Arabic, Darija and Quran lessons online for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean

What differs by country

Malawi has deep-rooted Muslim communities, especially among the Yao in the south, where many learners already read the Quranic script and want Tajweed or understanding. Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe have smaller, long-established communities, many of South Asian heritage. In Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini communities are very small, and many learners start from the alphabet.

On the islands, Arabic is an official language of the Comoros and most children attend Quranic school; Mauritius has a large Muslim community of Indian heritage; Madagascar and Seychelles have smaller communities. French is widely used in Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and the Comoros, so learners there can choose French explanations.

Choosing MSA, Moroccan Darija or Quran

Choose MSA to read, write and understand Arabic, for study or work, or to understand formal and Islamic texts. Choose Moroccan Darija only for spoken Arabic with Moroccans or life in Morocco. Choose a Quran path for reading, Tajweed, memorization with revision or meanings.

Lisanova teaches two kinds of Arabic: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA, Fusha) — the formal Arabic of books, news, documents and Islamic scholarship — and Moroccan Darija, the everyday spoken Arabic of Morocco. Quran lessons are a separate path. It does not teach Comorian (Shikomori), Swahili or any Arabic dialect other than Moroccan Darija.

How online lessons from Morocco work

Lisanova Academy is an online academy run from Morocco. It has no classroom, branch, agent or locally based tutor in Africa outside Morocco: every lesson is a live one-to-one video lesson with a Moroccan teacher.

You book a free trial, the academy agrees a time with you on WhatsApp, and the teacher runs a short informal level check. You then choose single lessons or a package and keep a regular weekly time, with the same teacher where possible.

Explanation language

Lisanova has teachers who explain lessons in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as in Arabic; not every teacher speaks every one of these languages. The Arabic you learn is a separate choice from the explanation language. English suits most learners on the mainland; French or English suits Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and the Comoros. Lessons are not explained in Setswana, Shona, Ndebele, Chichewa, Bemba, Sesotho, siSwati, Malagasy, Creole or Comorian. Tell us your preference when you enquire and we match you with a suitable teacher.

Time zones

Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi are on Central Africa Time and Lesotho and Eswatini on South African Standard Time — both UTC+2, usually one hour ahead of Morocco. Madagascar and the Comoros are on UTC+3, usually two hours ahead; Mauritius and Seychelles on UTC+4, usually three hours ahead. During Ramadan Morocco moves to UTC+0 and each difference grows by one hour.

When you book the free trial or ask on WhatsApp, send your city and two or three preferred local times. The academy replies with a proposed time in your local time and in Morocco time; the lesson is fixed only once you both confirm. No timetable is published in advance and no hour is guaranteed.

South Africa and Mozambique

South Africa has its own English page with Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria. Learners in Mozambique can read the Portuguese page, since Portuguese explanations are available.

Prices and getting started

Private Arabic and Moroccan Darija: one 60-minute lesson $20; 8 hours $120; 12 hours $170; 16 hours $200. Prices are in US dollars; no local-currency price is offered. The first trial lesson is free.

Quran and Islamic Studies: single class $12 per hour; Monthly Package 1, 8 hours per month, $80; Monthly Package 2, 12 hours per month, $110. Families get 15% off for each additional sibling. Discover Islam sessions are free.

Book the free Arabic/Darija trial with your name, WhatsApp number and preferred package; the academy arranges the time with you on WhatsApp. You can pay by bank transfer, by card or through a money-transfer service such as Western Union. Quran enquiries are arranged on WhatsApp. Cancellation and refund conditions are on the Terms page.