I have studied at two other centres in Cairo and was very pleased with Sibawayh. The
teaching and secretarial staff are all very friendly and approachable. They were
also very flexible to meet my requirements in terms of the number of hours that I
needed to study within a specific time frame; I always felt that they were trying
their best to accomodate my needs. The teaching staff are excellent, I had no
complaints regarding the quality of my teaching and I heard only positive comments
from the other students. The atmosphere at Sibawayh is fantastic. I attended in the
summer, when it is particularly busy, and found that the centre is geared towards
promoting conversation between staff and students. Throughout almost the entire day,
you are bound to find staff and students in the waiting room, which is very
conducive to practising your language skills as well as making new friends: Sibawayh
is a family and an excellent school.
Musab Saeed
Summer 2009
I spent 6 months at Sibawayh, intending to
learn enough between my Masters and PhD programs to be
equipped to do my research in Arabic. The one on one format of the classes was
especially helpful for me because I could ask my teachers to focus more on grammar
where I felt I needed it, and use texts that I would be using in my own
research when I was further along. In just the first month I was comfortable
speaking in Arabic, and the environment at Sibawayh was such that I didn't feel
shy or awkward trying it out with anyone there. Sibawayh was an encouraging,
warm and friendly environment as well as a great learning experience. From
helping us find an apartment to suggesting places in Egypt
to visit and how to get there, to organizing field trips, I would not have
chosen another place to study.
Bariza (September 2007 - March 2008)
bariza@gmail.com
---
From the moment I arrived, right through to the end of my stay, the center was extremely friendly and professional. The lessons were relaxed and enjoyable, with my two tutors experienced enough to know when to slow down and when to push forward.I've thoroughly enjoyed my lessons here and wish I could have spared more than a month here. That said, the course has provided an excellent base, from which I hope to improve upon during my free time back home or, possibly return next summer.I sincerely recommend the centre to anyone considering a course in Arabic. Whether studying for a single month, like myself, or taking advantage of their longer programs, Sibawayh provide an excellent learning environment, immersing you completely in the language.James Regan (Cheltenham, U.K.)James_regan1@hotmail.com Summer 2008----I really appreciated the lessons I took at the Sibawayh Centre in Cairo. The teachers were very good and friendly, the atmosphere always pleasant and the improvements in Arabic: AMAZING!I highly recommend this Centre for anyone wanting to learn Arabic, have a good time and enjoy his/her stay in Egypt.Sami Tariq,LondonSami18988@gmail.comSummer 2008-----I had a great time studying at the Sibawayh Center. The teachers are very friendly and helpful and the students are really nice. Studying at the Center has greatly improved my Arabic.Katherine Bower
Summer 2008
K_bowe_13@hotmail.com
-----I began the Gold Program in January of 2008, it is now August 2008 and I have improved my Arabic beyond my expectation in reading, writing, speaking, and grammar. The one on one classes are extremely helpful since you are able to go at your own pace and the instructor can then cater to your individual learning style. I found both books used for the Gold Program to effectively teach the material, especially if you are beginning with no previous knowledge of the language. Everyone at the center is extremely helpful in every aspect, with help locating a place to stay, with locations of places to shop, or any other issue you may encounter along the way. The center also provides you with a very nurturing environment to practice speaking inside and outside the classroom. I highly recommend Sibawayh. Alexandra,2008Alexandra_feliberti@yahoo.com Texas, USA ---The Sibawayh is very flexible and understanding with any problems and the one-on-one format is especially effective and invaluable for creating the most useful Arabic program geared specifically towards the students' needs and goals. The prices are very reasonable and some of the most competitive in Cairo. Everyone is warm and welcoming and the Sibawayh Center was my home and family for my time here in Egypt.Leyla 2007-2008leyla.derbali@gmail.com ---"Location:
Sibawayh center is located in a wonderfully convenient part of Cairo . With malls, supermarkets, coffee shops, internet cafes, fashion boutiques and fast-food restaurants of every conceivable type littering its major through-ways, Nasr City is the ideal location for Western students looking for something familiar.
The Center:
Sibawayh is very efficiently run and staff and teachers are all willing to lend a helpful hand. Though Arabic is the target language, Sibawayh staff are willing and able to speak English with students who have just arrived or whose Arabic is not yet advanced enough to leave English behind entirely.
