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Will this even surprise you, then?

Reader comment on item: Terrorist Profs

Submitted by Jewel Atkins (United States), Feb 24, 2003 at 22:04

Not long after September 11th, I began to study Arabic. I went to Borders Books here in Lancaster, PA and purchased the following book. The phrases are exactly as I saw them in the book. Let me know what you think, will you please?
Here are the details:

Hippocrene Books, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(You can get this book online at www.hippocrenebooks.com)

Arabic For Beginners by Syed Ali
ISBN 0-7818-0841-3 Copyright 2001

On Page 2 of the intro:

The author gives thanks to the following people and institutions:
"I am thankful to King Faisal Center for Research in Islamic Studies, Riyadh, Baghdad University and Islamic African Center, Khartoum for suggesting certain changes in the book and these have been incorporated in this edition." Syed Ali.

In lesson 9, some model sentences are given:
19: The soldier is brave.
20: God is powerful.
22: The sermon is eloquent.
29: The tank is full.
36: The sky is high.
38: The city is crowded....
(and my personal favorite) 39: The duck is fat.

In lesson 11, a few more sentences:
3: The mother stays at home. She cooks food, brings up the children and looks after the domestic chores.
5: The Director of the establishment told the workers: "Every one of you has made an effort and played his role for achieving the industrial and trade targets of the company, hence you deserve extra allowance."

In lesson 12, Syed gives us lots of descriptions of New York City, including a line about tall buildings, and friendly people.

In lesson 14, Syed talks about the happy peasants.

On page 108 and 109, in lesson 17, Syed quotes from the Koran...I think.
3: Do not call those who are slain in the way of God as dead. But they are living.
16: O my brother! Do not leave the water tap open. Do not write on the wall of the house nor throw the waste paper and peel of the fruits except in the waste-paper basket.

Lesson 18 offers this line:
5: The rocket has been fired.

In one lesson, (I can't find it now that I want to quote it) Syed parses the verb to beat as follows:
He was beaten, he is beating, he beat, he will beat, etc...

pp 134-135:
11: He has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving, so long as I remain alive.
12: The wind continues to be strong.
13: The market continues to be crowded.
14: The airplane was about to explode.
20: The playground is not crowded with people.
28: We don't have much time.
29: People had imagined that aviation was an impossible skill.

In lesson 21 I will learn how to say the following lines:
1: Certainly God is with the steadfast.
2: As if the news was correct!
3: The plane crashed, but the loss is little.
4: If only the accused was free!
10: Perhaps the train is reaching the station according to schedule.
16: If only the medicine was useful!
17: Perhaps the culprit is free!
18: It pains me that the war is continuing.
20: Perhaps the goal is near!

Maybe I should just get some Pimsleur tapes and learn Arabic the good old-fashioned, American way...in my car...What thinkest thou, Professor Pipes?


Submitting....

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Daniel Pipes replies:

It appears that, under the influence of the King Faisal Center for Research in Islamic Studies, Baghdad University, and the Islamic African Center, Khartoum, Syed Ali decided that learning Arabic is tantamount to taking first steps toward converting to Islam.

