Arees Institute Syllabus

Arees Institute

Syllabus 2009

Year 1-Semester 1

Reclaim the Knowledge…..

Arees Institute

Bachelor Islamic Law

Taught by: Sheikh Isam Rajab

Sheikh Waleed Basyouni

Sheikh Yassir Fazaga

Sheikh Jamal Zarabozo

Contents

Contact Information ………………………………………. 1

Course Scope & Objectives ………………………………………. 2

Instructors ……………………………….……… 4

Fees …………...………………………….. 7

Course Requirements ..................…………………………... 8

Calendar …………...…………………………... 12

Course Schedule ……………………………………….. 13

Course Grades ........……………………………….…. 14

Time Allocation …………………...…………………... 14

Study Materials ………………..……………………… 15

Course Modules …...…………………………………... 17

Aqeedah ……………………………………….. 17

Fiqh ...……………………………………... 20

Tareekh ……………………….………………. 22

Sciences of Qur’an ………………………..……………… 26

Akhlaq ....…………………………………….. 29

Sciences of Sunnah ……………………………………….. 30

Research Methodology ……………………………………….. 33

Hifdh ……………………………………….. 34

Advice for the new Student of Knowledge ……………………………………….. 35

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Contact Information

Arees Institute 12288 Westheimer Road Suite 405

Houston TX 77077

Toll Free: 1-866-99-AREES (1-866-992-7337)

Email: [email protected]

www.arees.org

All inquiries sent to [email protected] should be directed to the subsequent person

Student Coordinator [email protected]

Marketing Muhammad Hussain

Logistics Shakeib Mashhood

Finances Abdullah Fateen

Technical Assistance Bachelor Online Omar Izfar

Kamran Habib

E-University Raihan Ashraf

Office hours for students: Monday and Saturday from 8:45 PM to 10 PM CST.

Sheikh Isam Rajab: 1.281.546.4811

Please respect the sheikh and only call during these times and only for questions

regarding the classes. All other questions can be directed at [email protected].

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Course scope and Objectives

Arees Institute was founded in order to provide a real base in Islamic knowledge. Too often we

find that the ones who speak on behalf of Muslims are not even from Islam themselves. Not only

that, but you will find men speaking on behalf of Muslim women. Therefore, it is time to make

sure the community is educated enough to speak for itself. Instead of focusing on the highest

number of students or making Islamic knowledge a “fun-and-games” type endeavor, Shaikh

Isam wanted to train a small group of high-quality students of knowledge who could then

become the leaders of their communities and in turn spread the knowledge of Islam even further.

However, he also believes in removing the barriers to people who sincerely want knowledge and

who might be limited by location or finances, and so there are alternate channels available for

anyone worldwide to study with Arees.

The Next Level in Islamic Education

Arees Institute is the next step in Islamic education, not only in the United States, but worldwide.

We will help you become a student of knowledge within 3 years. Our goal is to produce a high

quality group of students who can become the leaders in their communities and spread the

knowledge even further. From there we would like to offer alternative options for people who

cannot travel or afford to study full time so that everyone has unlimited access to the original

Islamic knowledge.

When you study with Arees Institute, you will receive a BS in Islamic Studies in 3 years. The

curriculum is already complete (many institutions begin without even completing their

curriculums) and trains you in the classical subjects, but in a modern light which is relevant to

daily life. A special emphasis is placed on manners in the first year since often we find modern

students who do not have the guidance of a Shaikh gaining some book knowledge, yet not

understanding how to apply it nor building their characters.

The progression of study is also very well thought out. Instead of a haphazard format of half-

done topics, you study the most important subjects in an orderly fashion – each year

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is not just a continuation, but an entirely new level built off of the foundation laid the previous

year.

During the initial year, our students will master the basic knowledge of the Islamic subjects.

During the second year, our students will probe the Islamic subjects in greater depth. The

research component will become more focused. Students are required to research each subject,

unlike the first year where students were asked to write only one research paper. By the end of

the third year, students will be qualified to become an Imam or teacher of Islamic Education.

Students will also have the prerequisite knowledge to pursue their higher education in Islamic

studies at most universities around the world.

