Sarf (morphology), think for a moment about the word "Pathos," which refers to feeling and emotion. Now, think of how words like apathy, sympathy, and empathy are derived from this single source. This course will help you realise the power of communication and aid you in developing an intimate interaction with the words of the Quran and the words from the blessed mouth of our Prophet (pbuh) and teacher via his Prophetic traditions.
The previous Arabic Citadel Language course was our endeavour to discover the art of science; the laws of grammar appealed to the mathematical and logical mind. Its complementary twin is that this literature course helps the student find the science in art. This course requires imagination, a taste for language and some hard work. This course aims to help the seeker “think in Arabic”, look beyond the hard rules of grammar, and attain a “feel” for verbal roots, conjugations and patterns. In this course, you will study Arabic Literature first-hand, engage in Arabic speaking sessions and learn the root meanings of words. Two bedouins once sat around a fire in the desert millennia ago. One was gifted in grammar, and the other was well-versed in morphology. Enter the Arabic Citadel and listen to their conversation with curiosity and relish!
Course Summary
An intensive course with the Gallery of Midjourney Art to illustrate the laws of the Arabic Citadel with your tour guide, Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza. Journey through 10 life-changing weeks.
Payment Options
Pay £25 a month for 12 months or £250 one-off fee. It will run on Saturdays from 12.30am-4.30pm for 10 Weeks. There will be personalised drills and Arabic Trench tutorials for both onsite and students. Arabic Trench will also be repeated online on weekday evenings with recorded access, so you'll never miss out or fall behind.
Arabic through Quran
Arabic is a human language, and like any language, you have to feel its impact to appreciate it. So, The Quran Institute launches this new course with the Quran as the basis for your learning from day one. Lessons will be held at The Quran Institute in East London.
Why an intensive?
Sometimes courses drag on too long, like a film or novel that takes so long to get to the main plot that we lose motivation quickly if we don't fast-forward. So, intensives are meant to get you a feel for the language first.
How hard is it?
We've decided that an intensive version of our Arabic Renaissance course needs to be done. It's a no-nonsense approach to learning the foundations of how to read Arabic that we've taught for over four years.
How does the program run?
The first 1.5 hours will be the "Dars Element" and then a 1-hour "Trench Session," which consists of tutorials to consolidate the concepts in the Dars.
What kind of documentation?
You will be provided handouts, class slides and access to 50 hours of video tutorials.
Do I get support?
Muftiya Nasima, Mufti Moinul, and their Team will run the "Trench Tutorials" with brothers and sisters onsite to get one-to-one attention. There will also be one tutorial a week for brothers and sisters online.
What our students say
Learning the Arabic in your 40’s is tough. Week on week I struggled to retain the information from the class. However the structure of the course has meant that during the week I have been able to access the content again and again, until it sunk in.
I was able to listen to the class recordings again and again and attend the mid week trench class with Ustadha Nasima. Alhamdulliah, it worked and I am looking forward to signing up to the next level.
- Suhana, Social Worker, London
The Arabic citadel element of the programme also helped us to contemplate deeply on the importance of language and the verses of the Quran, allowing us to understand the what our Lord is asking of us quite literally. It has also allowed us to better explain to our children what Allah asks of them too.
- The Ahmed Family, former advisor at FCA & School Administrator, London
The arabic citadel course has been a game changer to my life. It has awakened a thirst for understanding the Arabic in a way that no other course ever has. I have since signed up to every arabic course available at the Quran Institute to cement the learning of the previous course. The added family benefit is that every member of my family looks forward to spending time with the institue family, learning together and making new friends throughout the journey. Our life as a family, is now centred around learning the deen, and everything else we do is to facilitate our learning.
- Umm Aiza, Social Worker, London
The Arabic citadel element of the programme also helped us to contemplate deeply on the importance of language and the verses of the Quran, allowing us to understand the what our Lord is asking of us quite literally. It has also allowed us to better explain to our children what Allah asks of them too.
