The library
Classical Arabic, from fables to travel and history, and short graded texts for learners — every page free to read.
Qurʾān
Graded texts
Hadith
- The Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi الأربعون النووية Forty-two short hadiths on the foundations of faith and conduct, each with its source.
- Al-Adab al-Mufrad الأدب المفرد Hadiths on manners — parents, neighbours, guests and speech. Fully vowelled.
- Riyad al-Salihin رياض الصالحين Hadiths on character and worship, chapter by chapter, with the Qurʾān's verses on each theme.
- Al-Muwatta of Malik الموطأ The earliest surviving collection of hadith and law, in Yaḥyā al-Laythī's transmission.
- Sahih al-Bukhari صحيح البخاري The most trusted collection of hadith, complete with its chains of narrators. Fully vowelled.
- Sahih Muslim صحيح مسلم The second of the two Ṣaḥīḥs, complete. Fully vowelled.
Prose
- Kalila wa Dimna كليلة ودمنة Animal fables on wisdom and statecraft, the classic of Arabic prose.
- Hayy ibn Yaqzan حي بن يقظان A child raised alone on an island reasons his way to the truth.
- The Ring of the Dove طوق الحمامة في الألفة والألاف A treatise on love, with stories from Muslim Spain.
- The Epistle of Forgiveness رسالة الغفران An imagined journey through the afterlife, meeting the poets.
- The Maqamat مقامات بديع الزمان الهمذاني The first maqamat — rhymed tales of a wandering trickster.
- The Maqamat of al-Hariri مقامات الحريري ـ مفهرس Fifty virtuoso tales in rhymed prose.
History & travel
Adab
- The Book of Misers البخلاء للجاحظ Witty anecdotes about the stingy, from the master of Arabic prose.
- The Small and the Great Book of Manners الأدب الصغير والأدب الكبير Short maxims on friendship, rulers and self-discipline.
- Tales of Fools and Simpletons أخبار الحمقى والمغفلين Short, funny anecdotes — an easy way into classical prose.
- Relief after Hardship الفرج بعد الشدة لابن أبي الدنيا Brief stories of people delivered from distress.
- The Exquisite in Every Art المستطرف في كل فن مستطرف A popular anthology of stories, sayings and curiosities.
- Enjoyment and Conviviality الإمتاع والمؤانسة Forty evenings of conversation at a vizier's court.
- Eloquence and Exposition البيان والتبيين Al-Jāḥiẓ on speech, rhetoric and the eloquent.
- The Book of Proverbs الأمثال لابن سلام Arab proverbs with the stories behind them.
Poetry
- Diwan — selected poems ديوان المتنبي The most quoted poet of the Arabic language.
- The Seven Hanging Odes, with Commentary شرح المعلقات السبع للزوزني The great pre-Islamic odes, explained line by line.
- Diwan al-Khansa ديوان الخنساء Elegies for her brothers by the foremost woman poet.
- Diwan Zuhayr ibn Abi Sulma ديوان زهير بن أبي سلمى Pre-Islamic poetry of wisdom and peacemaking.
- Diwan Tarafa ibn al-Abd ديوان طرفة بن العبد The young poet of the most famous camel description.
- Diwan Antara ibn Shaddad ديوان عنترة بن شداد The warrior-poet's verses of courage and love.
- Diwan al-Nabigha al-Dhubyani ديوان النابغة الذبياني Court poetry and apologies to the kings of al-Ḥīra.
- Diwan Abu al-Atahiya ديوان أبي العتاهية Plain, memorable verses on life and death.
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