Here is the yearly study plan:

First Year Second Year Third Year

• ‘Aqeedah I- Islamic

Creed

• Akhlaaq- Islamic

Ethics

• Sciences of Quran

• Sciences of Hadeeth

• Fiqh I-

Jurisprudence

• History of Islam I

• Research

Methodology

• ‘Aqeeda II

• Tafseer I

• Hadeeth II

• Usool al Fiqh-

Principles of

Jurisprudence

• Fiqh II

• History of Islam II

• Intermediate

Research

• Tafseer II

• Fiqh of Hadeeth

• Qawa'ed ul Fiqh

• Faraa`idh

• Qada and Islamic

Political System

• Mastery of

Research

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Instructors

Shaikh Isam Rajab

Shaikh Isam Rajab graduated from Madina University with a BS in Islamic Studies. He has 2

ijazas for memorizing the entire Quran and has an ijaza from the Prophetic Masjid in Madina in

The Inheritance System in Islam. He also has a MA in Islamic Studies and a PhD in Islamic

Studies. He has worked as an Imam for 5 years in Kuwait and 2 years in Albuquerque, NM. He

is the Founder of Arees Institute and Foundation and is also currently Imam for Masjid Hamza

(Mission Bend) in Houston.

Shaikh Waleed Basyouni

Shaikh Waleed is the Imaam of Ta'leemul Islaam Masjid in Houston, Texas. He is also one of the

instructors in American Open University. He received his Masters in Islamic Creed from Al-

Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He has a Ph.D from GTF

(Graduate Theological Foundation). Sheikh Waleed has had the opportunity of studying under

some of the notable Scholars of our time namely Ibn Baaz, Abdur-Razzaque Afify, Ibn Jibreen,

Al-Barrak and many others. He has been involved in Da`wah since the last 15 years in Saudi

Arabia and all over the United States and Canada.

Shaikh Yassir Fazaga

Yassir Fazaga is an inspiring, multi-lingual speaker sought-after from USA through Canada to

the Middle and Far East. He was born in Eritrea in Northeast Africa and moved to the United

States at the age of 15; has a Bachelors Degree in Islamic Studies from the Institute of Islamic

and Arabic Sciences in Virginia; has completed all coursework for his Masters Degree in

Marriage and Family Counseling from the California State University of Long Beach; is

currently undertaking his Masters in Theology at Loyola Marymount University.

He serves as the Religious Leader of the Orange County Islamic Foundation (OCIF) in Mission

Viejo, California. He is involved as a therapist at FACES, where he helps families with different

challenges in life which include: domestic violence issues, communication problems, marital

matters, generational gap, difficult teens, some mental and personality disorders, divorce, grief,

and single parenting, among others.

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Yassir Fazaga has taught the Arabic language and Islamic Sciences for the past 8 years and has

taught Islamic courses on Scriptural Exegesis, and Islamic financial contracts for American Open

University. Yassir leads the OCIF youth group in many of their educational, spiritual and

recreational activities and participates on behalf of the Orange County Islamic Foundation in

many outreach and interfaith events.

Sheikh Yassir Fazaga has done numerous interviews about Islam on television news stations and

radio stations around the globe. He speaks on Islam and related topics for conferences, churches,

high schools, colleges and universities. He serves on the Advisory board of the Islamic Studies

program at Claremont Graduate School; is listed on “Who is Who among America's Teachers”

where the best students choose their best teachers and was recently featured on the Today Show

on “spirituality in America”. Will be Co-Hosting weekly WISELIVING TV program.

Sheikh Yassir Fazaga has this charismatic ability to instantly connect with audiences, through his

lucid wit and profound wisdom, his timely humor and the warmth that his presence exudes.

Shaikh Jamal Zarabozo

Shaykh Jamal Zarabozo is a rare breed - a self-taught scholar of Islam who has achieved a

profound command of the original sciences of our religion. Sh. Jamaal Zarabozo is a well known

scholar and long time convert to Islam, he converted over thirty years ago in California. He is

internationally renowned as a speaker and author of a number of books, including the three-

volume Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi, How to Approach and Understand the

Quran, Purification of the Soul and others.

Sh. Jamal Zarabozo taught himself Arabic in order to better access classical works. This led him

to a fascination with the topic of hadith and its sciences, which he dedicated the next few years

of his life studying. He moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he had access to a group of du’aat

who graduated from Imam Muhammad University in Riyadh and were pursuing graduate

degrees at the University of Boulder. Additionally, he studied with Dr. Mustafa Azami, a world-

renown scholar of hadith, who was living in Boulder for a few years. With all of their help and

tutorship, along with his perseverance and dedication, he managed to achieve a level of

scholarship that is rare to find in North America. He translated many works (including Fiqh al-

Sunnah of Syed Sabiq) and wrote some of his own. He also founded and edited al-Basheer

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Magazine, which, at the time of its publication, was the leading and most academic journal of

classical Islamic sciences.