Teachers:
Knowledgeable, professional, punctual, friendly, thoughtful, warm, experienced, and highly qualified. Whether teaching the Arabic alphabet or the rhetoric of ancient Arabic poetry, Sibawayh teachers know their material and know how to teach it. Their passion for the language is inspiring and can be encouraging when the going gets tough. Teachers come from some of the top universities in Egypt (e.g. the Azhar and the University of Cairo ) and have special training in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers.
Curriculum:
Flexibility: this is the first feature which distinguishes Sibawayh from other Arabic language institutes. The center allows the student to choose the curriculum that best suits his or her interests and needs. Kitab al-asasi is the primary textbook series used by most students but students who prefer other textbooks, like al-Kitab or the University of Medina textbook series, are welcome to choose as they wish. Second and just as important, for those that are interested, Sibawayh offers an Islamic studies track for students whose Arabic is advanced enough. Students who choose this track can study traditional Islamic sciences such as aqida, tafsir, fiqh, hadith etc. in addition to nahu, sarf, and balagha. Finally, other than reading and writing, conversational Arabic is a skill upon which Sibawayh center places a great emphasis. Students leaving Sibawayh are head-and-shoulders above other students who study at other institutes which focus more on grammar and reading skills at the expense of speaking. Inevitably, close friendships between student and teacher result, making conversation in Arabic a pleasure rather than a chore.
Price:
Though group rates are available, Sibawayh's primary classroom format is one teacher, one student, one classroom. The benefits of this are tremendous in that the teacher can focus entirely on the particular needs of his or her student and any weaknesses which the teacher diagnoses can be addressed immediately. Despite this, Sibawayh's tuition rates remain among the most competitive in Egypt and are far more affordable than other institutes elsewhere in the Arab world which do not use the one-on-one classroom format."
Kamran Karimullah
kkarimullah@gmail.com
--
"I studied at the Sibawayh Center for 6 weeks this summer, and I found the program to be incredibly helpful. My Arabic skills in reading, writing, speaking and understanding improved immensely, as did my confidence. Studying a language one-on-one is the best way! The center itself is small, friendly, and welcoming, and the staff was willing to help me with anything I needed. The program of study was so flexible and I was able to choose to study exactly what I wanted. The center is also welcoming to students of any background and they make sure everyone feels at home as soon as they arrive."
Josephine Walker, 2007
jogwalker@gmail.com --
"After hearing such high praise for the Sibawayh centre, I decided to enroll myself for Arabic calligraphy lessons. The Sibawayh centre provided a friendly and relaxing environment and I felt very comfortable there.
At the Sibawayh centre, I felt that I gained a lot of knowledge not only in the area that I was studying, but also in other areas that linked into it, like tafseer of the ayahs I was writing. I found the course structure at Sibawayh was malleable and that the happiness of their students was their number one priority.
The teachers at the institute, in particular my teacher Ustadh Sayed, are talented, qualified and extremely knowledgeable, masha'allah. I felt very honored to be taught by someone so educated and was taught with great patience and skill and with much encouragement. The Sibawayh centre also offered many extra resources to aid me in my study of KHT.
I wish I had discovered the Sibawayh centre earlier and will definitely study there in the future, insha'allah."
Maryam, 2007
maryamram@hotmail.com
--
"I came to Sibawayh with the desire to pursue Arabic studies which I could eventually apply as a key to Islamic knowledge. After spending the last eight months at Sibawayh, I can confidently say that that the center has prepared me to continue my studies in Islamic curricula concerning tafsir, shariah, hadith, tajweed, and also contemporary scholarships.
Sibawayh is unique comparatively to other centers I considered because of their ability to flexibly work around the needs and goals of their students. There are various tracks students can pursue regardless of their purpose of studying the language. Not only does the center have extremely qualified teachers and academics, but they also have the etiquette and friendliness that makes foreign students studying in Cairo feel like they are at home. Sibawayh has not only been my source of education but also my family here.
I am gratefully indebted for the knowledge and help the center has offered me during my stay in Cairo."