- The Ahmed Family, former advisor at FCA & School Administrator, London
This course allowed a family like mine, with a busy household (living with parents, young sons) and responsibilities along with a new born, to still learn & develop deen as a family. They made the impossible possible. I really commend their high quality input and organisation of their online streaming (Live) and outside class support. There were week we weren't physically able to attend (illness etc) but as a family we were able to join watching it live with our notebooks open in our living room tv, while my wife is feeding the baby on the highchair. The comfort level of the onsite experience is very accommodating especially when families with baby's join without being frowned upon .....and an eye pleasing healthy lunch spread a tea from time to time went a long way. A genuine modern style teaching with traditional roots. -
- Kashim, Former Social Worker, London
My Journey through the Arabic Citadel was beautiful. The Quran Institute gave me the opportunity to learn Qur’anic Arabic grammar that I was looking for, for some time. They provided, the atmosphere, setting and even a creche! So I had no excuse not to join.
They left no stone unturned to allow mothers like myself to attend. In the past, I had attended a few short courses and learnt very little from these courses. The Quran Institute was a structured course that taught me from scratch to understand the grammar in depth.
No words will really be enough to say thank you to the team of TQI, who has arranged this course with such love and dedication , especially our ustadh Mufti Moinul, he is a true gem with lots of patience for us novices. Alhamdulillah, I have completed level 1 and now will in sha Allah join the 2. This course is highly recommended to those sisters and brothers especially, who want to acquire the knowledge to understand the messages of Allah Subhaanahu wa ta’aala from His book- Al-Qur’aan.
- Shebly, Nurse, London
I really enjoyed the Arabic Citadel course. It was my first Arabic course that I took and I could not wait for the next weekend to come for the next class. I cannot describe how much I loved each lesson taking a walk down the citadel to discover the beauty of the Arabic language.
The lessons were delivered so beautifully by Ustadh Moinul to help us digest new concepts and it was further broken down in the trench sessions by Ustadha Nasima to ensure we understood it well and go through the homework. I am very excited for level two and I pray for Ustadh Moinul and Ustadha Nasima for Allah to bless them and reward them for all their effort and hard work to help us to learn the beautiful language of the Quran and I recommend this course for everyone.
- Suhura (Student from London)
I’ve struggled with getting to grips with Arabic for a few years now, often starting and then dropping out of courses, not seeing much benefit. With the Arabic Citadel, I found that having a page of Quran that you broke down the grammar of, week by week, served as a great reminder of the small but consistent progress you were making. By the end of the course, the page was filled with underlining and highlighting, giving you the encouragement to continue your learning
- Zaidi, Junior Doctor, Oldham
After completing the Family Program under the Quran Institute, I followed up by attending the Arabic Citadel. As an absolute beginner with the Arabic language, Mufti Moinul was able to help me conceptually grasp grammatical rules that I will be engrained in me forever.
This is a testament to his teaching techniques as he demonstrated that he has the ability to understand the way in each of his students learn best. Although it is a class environment with many students present, Mufti Moinul recognised my strengths and weaknesses as an individual student and through this I was able to learn with a strong ability to focus as often I was made to feel like I was the only student in the room. I also enjoyed getting to know other brothers on the course during the prayer breaks and have built relationships with fellow students that have continued after the course finished.
The class culture is warm and encouraging. I eagerly look forward to starting Level 2 Arabic under Mufti Moinul and further developing my understanding of Quranic Arabic.
- Abu Umar, North West London
Bismillah.
This place feels homely, with everyone being incredibly welcoming. The well-thought-out setup, including access to a crèche, kitchen, clean toilets, and delightful amenities like hot drinks and homemade cakes, adds to the warmth. The separate arrangements for brothers and sisters create a respectful Islamic learning environment. Last year, attending the family programme, especially the chance to learn directly from Ustadh Moinul, used to be my weekly highlight—a unique opportunity I wouldn't want to miss.
This transformative journey broke free from boxed thinking, revealing a broader horizon of possibilities. This year, I'm definitely joining the Citadel and the 60 Sultania; I wouldn't want to miss this opportunity. If you're eager to grasp the essence of living with the Ummah, engaging in khidmah, and pursuing knowledge and closeness to Allah, this is the ideal place for you. It certainly is for me.
- Shaba Noore-Parvin, Charity Sector Professional, Redbridge/Essex
What was your journey through the Arabic Citadel like? Please mention your name, occupation and city.