Currently he is residing in Bay Area California where he is teaching ulasses at MCA, Santa Clara

with live streaming.

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Fees

The fees must be paid before the start of the semester in order to attend the class. Please

remember that it is your Islamic obligation to pay for what you are receiving. We do understand

if you need some assistance with extra time, etc. but again do not assume this- contact us and

work out a specific payment plan with your intentions on how you will pay. These will be taken

seriously and failure to make timely payments will be grounds for disallowing you to continue

with the classes.

Methods of Payment:

- Registration via the Arees website (using credit card -- click on register). MOST

PREFERRED. Your transaction can be properly tracked with this method.

- Via check, mail the check to:

9707 Richmond Ave Suite 103,

Houston TX 77042

Fee schedule for 3 year Bachelor Islamic Law:

One-Time: $5500 Regular/$5000 Student

Due upon enrollment (10% discount)

Annual: $1950 Regular/$1750 Student

Due upon start of each academic year

Semester: $995 Regular/$895 Student

Due upon start of each semester

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Course requirements

You are expected to meet the following expectations:

(1) Attendance. More than 5 absences, you're disqualified from attending the Institute.

After 3 tardies, it will be marked as 1 absence. Being late for 15 minutes qualifies as one tardy.

This is to ensure students do not become lax in attending class and benefit from live instructor

training. If you have any situations which might prevent you from meeting the attendance

requirement you must contact us about them to receive exemptions (do not assume them or wait

until it’s too late). Requests for missed class archives are limited so use them sparingly (do not

take many days off hoping to catch the recorded version at your convenience). When requesting

an archive you must be SPECIFIC in telling us why you are requesting it and it is our discretion

if we allow/disallow an archive. Also you will not be allowed to habitually request archives so

again, use sparingly for exceptional situations.

Physical Attendance- For students present in Houston, TX, physical attendance is mandatory.

Use Mapquest or any other method for directions to get to Arees Institute, 12288 Westheimer

Road Suite # 405 Houston TX 77077. There are good restroom facilities of course as well as

room for prayer. It is recommended to bring your lunch and not have to exit the building because

the breaks are fairly short.

Online Participation- Take the classes online at the exact same time, participate in the sessions,

submit your work and take your exams parallel to the live classes. The same requirements apply

as for onsite students. Additional requirements: A fast and reliable internet connection. We do

not recommend wireless internet connections.

It is recommended you invest in high-speed internet access for optimal experience of the

Arees online classes as well as using Internet Explorer (a lot of software out there is not

optimized for Mozilla or other browsers). If you do not have high speed you will be more prone

to broadcast interruptions etc. and more dependent on audio only or archives.

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Here are general instructions for the online classes (please read before class so you are familiar):

Before class time log on to the Arees online website at: www.dimdim.com. On the right hand

side of the screen you will see a blue button ‘join meeting’. If you click on that, a screen will pop

up asking you to fill in the meeting name and your own name. The meeting name is: Arees.

Please do not use nick names, kunya;s etc to sign in, but use the name you are registered with at

Arees Institute.

You will mainly utilize 3 things:

1. Audio/video – this is a small screen which you will see on your left hand side to the bottom.

If you put your mouse on the little arrow in the video screen a menu will slide out which allows

you to stop and start video and audio.

2. Main presentation area- majority of the screen – you will see all in-class

presentations.

3. Chat- this box allows you ask questions by typing. There are some etiquette rules while

typing in class:

• As a norm, questions are asked at the end of the session, so when the time for

questions/comments is announced, use your chat box to ask your questions. Tip:

type your questions in a separate document and copy/paste when the time for

questions comes.

• Reserve all chats unrelated to the class for outside the class time, for example in

the breaks or in private through an instant messenger. Note: We do not

recommend you run programs such as instant messengers during class time since

they might interfere with the webcast program and might cause problems in

video/audio.

• Type all questions in CAPS, this will assist in reading the questions and

answering them.

• Be polite when asking questions since typing is a limited mode of

communication.

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This is the BASIC setup – sometimes we might do something different (ex: Shaikh may ask you

to speak about something or present from your computer etc.) but not the norm. The live classes

have 1 dedicated support technician just for the online students so inshallah there will always be

someone to help you during class.

