*Al-Qa'idah Al-Madaniyyah* (The Madani Primer) is a book designed to teach Arabic reading to beginners. It was authored by Sheikh Dr. Abdul Muhsin bin Muhammad Al-Qasim, an Imam and Khateeb (sermon-giver) at the Prophet’s Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi). The book is organized into thirteen chapters, guiding the learner progressively—from recognizing the Arabic letters and their sounds to reading words, sentences, and paragraphs, and ultimately reading the Holy Quran in its Uthmani script.
This curriculum is used in the Quranic and scholarly study circles held at the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram) and the Prophet’s Mosque. It has been translated into eighteen languages. This edition is the large-format version, accompanied by a separate volume dedicated to teaching Arabic writing, using the same examples found in the primer.
**Details of *Al-Qa'idah Al-Madaniyyah***
**Book Title:** *Al-Qa'idah Al-Madaniyyah* – Teaching Arabic Reading to Beginners
**Author:** Sheikh Dr. Abdul Muhsin bin Muhammad Al-Qasim
**Type:** Educational book for learning to read Arabic
**Number of Chapters:** Thirteen
**Format and Dimensions:** Bound, 24 × 17 cm
**Publisher:** Talib Al-Ilm Foundation for Publishing and Distribution
**Category:** Language
**Weight:** 200 g
**What do the chapters of *Al-Qa'idah Al-Madaniyyah* cover?**
The book begins with an introduction to the twenty-eight Arabic letters—their shapes, names, and sounds—followed by chapters arranged as follows:
**The Arabic Alphabet:** The shapes and names of the letters, including the *hamzah* and the extended *hamzah*.
**Vowel Marks (*Harakat*) and *Sukun*:** Reading letters with the *fathah*, *kasrah*, *dammah*, and *sukun* (vowel-less state).
**Nunation (*Tanwin*):** Reading letters marked with *tanwin*.
**Emphasis (*Shaddah*):** Reading letters marked with a *shaddah* (doubling mark), both with vowel marks and with *tanwin*.
**Types of *Hamzah* and Lengthening (*Madd*):** *Hamzat al-qat’* (disjunctive *hamzah*) and *hamzat al-wasl* (conjunctive *hamzah*), natural elongation (*madd*), and the silent *alif* that follows the plural *waw* (in verb conjugations). *Tā’ Marbūṭah* and the two types of *Lām*: Reading the *Tā’ Marbūṭah* (both in continuous speech and when pausing), as well as the *Lām Qamariyyah* (lunar *Lām*) and *Lām Shamsiyyah* (solar *Lām*).
Reading exercises: Five lessons progressing from two-word phrases to three-word phrases, then four-word phrases, followed by full sentences, and finally short paragraphs.
Quranic orthography (*Rasm*): Introducing the learner to the specific script used in the *Muṣḥaf* (the Quran).
Numbers: Learning to read numerals correctly.
**Features of the Curriculum**
Examples are drawn from the Quran and *Sunnah*; they are easy to read, clear in meaning, and contain no repeated vocabulary.
Every word is fully vocalized (*tashkīl*). The curriculum follows a progressive structure—moving from the simplest to the more complex—with each lesson building upon the previous one.
Each section includes guidance for the instructor, outlining the objectives of the section and the recommended method for teaching it.
The reading exercises incorporate examples related to *‘Aqīdah* (creed), *Ādāb* (etiquette), and *Akhlāq* (morals/ethics).
A mobile application is available, featuring audio recordings of the letters and words, alongside pre-recorded video lessons.
**Which version should you choose: The standard reading edition, the small-format edition, or the writing workbook?**
Standard Reading Edition (this version): The reading textbook in a large format.
Small-Format *Al-Qā‘idah al-Madaniyyah*: The same reading textbook, but in a compact 21×14 cm format.
*Al-Qā‘idah al-Madaniyyah* Writing Workbook: A companion book designed for the learner to practice writing using the same examples found in the reading textbook.
**Purchasing *Al-Qā‘idah al-Madaniyyah* Online**
*Al-Qā‘idah al-Madaniyyah* is available through *Mu’assasat Ṭālib al-‘Ilm* (Student of Knowledge Foundation) for Publishing and Distribution—the publisher of works by Sheikh ‘Abd al-Muḥsin al-Qāsim. You may order it online to have it shipped directly from the publisher. For those who have moved on from basic reading to the rules of Quranic recitation (*Tajwīd*), the store also offers *Tuḥfat al-Aṭfāl* (a foundational text on *Tajwīd*) with accompanying annotations.