DP

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Reader comments (53) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Academic Treason [112 words]Donvan SickleJun 25, 2003 09:239736
Avowed enemies of U.S. automatically forfeit it's protections [23 words]DSm.Jun 20, 2003 13:569659
Generalizations fail [202 words]tramisJun 2, 2003 11:349325
We are pleased you provide solid info re muslim terrorists; Secy Powell [38 words]Helga & John WeisburgerMay 8, 2003 20:328965
Welcome to little Araby, aka Dearborn! [235 words]Halina MinadeoMar 28, 2003 20:257752
21st Century Fifth Column [125 words]John Gould, Jr.Mar 4, 2003 13:347062
Follow-up to " Will this even surprise you then?" [69 words]Jewel AtkinsMar 3, 2003 21:357025
Where has the FBI been? [104 words]Toby LeeMar 3, 2003 14:357022
Al-Arian [184 words]Mary J. HoekstraMar 1, 2003 21:216996
Palestinians are terrorist apologists [62 words]L.M.EderMar 1, 2003 16:356993
A Little Reading Goes a Long Way [123 words]A 'terrorist apologist'Dec 5, 2006 08:576993
To Jewel Atkins [39 words]MontyMar 1, 2003 09:576991
Al-Arian's Army [106 words]Bill HadneyFeb 28, 2003 17:376980
To "A British Citizen" [154 words]kenFeb 27, 2003 15:316962
Freedom of speech DOES NOT APPLY TO TREASON! [250 words]Keith MooneyFeb 26, 2003 15:106938
The West's Slow Death [270 words]Robert MacapagalFeb 26, 2003 10:036930
Thank you! [3 words]LinFeb 26, 2003 08:136929
Tip of The Iceberg Indeed [383 words]Larry StrattonFeb 26, 2003 01:086926
Witch hunt? [170 words]KellyFeb 25, 2003 22:266923
The hush at SFU [102 words]David EckhausFeb 25, 2003 21:056922
re: comment by "British citizen" [100 words]Daniel UtleyFeb 25, 2003 18:516909
Reinforcements Needed [172 words]Bill HadneyFeb 25, 2003 18:156906
Islam, America, and immigration [187 words]AlexanderFeb 25, 2003 17:326905
Rules in war [53 words]J.ShearerFeb 25, 2003 16:246904
Academic no surprise! [142 words]JackFeb 25, 2003 10:446897
Nothing but educated old men [140 words]British CitizenFeb 25, 2003 08:586895
A Question of Timing [246 words]Eliyahu SkoczylasFeb 25, 2003 08:076892
No Tax Revenue for islam [24 words]HavocFeb 25, 2003 01:306888
So-called Professors [174 words]Larry JacobsonFeb 25, 2003 00:316887
Something must be done [113 words]TLFeb 24, 2003 23:296886
No Surprise Here [24 words]NATA$HA VFeb 24, 2003 22:546885
Will this even surprise you, then? [541 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Jewel AtkinsFeb 24, 2003 22:046883
Keep at it- Somebody needs to keep wake us up! [55 words]Herchelle YoungFeb 24, 2003 21:486882
Educated Terrorists [231 words]Jim RivardFeb 24, 2003 21:326881
re: comment, "innocent till proven guilty" [103 words]YonasonFeb 24, 2003 19:276879
Jumping to conclusions? [85 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Emanuel A. HerzFeb 24, 2003 17:576878
Scholarly or Skullduggery? [213 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Alo KievalarFeb 24, 2003 14:136877
Here comes the backlash [90 words]GaryFeb 24, 2003 12:506876
Religion and Politics [138 words]Glenn KlotzFeb 24, 2003 12:476875
Willing to speak the truth [71 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Lisa MichelsonFeb 24, 2003 12:326874
Innocent Until Proven Guilty [39 words]Ralph WinstanleyFeb 24, 2003 12:156873
Follow the money! [7 words]Bob HowardFeb 24, 2003 12:106872
Thank you [48 words]TonyFeb 24, 2003 12:066871
Tip of the iceberg? [73 words]OviFeb 24, 2003 11:426870
Thank you. [13 words]Robert G. MogullFeb 24, 2003 11:286868
To commenter "Bruce" [74 words]D. ConnellFeb 24, 2003 10:166867
1Revivalist Islamist trends? [219 words]AlexanderFeb 24, 2003 10:066866
Deterrent to terror [178 words]Arlinda DeangelisFeb 24, 2003 09:416863
Once Again, We Are Reminded [509 words]Dr. James M. BuccigrossFeb 24, 2003 09:356862
American Freedom [69 words]HRalstonFeb 24, 2003 09:296860
Scholars and extremists? [51 words]BruceFeb 24, 2003 09:006859
Another one bites the dust [48 words]John ProiaFeb 24, 2003 08:546858
Professors [114 words]Brenda RossiniFeb 24, 2003 08:016856

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