If you have any technical problems, contact us so we can help you. You can call 281.596.0300 if

you had any technical issue. If you miss class that day due to technical reasons, you still need to

contact us and let us know so that your attendance will not be affected. If you do miss a class

day, let us know and request an archive.

You will also receive an email with location, password, and instructions. If you have any

problems contact us by emailing or calling.

*Note- do NOT inform anyone of the login information above- it is private and only for Arees

students.

(2) Reading assignments and active participation. You are expected to have

read the assigned literature prior to the lecture and participate actively in class

discussions. You will not receive any pre-packaged notes or outlines for the class, but we

encourage you to utilize the traditional method of taking your own notes. For onliners, and for

some onsiters with a laptop, you can type notes there onto Notepad, WordPad, Word, or any

other text editor file. Others might prefer handwriting notes with pen and paper. Whatever

methods you choose, please make sure you save your notes, since you will be needing them for

all exams, including the comprehensive exams at the end of the three years.

(3) Homework assignments. You are expected to complete and hand in the homework

assignments on time.

(4) Exams. You are expected to study and prepare for exams, be present on time and hand in all

exams within the time designated for that specific exam. Exams are divided into mid-term exams

and end-term in each semester for each subject. At the end of the three years there will be global

exams, covering all material studied within the three years. All exams are closed book exams.

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(5) Research. You are expected to hand in a research at the end of each year. The subjects of the

research will be free to choose. For detailed information see the course module section.

(6) Memorization. You are expected at the end of the three years to have memorized 5 Juz’ of

the Qur’an, which includes Juz’ Amma. For detailed information see the course module section.

(7) Group presentation. Each participant is required to participate in the

presentation of one of the sub-themes of the course. Each student will get assigned a sub-theme

and a date of presentation. The presentation should be 45-50 minutes and should include the

following elements: (i) critical summary of the text; (ii) an answer to the

question how the text relates to the daily practice of Muslims; (iii) two debatable

questions/statements, which can function as a starting point of class discussion.

Aim For the Best!

We are here to help you make the most of your time with us and the money and energy you will

expend in this endeavor. Follow the rules and recommendations and be proactive if you have

any problems- let us know and we will try to make the best possible arrangements to

accommodate you. Also never fail to make suggestions and give feedback as well as volunteer

some time to help build the best Islamic institution in the world bi ithnillah!

It is time to “Reclaim the Knowledge…”. May Allah bless all of you in your efforts at studying

His religion.

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Calendar

January S M T W T F S

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Start of Classes

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

February S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Non-Mandatory deadline

proposal

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Mandatory deadline proposal

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

March S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No Class

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Mid-term Exams

29 30 31

April S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

May S M T W T F S

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 No Class

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 End-term Exams

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Summer break

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Course Schedule

Attendance every day from 9:30 AM Central Time to 2:40 PM Central Time

Classes begin Saturday Jan. 17th for weekend students and Jan. 20th for weekday students.

Day 1: Sciences of Quran

Aqidah

Fiqh

Akhlaq

History of Islam

Sciences of Sunnah

Day 2: Fiqh

History of Islam

Aqidah

Sciences of Quran

Sciences of Sunnah

Research Methodology

The Importance of Preparation

In order to receive the maximum benefits of your studies with Arees Institute, it is very

important that you prepare yourself for the classes from the very beginning. Make sure you have

read the entire website information (check for updates) and if you have questions or need to

make arrangements in time, payment, etc. you contact us immediately.

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Course Grades

Annual grades are primarily based on the exams, both mid-term as well as end-term exams and

the research. However, both class participation and the group presentations can influence the

final grade, either positively or negatively.

The final grades of the Bachelor course are based on pre-dominantly the Global Exams, which

cover all material of the three years.

Each exam counts for 20 points, making it 40 points for exams for the first semester grade. The

homework, attendance and participation count for another 10 points. A score of 60% is required

for a passing grade. Students on scholarships are required to maintain grades at 80%++.

Time Allocation

175 hours reading (6 pages an hour; +/- 1050 pages)

168 hours attending classes

42 hours group presentation and writing essay (1 hour a week for homework/presentation and 2

hours a week for the research)

385 hours total for first semester.

