This is the first of two intensive advanced reading courses in the Arabic language. Throughout this course, the students will also be familiar with different sacred texts such as Tafsīr (Quranic exegesis) and Qiṣas al-Anbiyā’ (Tales of the Prophets) to the fables focused on the description of amazing and mythological creatures such as Qazvīni’s ‘Ajā’ib al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharā’ib alMawjūdāt (Marvels of Creatures and Strange things existing) and Kalīla wa Dimna as well as the epic of the legendary Arabic heroin Dhāt al-Himma in Sīrat Dhāt al-Himma.