Professional Competencies of Arabic Language Teachers for Non-Native Speakers for Religious Purposes
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Abstract
This study seeks to establish a foundational framework of professional competencies for Arabic language teachers of non-native speakers within the Islamic religious context, through a systematic survey, analysis, and comparison of specialized educational literature. The study proceeds from a core problematic premise: that the competencies required of Arabic teachers for religious purposes differ qualitatively from those demanded by general teacher preparation models, given the distinctive profile of learners who pursue Arabic for the understanding of the Holy Quran and the study of Islamic jurisprudence, Hadith, and Quranic exegesis. Adopting a descriptiveanalytical methodology, the study examines the conceptual frameworks underlying the terms com-petency and standard, reviews prominent international and Arabic models – including the ACTFL framework and the models of Tuʻaymah, Al-ʻUsh, and Al-Hudaybiʼs tripartite classification and ultimately delineates a comprehensive competency framework encompassing: detailed linguistic competencies (phonological, grammatical, morphological, semantic, communicative, discursive, and pragmatic); professional pedagogical competencies (planning, implementation, and assessment); Islamic cultural competencies; and personal attributes. The study concludes that integrating language and Islamic culture constitutes a functional necessity rather than a theoretical luxury, and that the existing gap in the preparation of such teachers necessitates the development of a specialized normative framework responsive to the demands of this distinctive context.
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2026, no. 1 (13), pp. 150-171, Shiekh М.А. Professional Competencies of Arabic Language Teachers for Non-Native Speakers for Religious Purposes // Bulletin of the Bolgar Islamic Academy
For citation
Shiekh Moustafa М.А. Professional Competencies of Arabic Language Teachers for Non-Native Speakers for Religious Purposes // Bulletin of the Bolgar Islamic Academy, 2026, no. 1 (13), pp. 152-173.
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• Al-Fawzan ʻA. Illuminations for Arabic Language Teachers of Non-Native Speakers. Riyadh: Arabiyyah lil-Jami, 2009, 403 p.
• Al-Hudaybi ʻA.A. Guide for the Arabic Language Teacher of Non-Native Speakers. 1st ed. Riyadh: King Abdullah International Center for Arabic Language Service; Wujuh Publishing and Distribution, 2015, 72 p.
• Al Kadam M. The Teacher and the Curriculum and Their Role in Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers. Unpublished masterʼs thesis. Amman: University of Jordan, 2012.
• Al-Lafawiri ʻA., Abu ʻAmshah Kh. Teaching Arabic to non-native speakers: Problems and solutions. IN: Journal of Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2005, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 487–497.
• Al-ʻUmari F. The Arabic Language Teacher for Non-Native Speakers in Light of Modern Linguistics. IN: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Teaching Arabic: Linguistic Patterns and Cultural Contexts in Arabic Language Teaching. Amman: Dar Kunuz al-Maʻrifah, 2014, vol. 2, pp. 667–676.
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• Tuʻaymah R. A. The Teacher: Competencies, Preparation, Training. 2nd ed. Cairo: Dar al-Fikr al-ʻArabi, 2006, 436 p.