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Study Materials

Title

Author ISBN

Sciences of Qur’an

An Introduction to the Principles of

Tafseer

Ibn Taymiyyah 1 898649 006

Tafseer Ibn Kathir Ibn Kathir- Also available online

www.tafsir.com

1591440203

Sciences of Sunnah

The Authority and Importance of

The Sunnah

Zarabozo 1-891540-09-2

A Text Book of Hadith Studies Kamali 0860374351

Sahih Al Bukhari- Summarized Also available online

www.sahihalbukhari.com

9960-717-31-3

Sahih Muslim-Summarized Also available online

www.sahihmuslim.com

9960-9919-0-3

Akhlaq

Arees Institute Translation -- -

In pursuit of virtue M. Abu Laylah 090746176X

The ideal Muslim Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi 9960-850-42-0

Aqeedah

Destination of the seeker of truth Aali shaikh 9960-892-38-7

Kitab Al Iman Ibn Taymiyah 0-9662140-0-5

Fiqh

Arees Institute translation - -

History of Islam

When the moon split Safiur-Rahman Mubarakpuri 9960-897-28-1

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You can order/buy the books by searching for them on the web or visiting your local bookstores.

Dar-us-Salaam Houston has a special webpage for Arees books. Note some of them are online

sources you do not need to purchase. If you need assistance in locating a particular book you

may contact us. That is for required books only. The recommended books will be utilized and

discussed but are not necessary for classwork. We have given online references where possible

and if you can find or add additional online resources for people it will be very helpful in

reducing cost. Besides the required books, please do bring your own notebooks and pens to take

notes.

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Course Modules

All modules of the first semester are described below including a study schedule. The study

schedule is merely a tool to help students study. These are guidelines and they may change

without notice.

The study material for the second part of the Aqeedah Module is not included since the

book Kitab al Iman is out of print at the moment. Further information will be provided later

inshallah.

‘Aqeedah: The Rope of Faith

The Foundations of Islamic Belief: The essence of Islam is found in its belief system. Every

culture and people has its practices, but where do these practices come from? The heart being the

center of the soul, it is important to realize what is required internally for a Muslim to be a true

believer, and not just someone who falls into cultural habits due to his/her surroundings. This

class will teach you what makes Islam unique and how to perfect your faith.

Time Subject Material

Introduction to the Islamic Creed, it’s

definition and subjects, principles of Islamic

Creed

Week 1

Characteristics of Islamic Creed

The Destination of the

Seeker of Truth

Introduction

p.11-18

Chapter 4 & 5

Fruits of Islamic Aqeeda

Week 2

Importance of Tawheed

Chapter 1 & 2

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History of Aqeeda, books written about

Aqeeda

Week 3

Divisions of Tawheed

-

Shirk: it’s reality, danger and it’s history

Week 4

Types of shirk

Chapter 3 & 6

Styles of Quran in refuting the suspicions of

Mushrikeen and Christians

Week 5

Contemporary types of Shirk

-

Tama’em

Week 6

Ruqya

Chapter 7

Slaughtering

Week 7

Slaughtering

Chapter 9 & 10

Seeking Blessing

Week 8

making a Vow

Chapter 8 & 11

seeking refuge

Week 9

Tawheed of worship: dua

Chapter 12

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Definition of Iman , difference between Iman

and Islam

Kitab al Iman

Week 10

The increment and decrement of Iman

Pillars of Iman as it’s mentioned in the

hadeeth of Jibreel

Week 11

Belief in Allah and His angels

Belief in divine scripture, difference between

Quran and other books

Week 12

Belief in Messengers, difference between the

messenger and the prophet

Prophethood of Muhammed Sallallahualaihi

wasallam

Week 13

Belief in divine decree

Levels of Qadar

Week 14

Major signs of day of Judgment

Change in Qadar

Week 15

Resurrection, the scale

Week 16

The great intersession, records of deeds, the

pool

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Fiqh: Understanding the Religion

Deriving Islamic Law: "Fiqh" literally means understanding. So the study of Fiqh, or Islamic

jurisprudence and laws is a derivation of the sources of Islam. In other words, if you truly

understand Islam, you will understand how to extract rulings (or at least in your early studies

understand how scholars came to the conclusions that they did). This class will teach you how to

apply Islam in theory and give you a blueprint for fulfilling the duties of a Muslim.

The study material for this subject is the translation provided by Arees Institute.

