Best dictionaries and other resources:

Arabic-English Dictionary:
Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, Edited by J. M. Cowan, Fourth Edition (1979) (1301 pp).
ISBN 0-87950-003-4
Available from:
www.amazon.com at new for about $45.00 and used for much less
The standard for students of Arabic. Nothing else comes even close to its quality and thoroughness.

English-Arabic Dictionary:
Munir Baalbaki, Al Mawrid English-Arabic Dictionary (reprinted and slightly revised yearly) (1200+pages)
2002 ISBN: 9953900426
Available new for $48.00 (hard cover) at:

www.alkitab.com

This also is the best by far of all the English-Arabic dictionaries - the Al Mawrid Arabic-English by Ruhi Baalbaki is not of the same quality.

Arabic-Arabic Dictionary:
Almuallem Butrus Albustani, Muhit ul Muhit. Librarie du Liban, 1977. 994 large pages with small print.
Available new for $65.00 (hard cover) at:

www.alkitab.com

This is a classic, originally published in the 1800s.

Al-Munjid fi al-Lughah wa al-A'lam. Beirut, Dar al-Mashriq; (any printing; 27th printing, 1984 ISBN: 2-7214-2155-2 (1867 pp), or 2000 printing (possibly new edition) ISBN: 272142226X (3120 pp)
Available new for $48.00 (hard cover) at:

www.alkitab.com

Very similar to the above with less but adequate detail on language. Includes an encyclopedia with pictures, charts, and maps.

Arabic reference grammar:
Haywood, John A. and H.M. Nahmad, A New Arabic Grammar of the Written Language. London, Lund Humphries Publishers, 1st edition, 1965, or 2nd edition, 2000. 687 pp. ISBN 085331585X
Available from:
www.amazon.com at new for about $28.00
Complete and excellent - made for English speakers learning Arabic.

Also available is a key to the above
Haywood, John A. and H.M. Nahmad, Key to a New Arabic Grammar Of the Written Language. London, Lund Humphries Publishers, (1990) (152 pp) ISBN 0853310688
Available from:
www.amazon.com at new for about $24.00
I have not seen it, but if you want to do the exercises, having a key is nice.

Arabic language learning textbooks:
None of the available resources are excellent, but the following are not bad.
Find these at www.amazon.com or directly from the publisher

Kristen Brustad, et al, Al-kitaab fii Ta'allum Al-'Arabiyya series, with workbooks, video and audio supplements (Georgetown Press)
MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) only. Most commonly used in US universities. Order of presentation is awkward.

Munther A. Younes, Elementary Arabic: An Integrated Approach and Intermediate Arabic: An Integrated Approach (Yale University Press)
Uses Written (MSA) and Colloquial (Jordanian) Arabic together.


On-site language learning programs:
The best place to learn Arabic is Damascus, Syria. Unlike other Arab countries, where Arabs often respond in English to students who attempt to practice their Arabic skills, Damascus offers students excellent opportunities to use their Arabic daily. Syrians usually respond to foreigners in their best MSA (written Arabic). Damascus is also economical - those wanting to live cheaply can do so.

A very thorough listing of all the possibilities is found at
www.ou.edu/ssa/learn.htm#Nour

The ones that give you a residence permit, in order of quality,
IFEAD
University of Damascus
The Ma'had