Choose a Path
We offer different academic tracks to accommodate the needs of our students
Degree in Islamic Law & Theology
This program is designed for serious students who would like to complete a diploma or a BA in Islamic Law & Theology. Courses consist of lectures, discussions [or labs], exams and essays. The degree can be completed in two years, or taken part-time over a few more years.
first year courses
This course will give a broad overview of the life and mission of the Prophet Muhammad as actualized in history. It will highlight important lessons from the events surrounding his career as well as reflect upon the methodology through which his life should be studied.
This course will cover the history of Islam from the Caliphate of Abu Bakr to the resignation of Hasan ibn Ali. It will cover the major historical events that occurred, analyze the lives of the influential actors during this time, and reflect upon how and why Islam spread to different regions of the world. The course will also highlight other important lessons from history and serve as a model to shape the future of Islam.
This course will cover all the verses pertaining to the Prophets [before Muhammad] in the Qur’an. It will highlight lessons to be learned from their stories and how they can be applied to others in similar circumstances. An analysis of the same prophets in the Bible will clarify the similarities and differences between the two scriptures.
This course will cover the teachings of Islam pertaining to purification, prayer, fasting and Ramadan, zakāh, food, and dress. It will also reflect upon the wisdom behind these practices and discuss how and why differences of opinion concerning some rules exist.
This course will cover the teachings of Islam pertaining to vows, family matters, death, economic transactions, inheritance, politics, crime and other issues. It will also reflect upon the wisdom behind these practices and dispel certain myths that are circulated about particular practices.
This course will cover a variety of sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad in order to give a bird’s-eye view of his teachings. It will also demonstrate how reports about the Prophet are to be interpreted linguistically and contextually.
This course will highlight certain spiritual diseases of the heart such as envy, anger, hatred, gossiping, arrogance and deceit. It will explain why people are prone to be affected by them and recommend techniques to prevent and cure them.
This course will teach students how to read the Qur’an in Arabic, starting from the basic letters and building up to being able to read fluently from a copy of the Qur’an.
This course will cover all the rules pertaining to the correct recitation of the Qur’an such as pronunciation [makhārij], lengthening [madd], and accentuation [ṣifāt]. It will also cover how to use the signs and symbols printed in copies of the Qur’an to help apply these rules, according the recitation style of Hafs.
This course will cover the fundamental beliefs in Islam. It will also explain the rationale behind certain concepts such as how to: prove that God exists, reconcile divine decree with free will and explain why evil exists. It will teach people how to respond to doubts and misconceptions that seek to undermine the foundation of Islamic beliefs.
This course will focus on both the theory and practice of how to speak publicly about Islam and communicate with people through different mediums. It will cover methods that aid in becoming a more effective speaker and communicator.
second year courses
This course will cover the history of Islam from 661-1258. It will cover the major historical events that occurred, analyze the lives of the influential actors during this time, and reflect upon how Islam was practiced in different parts of the world. The course will also highlight other important lessons from history and serve as a model to shape the future of Islam.
This course will cover the way that the Qur’an and Hadith should be interpreted. It will explain why a mere literal reading of these texts is not sufficient and impart the tools and methods that are needed to properly contextualize the sources of Islam.
This course will analyze the underlying reasons behind why Muslim scholars have differed in their perspectives on various legal issues throughout history. It will aim to extract principles which lead to different ways of looking at an issue and discuss how these principles may be used to tackle contemporary issues for which there is no precedent.
This course will highlight certain events from the lives of distinguished Companions of the Prophet in order to know them as people and understand how they implemented the teachings of Islam.
This course will analyze the Qur’an as a text in terms of how it was revealed to the Prophet, transmitted by the Companions and their successors, preserved by future generations of Muslims, and analyzed by Muslim scholars throughout history.
This course will analyze the reports about the Prophet Muhammad in terms of how they were transmitted by the Companions and their successors, were preserved by later generations of Muslims, and were analyzed by Muslim scholars throughout history. It will explain what a hadith is, why these reports exist, and what authentication criteria has been developed to filter them for authenticity.
This course will prepare a student to comprehend the language of the Qur’an and Hadith, as well as the scholarly literature of Islam. It will enable students to attain a foundational vocabulary, a basic level of grammar, and elementary skills in reading and writing, which will pave the way for future fluency in speaking and listening comprehension. Prerequisite: Ability to read the Arabic script
This course will build more vocabulary and grammar skills to get a student to an intermediate level of Arabic where they are able to read and construct short sentences in Arabic.
This course will build more vocabulary and grammar skills to get a student to an advanced level of Arabic where they are able to read texts, comprehend questions about the reading and answer those questions, all in Arabic.
This course will analyze classical and contemporary writings about Islam. It will teach how to go beyond a shallow reading of a text in order to understand and analyze the motives and intent of the author, to fact check data, and to critically engage with the ideas that are presented.
This course will cover the fundamental research and writing skills needed to go in depth on a topic in the fields of theology and law. There will be a comprehensive final research paper to ensure students understand how to research properly, what sources to use, and how to present their findings.
Diploma in Islamic Studies
After completing nine core courses, a student will obtain a Diploma in Islamic Studies. This certifies they have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of Islam.
This course will give a broad overview of the life and mission of the Prophet Muhammad as actualized in history. It will highlight important lessons from the events surrounding his career as well as reflect upon the methodology through which his life should be studied.
This course will cover the history of Islam from the Caliphate of Abu Bakr to the resignation of Hasan ibn Ali. It will cover the major historical events that occurred, analyze the lives of the influential actors during this time, and reflect upon how and why Islam spread to different regions of the world. The course will also highlight other important lessons from history and serve as a model to shape the future of Islam.
This course will cover all the verses pertaining to the Prophets [before Muhammad] in the Qur’an. It will highlight lessons to be learned from their stories and how they can be applied to others in similar circumstances. An analysis of the same prophets in the Bible will clarify the similarities and differences between the two scriptures.
This course will cover the teachings of Islam pertaining to purification, prayer, fasting and Ramadan, zakāh, food, and dress. It will also reflect upon the wisdom behind these practices and discuss how and why differences of opinion concerning some rules exist.
This course will cover the teachings of Islam pertaining to vows, family matters, death, economic transactions, inheritance, politics, crime and other issues. It will also reflect upon the wisdom behind these practices and dispel certain myths that are circulated about particular practices.
This course will cover a variety of sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad in order to give a bird’s-eye view of his teachings. It will also demonstrate how reports about the Prophet are to be interpreted linguistically and contextually.
This course will highlight certain spiritual diseases of the heart such as envy, anger, hatred, gossiping, arrogance and deceit. It will explain why people are prone to be affected by them and recommend techniques to prevent and cure them.
This course will teach students how to read the Qur’an in Arabic, starting from the basic letters and building up to being able to read fluently from a copy of the Qur’an.
This course will cover the fundamental beliefs in Islam. It will also explain the rationale behind certain concepts such as how to: prove that God exists, reconcile divine decree with free will and explain why evil exists. It will teach people how to respond to doubts and misconceptions that seek to undermine the foundation of Islamic beliefs.
This program is for students who just want to learn and not have to worry about homework or exams. This give students access to the material and the ability to participate in class, but not for credit. Students are able to take any of the courses available.
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