Time Subject

Introduction to the subject, reasons why

scholars differed

Week 1

The History of Fiqh, how it evolved and

most famous Fiqh schools

The four Imams and their schools of

thought

Week 2

Imam Al Shafie, his Mathhab and brief

bio of Imam Al Shafie

Books of Shafie school of thought

Week 3

Purification: Wudu

Purification: Siwak and wiping on the

socks

Week 4

Purification: Tayyamum, menses and

removing the impurity

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Prayer: times for prayer

Week 5

Prayer: Calling the Athan and Iqama

Prayer: conditions of Prayer

Week 6

Prayer: description of prayer

Prayer: optional prayer

Week 7

Prayer: praying in congregation

Prayer: prayer of traveler and fear prayer

Week 8

Prayer: Jumuah prayer and two Eids

Prayer: prayer for water and eclipse

prayer

Week 9

Prayer: Funeral prayer

Zakat: Zakat of gold and silver, Zakat of

fruits and crops.

Week 10

Zakat: the zakat of money and minerals

Zakat: Zakatul Fitr and division of Zakat

Week 11

Fasting: fasting Ramadan

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Fasting: optional fasting

Week 12

Fasting: staying in the Masjid for worship

Hajj: timings and places of Hajj

Week 13

Hajj: Ihram and its conditions

Hajj: description of Hajj

Week 14

Hajj: description of Hajj

Hajj: description of Umra

Week 15

Hajj: missing the Hajj and being unable

to continue the Hajj

Taareekhatul Islaam - From the Beginning…

Contrary to popular belief, Islam did not start with the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa

sallam. Rather, it started with the creation of man, and with the first human being, Adam ‘alaihis-

salaam. Follow the history of the Prophets, including a focus on the biography of the Final

Messenger as well as his Companions and Followers radhi'allaahu ‘anhum. In order to truly

understand Islam we need to see how it was revealed, practiced, and upheld by the original

people it was sent to. Within their examples are our keys to success, for though they lived long

ago, they were successful spiritually first and materially later. We as a nation are in a time of

training and this class will help us study their lives and see how to shape ourselves so we may

attain the true success as we follow the path they established.

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Importance of studying

Seera, History of prophets,

books of orientalists.

Week 1

History of Islam

-

Political and religious life in

Mekka before the

Messenger Sallallahualaihi

wasallam

Week 2

Social life before the

Messenger Sallallahualiahi

wasalam.

-

The year of the elephant,

the birth of the Messenger

Sallallahualiahi wasallam,

celebrating the birthday of

the Messenger

sallallahualaihi wasallam.

Week 3

Childhood of the prophet


cleansing his heart

When the moon split

Page 17-25

His youth, his work with his

uncle

Week 4

Knowing Khadija and

working for her, meeting

with Bahira the monk

When the moon split

Page 25-32

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Marring Khadija

Week 5

Seclusion in the cave of

Hira and the good dreams

When the moon split

Page 32-46

The beginning of

Prophethood, the revelation

and the fear of the

Messenger Sallallahualiahi

wasallam.

Week 6

Waraqa ibn Nawfal

When the moon split

Page 32-46

First believers, Abu bakr,

Ali, Zaid and others.

Week 7

Beginning of Dawa in

secret.

When the moon split

Page 46-75

Declaring the message,

persecuting the muslims.

Week 8

Lessons from the trials for

the first believers.

When the moon split

Page 46-75

First migration to Abyssinia

Week 9

Hamza and Omar join the

group

When the moon split

Page 75-99

Boycotts of Quraish to bani

Hashim.

Week 10

Going to Taif

When the moon split

Page 99-104

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Second migration to

Abyssinia

Week 11

The trip of Isra and Miraj

When the moon split

Page 104-117

First Aqaba covenant

Week 12

Second Aqaba covenant

When the moon split

Page 117-135

Reason for choosing

Madina, the nature of

Madina and it’s history

Week 13

Muslims migrating to

Madina

When the moon split

Page 117-135

Migration of Abu Salam,

Um Ayman and others

Week 14

Migration of the Messenger


preparation

When the moon split

Page 117-135

Lessons from the migration

of the Messenger

Sallallahualiahi wasallam

Week 15

Lessons derived from the

Mekkan period

When the moon split

Page 117-135

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'Uloom ul Qur`aan: The Sciences of the Holy Quran

Sciences of the Quran: This is a great opportunity to study with a Shaikh who has 2 ijazahs, has

mastered all 10 recitations, and has the highest isnaad in the Americas. This class is an

introduction to the divine book, its various fields of study, and is the basis of knowledge for any

serious Islamic student.


