Overview
Cheikh Saadbouh, also known as Saad Elhady, serves as an Arabic Instructor at Duke University, where he teaches Arabic courses. Previously, he was a visiting lecturer in Arabic at UNC. He has earned a Bachelor's degree in Islamic and Arabic Studies, a Bachelor's degree in Law, and a Master's degree in Philosophy and Theology in North and West Africa.
Saad specializes in Modern and Classical Arabic and holds a full ACTFL OPI Certification in Modern Standard Arabic. He is fluent in several Arabic dialects.
Beyond his teaching duties, Saad has contributed as a journalist and editor and has delivered numerous talks and interviews on Arabic culture and literature. He coordinates the Arabic Halaqa at Duke University and engages in various projects related to Arabic and it's culture.
His experience also includes roles as a research assistant for professors and Ph.D. students at Wellesley College and Harvard University.
Saad possesses a deep passion for Arabic, with a particular interest in Arabic poetry, especially its rich traditions before and after Islam.
Besides his formal education, Saad has also spent time in seminars in Mauritania, where he underwent formative training. Areas of training included the Qur’an ( where he got 3 Ijazats) , Islamic Jurisprudence, Classical Arabic Literature and Grammar (notably Alfiya ibn Malik from the 13th century), Maliki Law, Uṣūl al-fiqh (roots of Islamic jurisprudence), furu` al-fiqh ( positive law), and tafsir under scholars in Mauritania.
Saad's interest in both classical and modern Islamic thought, with a particular focus on the application of al-maqassid in modern societies.