Wajeeha Shuttari, 2007
Michigan
shuttari@umich.edu
--
"I took two courses in al-tajwid at Sibawayh Centre in 2006. Alhamdulillah I found a marked improvement in my recitation following the course taught by a graduate of al-Azhar university, as well as having studied the rules of the Hafs 'an Asim way of recitation, through studying al-mulakhkhas fi 'ilm al-tajwid, and the poems tuhfat al-atfal and al-jazariyyah. I found the text-orientated approach of Sibwayh very beneficial as it meant that I went through the rules systematically and could be confident at the end that nothing essential had been missed out. I would definitely recommend Sibawayh to other students seeking to study the tajwid of the Qur'an."
Alia Azmi
--
"Thank you is quite simple but best describes my experience with the Sibawayh Center. As a scientist and clinician, my gift of success in life has always been crowded by an uneasy feeling of lack of knowledge of the key to the Quraan...Arabic Language.
In 3 months of study with teacher of the Sibawayh center, all that changed. I now speak Arabic, listen to radio program and about to start on the lifelong journey of learning the Quraan. My study at the center continues.. but even now..I say, THANK YOU SIBAWAYH."
"Thank you is quite simple but best describes my experience with the Sibawayh Center. As a scientist and clinician, my gift of success in life has always been crowded by an uneasy feeling of lack of knowledge of the key to the Quraan...Arabic Language.
In 3 months of study with teacher of the Sibawayh center, all that changed. I now speak Arabic, listen to radio program and about to start on the lifelong journey of learning the Quraan. My study at the center continues.. but even now..I say, THANK YOU SIBAWAYH." "I've spent 6 months at Sibawayh Center and received a high quality of learning from many teachers. I enjoyed my time, the environment, and the attitude towards learning at Sibawayh. I've heard horror stories from other students about problems with other centers but everyone I've met here at Sibawayh has had nothing but praise for their dedication to tailoring lessons to the specific needs of the student because the focus is the student there, which makes them more malleable than other centers in Madinat Nasr. Sibawayh takes in a student fresh from the west and gives them a smooth transition to the life, culture, and charm of the Middle East. I found myself using Sibawayh center as a home away from home which made learning Arabic easy. "
Mohamud Mahmoud
Long Beach, California
bigmo213@hotmail.com
--
"Thank you is quite simple but best describes my experience with the Sibawayh Center. As a scientist and clinician, my gift of success in life has always been crowded by an uneasy feeling of lack of knowledge of the key to the Quraan...Arabic Language.
In 3 months of study with teacher of the Sibawayh center, all that changed. I now speak Arabic, listen to radio program and about to start on the lifelong journey of learning the Quraan. My study at the center continues.. but even now..I say, THANK YOU SIBAWAYH." Dr Bello S. Oricha. BSc, MD, PhD--
"As a Muslim American female, the Sibawayh Center has provided a rare balance of comfort and spiritual encouragement. Students who come here will find a staff that is inspiring and motivating. With great enthusiasm, the teachers here offer honest advice not only about the Arabic language but also about living in Egypt. My progress at the Sibawayh Center has been very satisfying and has driven me to study Arabic at a greater depth. The friendly atmosphere, the amazing staff and my progress in the Arabic language has made my entire experience an unforgettable one."
Asmah Mallick
Wisconsin, USA
asmallick@hotmail.com
--
"Markaz Sibawayh is a wonderful place for any student of knowledge striving to learn the Arabic language. The location is excellent, nestled in the town of Madinat Nasr, and the facilities are in excellent shape, having opened only recently (April, 2005). I have been studying Arabic and Tajweed with both Ustadh Sayed and Ustadh Hamdy for 3 months now and have found them to have the best qualifications and training in their field. But what sets Markaz Sibawayh apart from the rest of the marakaaz (centers) in Madinat Nasr is their friendly attitude and ways of business. To any student looking to study in the Middle East - BEWARE! The business customs in the Middle East are much different than those that we are accustomed to in the West. However, at Markaz Sibawayh, you will find the customs here to parallel what we are accustomed to in the West!"Irfan Shuttari
Michigan, USA
ishuttar@umich.edu--
"I have studied at Markaz Sibawayh since Ustadh Sayed and Ustadh Hamdi opened it in April 2005. The environment is one of Brotherhood; the teachers are excellent and the facilities are new and clean. Specifically, I studied with Ustadh Syed for a total of 10 months during the past 2 and half years. He is a skillful and patient guide in the path to learning Arabic."Ibrahim Wang
California, USA
darreniwang@yahoo.com
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Testimonials 
