How this paper is set and answered
From the notes printed under FPSC's own Revised Scheme tables.
- The question papers in Urdu or other Pakistani regional languages (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto and Balochi), Persian and Arabic should be answered in the respective languages. However, question relating with translation from respective language into English or vice versa may be answered as directed in the question paper.
- Ratio of MCQs in compulsory papers for CE-2016 will be 20 MCQs in each paper except in the paper of Essay. Similarly there will be 20 MCQs from each optional paper except Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.
Complete Arabic Syllabus
The full official FPSC syllabus, reproduced section by section from the source document.
1Pre-Islamic period ()اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻟﺠﺎھﻠﻲ
2Influence of poets and poetry in Jahiliia period.
1 point
- ()أﺛﺮ اﻟﺸﻌﺮ و اﻟﺸﻌﺮآء ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻟﺠﺎھﻠﻲ
3Literary markets in pre-Islamic ArabsespeciallyUkkaz
1 point
- ()أﺳﻮاق اﻷدب ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻟﺠﺎھﻠﻲ ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﺳﻮق ﻋﻜﺎظ
4Purposes and features of pre- Islamic poetry special reference to Mu’allaqat.
1 point
- ()أﻏﺮاض اﻟﺸﻌﺮ اﻟﺠﺎھﻠﻲ و ﻣﺰاﯾﺎه ﻣﻊ اﻟﺘﺮﻛﯿﺰ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻘﺎت
5Dawn of Islam ()ﻋﺼﺮ ﺻﺪر اﻹﺳﻼم
6Eloquence and Rhetoric of Holy Quran with examples from Quranic verses.
1 point
- ()ﻓﺼﺎﺣﺔ اﻟﻘﺮآن و ﺑﻼﻏﺘﮫ ﻣﻊ اﻷﻣﺜﻠﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻘﺮآن اﻟﻜﺮﯾﻢ
7Impact of Quran and Hadith on the subsequent literature.
1 point
- ()أﺛﺮ اﻟﻘﺮآن و اﻟﺤﺪﯾﺚ ﻓﻲ اﻷدب اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻲ
8Poetry at the Dawn of Islam ()اﻟﺸﻌﺮ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺼﺮ ﺻﺪر اﻹﺳﻼم
9Umayyad Period ()اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻷﻣﻮي
10Art of Flyting ()ﻓﻦ اﻟﻨﻘﺎﺋﺾ
11Erotic and platonic ghazal ()اﻟﻐﺰل اﻟﺼﺮﯾﺢ واﻟﻐﺰل اﻟﻌﺬري
12Abbasid and Spanish Period () اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻟﻌﺒﺎس واﻷﻧﺪﻟﺴﻲ
13Purposes and features of Abbasid poetry with special emphasis on the poetry of Mutanabbi,
1 point
- Abu Tammam, Abu Nuwas, AbulAtahia ()أﻏﺮاض اﻟﺸﻌﺮ اﻟﻌﺒﺎﺳﻲ و ﻣﯿﺰاﺗﮫ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺘﺮﻛﯿﺰ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺷﻌﺮ اﻟﻤﺘﻨﺒﻲ و أﺑﻲ ﺗﻤﺎم و أﺑﻲ ﻧﻮاس وأﺑﻲ اﻟﻌﺘﺎھﯿﺔ
14Prose and its different styles with special emphasis on style of IbnulAmeed, IbnulMuqaffa,
1 point
- Al-Jahiz and Al-Qazi al Fazil. ()اﻟﻨﺜﺮ و أﺳﺎﻟﯿﺒﮫ اﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﺧﺎﺻﺔ أﺳﻠﻮب اﺑﻦ اﻟﻌﻤﯿﺪ و اﺑﻦ اﻟﻤﻘﻔﻊ واﻟﺠﺎﺣﻆ و اﻟﻘﺎﺿﻲ اﻟﻔﺎﺿﻞ
15Spanish poetry, with special reference to poetry of Ibn e Zaidoon
1 point
- ()اﻟﺸﻌﺮ اﻷﻧﺪﻟﺴﻲ ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﺷﻌﺮ اﺑﻦ زﯾﺪون
