<![CDATA[Maharah istima' (listening skill) is a foundational Arabic language competency upon which the other three language skills, speaking, reading, and writing, are built, yet it is often the most neglected skill in classroom instruction due to its abstract and transient nature. Audiovisual media, which combine sound and moving images such as animated videos, Arabic cartoon films, and YouTube-based listening materials, have increasingly been adopted as an instructional solution to make listening input more comprehensible, engaging, and contextually authentic for learners. This article aims to examine the concept and urgency of maharah istima' in Arabic language learning, to synthesize empirical findings on the effectiveness of audiovisual media in improving this skill across various educational levels, and to analyze the theoretical foundations, challenges, and strategies for optimizing its use. This study employs a qualitative approach using a literature review (library research) method, collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing books, national and international journal articles, and empirical studies related to audiovisual media and Arabic listening instruction. The results show that across elementary, secondary, and higher education contexts, audiovisual media such as animated videos, Arabic cartoon films, and YouTube-based podcasts consistently produce significant improvements in students' listening comprehension scores compared to conventional audio-only or lecture-based methods, a pattern explainable through Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and dual-coding theory, which posit that simultaneous visual and auditory information processing through separate cognitive channels enhances comprehension and retention. The article concludes that audiovisual media constitute an effective and theoretically well-grounded instructional tool for developing maharah istima', provided that content selection, technical quality, and pedagogical integration are carefully attended to by teachers.]]>
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