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Education and Religion
No More Booklists. Enter the Fake Degree!

No More Booklists. Enter the Fake Degree!

Last updated on: July 1, 2026 at 1:03 pm by Bader Saab

No More Booklists. Enter the Fake Degree! 2026-07-01T13:03:31-04:00 Bader Saab

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I’ve talked a lot about this book and the other one. And I haven’t read that many. This is the year I want to change that in any way, so while I was working on the definitive book list, I realized I probably had enough books to make up a degree. Turns out I was right! I’m not sure whether this is a Master’s, PhD, or certificate, but I love the idea of working on a personal (fake) degree. When I took a closer look at all the books, I grouped them into classes, which resulted in an excitement I haven’t felt in a long time.

“Syria, Amrit”, by Jerzy Strzelecki. 2007. Cropped. Source.

In case there is anyone else there who’s interested in pursuing this degree with me (and that can help me with a name for it, just for fun), here’s the required reading for each class. I found some Open Access options here and there, but I couldn’t find many, so feel free to message me anywhere and I’ll be happy to add those to the list as well!

Degree in Sha’ir Studies

Introduction to Pagan Arabia

The Religion and Rituals of the Nomads of Pre-Islamic Arabia: A Reconstruction Based on the Safaitic Inscriptions, by Ahmad Al-Jallad. Open Access.
Book of Idols (Kitāb al-ʾAṣnām), by Hisham ibn al-Kalbi. Open Access.
The religion of the Nabataeans: A Conspectus, by John F. Healey. Open Access.

History of Syria

The Middle East: The Cradle of Civilization Revealed, by Dr. Stephen Bourke.
A History of the Arab Peoples, by Albert Hourani.
The Druze Faith, by Sami Nasib Makarem.
The Impossible Revolution: Making Sense of the Syrian Tragedy, by Yassin Al-Haj Saleh.
No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria, by Rania Abouzeid.

JinnCraft 101

Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn, by Amira El-Zein.
Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar, by Robert Lebling.

The Arabian Nights

The Annotated Arabian Nights: Tales from 1001 Nights, by Paulo Lemos Horta and Yasmine Seale.
A Hundred and One Nights, by Bruce Fudge.

Introduction to Arab Folklore

Syrian Folktales, by Muna Imady.
The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman: The Arabic Epic of Dhat Al-Himma, by Melanie Magidow.
The Mulla Nasrudin Corpus, by Idries Shah. Open Access.
The Perfumed Garden, by Sir Richard Burton.
The Baal Cycle. Open Access.

Poetry Magic

Poetry as Spellcasting: Poems, Essays, and Prompts for Manifesting Liberation and Reclaiming Power, by Tamiko Beyer, Destiny Hemphill, and Lisbeth White.
Poetic Medicine: The Healing Art of Poem-Making, by John Fox.
Al Muʿallaqāt for Millennials: The Pre-Islamic Arabic Golden Odes. Open Access.

So, What’s the Goal

What am I hoping to accomplish with all of this? Read the d**n books, for starters. But I am also looking forward to learn more about the history and the culture of Pagan Arabia. I know this coursework of sorts is pretty idealistic, so I will need to include other things as I go through it, but this is at least a start.

For accountability, I will also be posting thoughts, ideas, and reviews, as I work my way through the books. The initial idea is to be done with each in around two weeks, which is the standard that I’ve seen in my own real-life degree in English Studies. Is it unrealistic? Perhaps, but it’s just a starting point, not a rule set in stone.

I hope I don’t bore you to death with the updates, but I also welcome comments and suggestions on what you’d like to read about this, if at all!

Education and Religion

About Bader Saab

I’m an Arab witch and journalist, also with a master’s degree in digital research. I have worked as a book reviewer and written about pre-Islamic folklore. You can connect with me by Private Message on Instagram: @saab.bader. You can read more about the author here.

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