16Contemporary Arabic literature ()اﻷدب اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻲ اﻟﻤﻌﺎﺻﺮ
17Development of Drama with special focus on services of Toufeeq al Hakeem
18()ﺗﻄﻮر اﻟﻤﺴﺮﺣﯿﺔ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺘﺮﻛﯿﺰ ﻋﻠﻰ أﻋﻤﺎل ﺗﻮﻓﯿﻖ اﻟﺤﻜﯿﻢ
19Development of Novel with special reference to the novels of Taha Husain and
1 point
- NageebMahfooz ()ﺗﻄﻮر اﻟﺮواﯾﺔ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺘﺮﻛﯿﺰ ﻋﻠﻰ رواﯾﺎت ﻃﮫ ﺣﺴﯿﻦ و ﻧﺠﯿﺐ ﻣﺤﻔﻮظ
20Development of short story with special focus on short stories of MahmoodTaimoor
1 point
- ()ﺗﻄﻮر اﻟﻘﺼﺔ اﻟﻘﺼﯿﺮة ﻣﻊ ﻧﻤﻮذج ﻣﻦ اﻟﻘﺼﺺ اﻟﻘﺼﯿﺮة ﻋﻨﺪ ﻣﺤﻤﻮد ﺗﯿﻤﻮر
21Poetry with special focus on poetry of Ahmad Shouqi and Hafiz Ibraheem
1 point
- ()ﺧﺼﺎﺋﺺ اﻟﺸﻌﺮ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺘﺮﻛﯿﺰ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺷﻌﺮ أﺣﻤﺪ ﺷﻮﻗﻲ و ﺣﺎﻓﻆ إﺑﺮاھﯿﻢ
22Common Topics of different periods
23Criticism from pre-Islamic era to the 4th Islamic Century
1 point
- ( )اﻟﻨﻘﺪ ﻓﻲ اﻷدب اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻲ: ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻟﺠﺎھﻠﻲ إﻟﻰ اﻟﻘﺮن اﻟﺮاﺑﻊ اﻟﮭﺠﺮي
24Art of Oratory from pre-Islamic era to Umayyad period
1 point
- ()اﻟﺨﻄﺎﺑﺔ: ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻟﺠﺎھﻠﻲ إﻟﻰ اﻟﻌﺼﺮ اﻷﻣﻮي
25Development of Arabic literature in the Sub-Continent: (Ghulam Ali Azad in poetry
1 point
- and Shah WaliUllah in prose) ( )ﺗﻄﻮر اﻷدب اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺷﺒﮫ اﻟﻘﺎرة اﻟﮭﻨﺪﯾﺔ: ﻏﻼم ﻋﻠﻲ آزاد ﻓﻲ اﻟﺸﻌﺮ و ﺷﺎه وﻟﻲ اﷲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻨﺜﺮ
26Poetry for Arabic paper
27Verses from ode of ImraulQais (1-10)
1 point
- ( ﺳﯿﻤﺎﯾﻮﻣﺒﺪارةﺟﻠﺠﻞ وﻻ : إﻟﻰ ... ﻗﻔﺎﻧﺒﻜﻤﻨﺬﻛﺮىﺤﺒﯿﺒﻮﻣﻨﺰل :) ﻣﻦ
28Verses fromQaseedah of Zuhair bin AbiSulma (50-62).
1 point
- ( ﻓﻠﻢ ﯾﺒﻖ إﻻ ﺻﻮرة اﻟﻠﺤﻢ واﻟﺪم :ﻣﻦ: )وﻣﻦ ﻻ ﯾﺼﺎﻧﻊ ﻓﻲ أﻣﻮر ﻛﺜﯿﺮة...إﻟﻰ
29Verses from poetry of Hassan bin Thabit (14-28)
1 point
- (ﻣﻦ: )ﻓﺈﻣﺎﺗﻌﺮﺿﻮاﻋﻨﺎاﻋﺘﻤﺮﻧﺎ...إﻟﻰ: ﻟﻌﺮﺿﻤﺤﻤﺪﻣﻨﻜﻤﻮﻗﺂء
30Verses from poetry of Ka’b bin Zuhair (33-40)
1 point
- ( أَرىﻮَأَﺳﻤَﻌُﻤﺎﻟَﻮﯾَﺴﻤَﻌُﺎﻟﻔﯿﻞ ُوَﻗَﻮﻟُﮫ... إﻟﻰ: ﯾَﺴﻌىﺎﻟﻮُﺷﺎةُﺑِﺠَﻨﺒَﯿﮭﺎ : ﻣﻦ
31Verses from poetry of Hafiz Ibrahim (1-10)
1 point
- ( ﻓَﯿﺎﻟَﯿﺘَﻜُﻤﺘَﺄﺗﻮﻧَﺒِﺎﻟﻜَﻠِﻤﺎت ِ...إﻟﻰ: رَﺟَﻌﺘُﻠِﻨَﻔﺴﯿﻔَﺎِﺗﱠﮭَﻤﺘُﺤَﺼﺎﺗﻲ ):ﻣﻦ
32Verses from ode of Ahmad Shouqi(1-10)
1 point
- ﺤَﻮّاء( دوﻧَﺎﻷَﻧﺎﻣِﻮَأَﺣﺮَزَﺗ ...إﻟﻰ: وُﻟِﺪَاﻟﮭُﺪىﻔَﺎﻟﻜﺎﺋِﻨﺎﺗُﻀِﯿﺎء ) :ُﻣﻦ
33Verses from Qaseedah of Imam Al Booseri (15-24)
1 point
- ﻢ( ﻓﺄَﻧْﺘَﺘَﻌْﺮِﻓُﻜَﯿْﺪَاﻟﺨَﺼْﻤِﻮاﻟﺤَﻜ َ...إﻟﻰ: ﻣَﻨْﻠِﯿﺒِﺮَدﱢﺟِﻤﺎﺣٍﻤِﻨْﻐَﻮاﯾَﺘِﮭﺎ ) :ﻣﻦ
34Arabic Grammar()ﻗﻮاﻋﺪ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﯿﺔ
35Syntax (: )اﻟﻨﺤﻮKinds of Sentence (Nominal and Verbal), kinds of Noun (“Proper and
1 point
- Common”, “Masculine and Feminine”, “Singular, Dual and Plural”, “Mu’rab and Mabni”), Case-Ending. و اﻟﻤﺬﻛﺮ" أﻗﺴﺎم اﻹﺳﻢ: "اﻟﻤﻌﺮﻓﺔ و اﻟﻨﻜﺮة", "اﻟﻤﺆﻧﺚ )أﻗﺴﺎم اﻟﺠﻤﻠﺔ: اﻟﻔﻌﻠﯿﺔ و اﻹﺳﻤﯿﺔ-- اﻹﻋﺮاب( — "اﻟﻤﻔﺮد واﻟﺘﺜﻨﯿﺔ و اﻟﺠﻤﻊ", "اﻟﻤﻌﺮب واﻟﻤﺒﻨﻲ