Learning Arabic with Ustadh Moinul and Ustadha Nasima was a daunting experience at first. A busy mum taking time out on a Saturday committing to a course with my three children? The thought of homework? And the two hour travel too? I just couldn’t fathom the thought. But when I was told there was a crèche for the kids (I could feel like a student again) and all the lessons were recorded and uploaded online to refer back to, it all seemed like it was catered just for me!
There’s a midweek trench session with Ustadha Nasima to help with homework and where we can ask questions in a more private setting, and the lessons were live streamed if I couldn’t make it? What was stopping me? Two years later, and starting level 2 Arabic, I can confidentially say as a beginner of Arabic, It’s been such an amazing experience.
Ustadh Moinul really Is a great teacher Mashallah! The way he was able to break down such difficult concepts and make it so easy for me to understand really helped me grasp a deeper understanding of the Arabic language. I don’t intend on stopping any time soo. Ustadh Moinul never made me feel silly during onsite lessons for asking simple questions and that really has built my confidence, as I was afraid of making mistakes and showing myself up! I am so grateful to both Ustadha Nasima and Ustadh Moinul for allowing me to believe I can achieve greater things with my Islamic studies, and being a student of knowledge with children and juggling life is possible. Allah bless you both.
ـ Nagina, Language Instructor, Surrey
The Arabic Citadel took me in and gave me refuge behind its walls when I was wounded and full of self-doubt. It was there Mufti Moinul guided us through the landscape of language introducing us to 'merchants and apprentices, governors and citizens' and all the wonderful characters of Arabic grammar.
He ensured no one lagged behind, well-aware that we all came with various baggage; he uplifted us with positive words of advice and encouragement along the way making the load lighter to carry. As we explored the scenery of Qur'aan and poetry, he led us through many welcome detours presenting us the beauty of Allaah's (swt) deliberately placed words, revealing to us the gems of tafsir we would have otherwise missed but now have some of the tools to spot ourselves.
This course is unlike any other. Mufti Moinul has weaved his creative genius into it making it an immersive experience bringing grammar to life as though you can picture it as characters in your mind. The Citadel will be a place I shall never forget.
May Allaah swt bless the team who built this wonderful and wholesome course. It truly is one of a kind.
- Umm Abdullah, Teacher, East Midlands
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, Alhamdulillah, that I was directed to this course, and May Allah immensely bless our Ustadh, Mufti Moinul, his family and the course volunteers.
Firstly, the Citadel system Ustadh has developed, is genuinely impressive, and has been incredibly helpful; it is possibly the most unique, enjoyable and effective means, for developing a grammatical mind, with all the ‘four powers’, ‘Town-criers’, ‘Scholars’ and ‘Sultans’ ready to absorb the Arabic of the Quran.
Secondly, the structure of course delivery was very well-curated; the foundation Ustadh established from our very first lesson, and the incremental approach thereafter, was exactly what was needed to help unlock throughout the 10 weeks, what initially felt extremely complex and mind-boggling.
Thirdly, the method of teaching was excellent; learning was consolidated through 3 primary activities: the main lesson, the ‘trench’, and the ‘journal page’, which helped develop a very strong understanding week-by-week. Moreover, these activities were facilitated by the learning group, where we could have answers to any bits we were even slightly confused about.
Finally, what I personally felt was the most invaluable aspect of the course, was the incredibly deep gems from Mufti Moinul, ranging from Tafsir and Ahādith to stories and life-lessons.
What a journey it was! May Allah allow us all to benefit from such programs and efforts, and allow us to live and die pleasing to Him ﷻ, Ameen.
- Moosa Ali, University student, London
I had the privilege to experience the Arabic Citadel, and I must say, it was truly a vibrant and welcoming environment where words transcend their literal meanings and come alive with depth and beauty. Learning Arabic was not a dull formal affair, but you were like a tourist wanting to extend his stay. Standing in the Arabic Citadel was as if you stood in the finest moorish buildings with all their governors, citizens, merchants and scholars…
- Emir, history teacher, Odense (Denmark)
The need to learn Arabic has always been an obvious one, but I had been putting it off for the longest time. Partly because I never really believed that I would be able to grasp anything because I have tried in the past and honestly nothing really came out of it. It wasn’t until I took my first class here that I even realised that this is something that can actually happen, and to my surprise, I was enjoying it as well.