Introduction to the sciences

of Quran

Week 1

Miracles of the Quran

-

Essential information about

the Quran, levels of scribing

and compiling the Quran

Week 2

Difference between Quran

and Other books

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 35-39

Wisdom behind revealing

the Quran in parts, reasons

for revelation

Mekken and Madanian

verses.

Week 3

Fundamental and allegorical

“similar” Ayat.

-

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Tafseer of the Quran, the

right way to interpret the

Quran

Week 4

Books of Tafseer, methods

of interpreters, the book of

Ibn Katheer

An Introduction to the

Principles of Tafseer

Entire Book

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 25-35

Surat Al fatiha, it’s merits

the Basmala

Week 5

Interpretation of Surat Al

fatiha

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 41-93

Ten recitations

Week 6

Difference between

recitations and seven ways

of reciting the Quran

-

Surat Al baqara, it’s virtues

it’s topics and the separated

letters

Week 7

Interpretation of the first 6

ayat

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 95-124

Characteristics of

Hypocrites, idominting in

the Quran

Week 8

First order in the Quran,

importance of worship

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 119-142

Page 142-156

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Challenge of the Quran,

levels of Challenge,

Musailima

Week 9

Stories of the Quran, story

of Adam

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 156-182

Page 182-204

Children of Israel in the

Quran

Week 10

The Story of the Cow

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 204-256

Page 256-312

The story of Haroot and

Maroot

Week 11

Magic

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

3-323

Abrogation in the Quran,

wisdom behind it

Week 12

Examples of abrogation in

the Quran

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 323-340

Difference between people

before Islam and people

after Islam, the argument

between jews and

Christians

Week 13

Conditions for entering

paradise

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 340-371

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Building the Kaba

Week 14

The will of Yaqub to his

sons

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Page 371-407

Page 407-417

Week 15

The end of first Juz

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

End at pager 417

Akhlaaq: Refining the Self

Developing Islamic Character: The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said that he was sent to

perfect the character. It is no wonder since character is how a person conducts his/herself at all

times- and what is more fitting for a religion to instruct human beings in. It is the ultimate

demonstration of a person’s knowledge, educational training, and faith. Being conscious of

yourself and your actions is a must since Islam is an entire way of life. Instead of giving in to

being driven by our emotions and weaknesses, conscious or otherwise, this class will map out the

ideal Muslim character and inshallah help you in your quest to achieve it.

The study material for this subject is the translation provided by Arees Institute.

Time Subject

Week 1

Introduction on the importance of Akhlaq and its virtue

Week 2

The significance of practicing Akhlaq

Week 3

Introduction to the book and it’s author

Week 4

New Theories of Akhlaq, Definition of Akhlaq

Week 5

Participating in gatherings for learning

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Week 6

Healing the Souls

Week 7

Peace of Mind

Week 8

Difference between the Human being and other Creatures

Week 9

Restraining oneself from Anger

Week 10

Knowledge

Week 11

Wills

Week 12

Interacting with people

Week 13

Brothers & friends

Week 14

Seven levels of Morals

Week 15

Principles of virtues and vices

Week 16

Pieces of advice

Usool us-Sunnah: The Foundations of the Prophetic Sunnah

An Introduction to the Sunnah: The Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was sent

with the Quran and he was instructed to explain and exemplify it. In this class you will learn

what the status of the Sunnah is in Islam and briefly study selected books of ahadith as well as

learn the sciences associated with grading the authenticity of the narrations of our beloved

Prophet.

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Week 1

Definition of Sunnah

lexically and technically,

definition of Hadith

Difference between Hadith

and Quran

A Text Book of Hadith

Studies

Chapter 1 & 3

The Authority and

Importance of The Sunnah

Chapter 5

Week 2

Importance of Sunnah and

it’s authority

The Authority and


Introduction, Chapter 1,

Chapter 2

Week 3

Doubts around the authority

of the Sunnah

The Authority and


Chapter 2

Week 4

Documentation of the

Sunnah, the evolution of

hadith terminology


Studies

Chapter 4 & 6

Week 5

Types of reports according

to their transmission:

Mutawatir and Ahad


Studies

Chapter 17

Week 6

Types of reports according

to their authenticity:

accepted and rejected


Studies

Chapter 17

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Week 7

The authentic hadith: its

definition and condition


Studies

Chapter 15

Week 8

The accepted hadith.