36Morphology (: )اﻟﺼﺮفEtymology (roots), Mujarrad, Mazeed-feeh, Transitive and
1 point
- Intransitiveverb, Active and passive voice. ( اﻟﻔﻌﻞ اﻟﻼزم و اﻟﻤﺘﻌﺪي—اﻟﻔﻌﻞ اﻟﻤﺒﻨﻲ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮم و اﻟﻤﺒﻨﻲ اﻟﻤﺠﮭﻮل-- اﻟﻤﺠﺮد واﻟﻤﺰﯾﺪ ﻓﯿﮫ--)اﻹﺷﺘﻘﺎق
Excelling in Arabic
Arabic (100 marks) is highly rewarding for candidates with a strong Madrassah or academic linguistic background.
1. Grammar and Syntax: Perfect your grip on Nahw (syntax) and Sarf (morphology). Errors here are heavily penalized.
2. Classical and Modern Literature: Read the prescribed poetry and prose extensively. Memorize prominent verses to quote securely in critical analysis answers.
3. Translation Skills: Daily practice of unseen translations (Arabic to English/Urdu and vice versa) is the only way to build speed and accuracy.
FPSC recommended books
12 books. This list sits on a scanned page of the official PDF, so it was entered by hand and has not been verified against the official text.
| Title | Author |
|---|---|
| 1. A Literary History of the Arabs | Reynold A. Nicholson |
| 2. History of Arabic Literature (تاریخ الأدب العربي) | Ahmad Hasan Zayyat |
| 3. The Contribution of India to the Arabic Literature | Dr. Zubaid Ahmad |
| 4. Muallim-ul-Insha'a (معلم الانشاء) | Maulana Abdul Majid Nadavi |
| 5. Arthur J. Arberry, Modern Arabic Poetry | Arthur J. Arberry |
| 6. Selections from Arabic Poetry & Prose (شذرات من الشعرو النثر العربي) | Dr. Khaliq Dad Malik |
| 7. Applied Arabic Grammar (تطبيق القواعد العربية) | Dr. Khaliq Dad Malik |
| 8. Tasheel Al-sarf wa Al-Nahv (تسهيل الصرف وتسهيل النحو) | Khan Muhammad |
| 9. جواهر الشعر, Published by Darul Hadith Cairo | جمع وترتيب وشرح الشاعر/الشربيني شريدة |
| 10. Arabic Literature (الأدب العربي) — Elective Arabic Course B.A. | Punjab University Lahore |
| 11. الجامع في تاريخ الأدب العربي | حنا الفاخوري |
| 12. تاريخ الأدب العربي | الدكتور شوقي ضيف |
Frequently asked questions
How many marks is Arabic in the CSS exam?
Arabic carries 100 marks and is examined in a single paper. It is an optional subject in Group VII - Humanities & Languages.
Where does this Arabic syllabus come from?
It is reproduced from Revised Syllabi for CSS Competitive Examination, CE-2016 (updated 7 July 2015), pages 36-38, published by FPSC. The original PDF is linked at the top of this page.
Which books does FPSC recommend for Arabic?
FPSC lists 12 books, beginning with "A Literary History of the Arabs" by Reynold A. Nicholson. The full list is on this page.
Syllabus text reproduced from Revised Syllabi for CSS Competitive Examination, CE-2016 (updated 7 July 2015), pages 36-38. Marks and grouping are from the same document's Revised Scheme tables. Verify against the official PDF before relying on it.