Logic and Critical Thinking: Sharh al-Sullam
Classical logic (mantiq) through al-Akhdari's versified primer al-Sullam al-Munawraq
Foundations of logic and critical thinking as classically studied in support of the core Islamic disciplines. The text is al-Sullam al-Munawraq, a 144-line didactic poem by the 16th-century Algerian scholar Abd al-Rahman al-Akhdari, read with his own commentary. Topics: conception and assent, the modes of signification, the five universals, definition and description, propositions and their opposition, conversion, the syllogism, and the five arts of argument.
Lectures
Course texts
Start here: essential outside resources
Free online reader presenting each Arabic couplet of the 144-verse poem followed by an English rendering, with toggleable commentary and adjustable Arabic/English order. The most readable free English Sullam translation.
Clean, fully vocalized PDF of the poem with numbered verses and section headings (direct: https://data.nur.nu/Kutub/Arabic/Akhdari_Sulam-manzhuma.pdf), plus al-Damanhuri's commentary and a YouTube recital. Best vocalized text for memorization.
Course handout with Arabic text, English translation and explanatory notes used for Hamza Yusuf's Rihla logic course. Clear modern English and the standard terminology English-speaking students use.
Free archived copy of the 14-lesson course on al-Abhari's Isagoge covering terms, five predicables, definitions, propositions, opposition, conversion and syllogisms.
Free on-demand course walking through the full Isaghuji with an Azhar-trained teacher; the natural English companion to the Sullam.
Authoritative overview of the Arabic logical tradition, including the tasawwur/tasdiq organization, the five universals, definitions, and the madrasa textbook tradition to which the Sullam belongs.