The way they broke down this preconceived notion in my head that because the Arabic language is so vast therefore it must be impossibly complex - it was truly amazing. I still have a lot to learn but The Arabic Citadel will forever be my go to place as it should be for everyone. I highly recommend this and only this for anyone who is just starting out on their journey!
- Ali Doosti Shah, Fitness & Wellness Coach, Pakistan
Alhamdulillah, it was an amazing experience being a student of Arabic in Arabic citadel. The way mufti and muftiya ( bless them) taught us and related characters in Citadel with Arabic rules was very helpful. I would highly recommend this course. It is an honour to learn the language of Quran from the people of Quran.
- Aymen Rasool, Doctor, Birmingham
Arabic learning resources are often scattered when starting self teaching and often we develop a disjointed understanding when trying to develop an understanding based on different systems of pedagogy. The citadel system developed by the Quran Institute is intuitive and engaging. Not only are questions encouraged and clarified in class, the additional online trench sessions allow you to solidify your understanding later on in the week.
The structure of the programme is effective and purposeful, meaning that beginner learners can get down to mastering the core basics in a impressive period of time. The feeling of being able to understanding significant parts of the Quran on your own gives you is the ultimate sense of fulfilment, and also a realisation that there are so many layers to your relationship with your Lord that were left undiscovered for years. May Allah (swt) reward Mufti Moinul and Muftiyah Nasima immensely.
- Aisha, Student, London
I have tried many methods and avenues to get to grips with the Arabic language especially the grammar. The Arabic Citadel was the first time I felt at ease with learning the rules of grammar in a way that it stuck with me. The personification of the terms and rules were a really unique way at viewing the language and made it much easier to remember. The trench sessions where we would practice the rules really helped to cement the learning, and was a great opportunity to bond with Mufti Moinul and the other students in a comfortable and encouraging environment.
Mufti Moinul and Muftiya Nasima were constantly offering their time and support throughout the course to ensure everyone could keep on top of their studies. The focus of the course always brought the Arabic back to the Qur’an and made it relevant to the real purpose of learning the language - to understand the words of Allah ﷻ. Each week built a connection to the Qur’an and by the end of the course there was a thirst to want to know even more.
- Moumin Qureshi, Secondary School Teacher, Surrey
Mufti Moinul has been an amazing instructor throughout the duration of the course. We got to witness the creativity, passion and positive engagement in both in-class and online. It’s rare to have these qualities all in one instructor. The care and attention given to us by Mufti Moinul to succeed are beyond appreciated. We thank you for pushing us out of our comfort zone and into the deep world of understanding the Arabic language. Mufti Moinul’s teaching style is second to none and the unique method in the grammatical breakdown of a sentence, through the roles played by ‘street merchants’ and ‘town criers’ is absolutely brilliant. The way the course was taught makes you want to come back and attend further courses, and we definitely recommend it to others.
- Munim Abu Jannah & Umm Jannah, Trainee Counsellors, London
Having studied Letters to Light with the Quran Institute, I was surprised and very impressed with the structure and fresh take on teaching arabic grammar (nahw) presented in Arabic Citadel I. While not necessarily aligned with the way my brain computes grammar, my imagination was sparked and the visualisation of a grand tower citadel truly blew me away. I have scenes of oil lanterns and rock walls, filled with green robed governors (prepositions) using (somewhat juxtaposingly) modern policing technology on a population (nouns) and dragging them down into a certain grammatical state. Further than the unique and impactful approach, the module really comes to life in the Quran; in viewing the words and ayat through the lens (and colours) of grammar - building a better connection with the words of Allah swt. For a first entry into Arabic grammar or a returning student, I think there is a great benefit in immersing oneself in the citadel.
- Ibrahim, Teacher, London
I enjoyed the level 1 course and thought it was taught really well by our teachers. They made something that seemed so daunting and complex into something quite simple to understand. The course itself was also designed and structured really well.
- Emran, Pharmacist, North West, England