Difference between it and

the authentic hadith


Studies

Chapter 15

Week 9

The weak hadith: its

definition and types


Studies

Chapter 15

Week 10

Mursal and Munqati’


Studies

Chapter 16 & 10

Week 11

Mu’dal and Shath


Studies

Chapter 16 & 10

Week 12

Tadlis in Hadith


Studies

Chapter 7

Week 13

Forgery in Hadith


Studies

Chapter 10

Week 14

Forgery in hadith


Studies

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Chapter 10

Week 15

Impugnment and validation


Studies

Chapter 8 & Chapter 19

Week 16

Reception and delivery


Studies

Chapter 5 & Chapter 2

Research Methodology

Students need to be able to research a topic, cite their references, and prove their points.

Unfortunately, this is not always a built in skill for many students. This class will help students

become proficient in conducting and presenting research, which is a necessary tool for anyone

involved in scholarship, Islamic or otherwise.

Shaikh Yassir Fazaga will be teaching this class. He is available for students on Wednesday and

Saturday from 7 am to 9 am PST.

Research: The final assignment is to write a research on a topic relevant to Islamic Law and the

Muslims nowadays. The research should refer adequately to the Qur'an and Sunnah, using the

authentic sources. Also, references should be made to books and articles relevant to the topic.

Use precise references to literature and databases in the

text and add a list of references. The research should be between 50 and 70 pages and should be

handed in on A4-paper, double-spaced. The research should

be structured using paragraphs with clear titles and subtitles, which should

cover the content of the text. It should be written in fluent English, or Arabic with a correct use

of grammar and spelling. The essay should contain

the following elements: (i) an introduction with a contested position that has

scientific and societal relevance; (ii) argumentation, the position should be

defended using a series of at least three logical and convincing arguments and

at least one counterargument that should be rejected convincingly. The

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arguments have to be based both on general statements (theories) and facts

(empirical material); (iii) a conclusion that summarizes the position and the

main line of argumentation and mentions the scientific and societal

implications of the presented argumentation.

To facilitate the writing process there is the opportunity to receive feedback on

the chosen position and on a concept of the research. For this, there is a non mandatory

deadline to hand in a position on Saturday February 7 2009. Written

feedback will be given within a week. The non-mandatory deadline for the

concept research is Saturday February 21 2009. In the following week there is the

possibility for a personal consultation with the lecturer to discuss this concept.

The deadline for the final research is December 31 2009. All assignments

can be send in to [email protected].

Hifdh

Practice your reading, recitation, tajweed, and memorize the entire Quran. We will help you.

You will go as far as you plan to go, so set your ambitions high! By the end of our three year

Bachelor in Islamic Law the students are supposed to have memorized at least 5 Juz' from the

Qur'an. Juz’ Amma is mandatory and the choice of the other 4 Juz’ are up to the student.

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Advice for the new student of knowledge

Written by Graduate Student of Arees 2009 Omar Izfar

There's a small book translated to English now that Imam al-Ghazali wrote to a student about the

ethics of seeking knowledge. There are many good works on this actually. Your first year work

on Akhlaq by ibn Hazm is excellent for this; read and reread it. I can try to give you some

advice, things that thinking back would have made my time easier had I discovered these earlier

than later. I think most of it involves changing the heart and purifying your intention. Here are

some tips:

* Be just to Allah and be just to yourself. The sacred knowledge of this religion is the light, and

Allah does not bless the wretched with that light. Imam Shafi once complained to al-Layth, his

sheikh, about his memory; al-Layth advised him to stop his sins! The two definitely correlate

although this is not obvious to us. This is the right time to abandon your sins, large and small. Be

more dutiful in your prayers, be more generous with your wealth, guard your eyes and your

tongue, lower your gaze from women and leave all foul speech, impure foods, and practices

against the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet; knowledge will not shine down on those who stand

with one leg in ignorance and the other in faith.

* Respect your Sheikh. New students are very eager, alhamdulillah, but this sometimes results in

people interrupting when the sheikh lectures, or asking questions when the sheikh does not wish

to take questions. Sometimes, an idea is so enticing that a student will blurt out the thought as

soon as it enters their mind; this is terrible manners. The sheikh is very kind and he did not throw

people out of his halaqa although many teachers would have done that for much less. Remember,

the scholar compared to the worshiper is like the moon against the stars, show respect and be

humble. Speak when spoken to, etc. Imam Shafi said he would turn the pages of his books softly

so as not to disturb Imam Malik. His student, Rafi' said he didn't even dare to drink water in front

of Imam Shafi. That's real respect!

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* There's an ethic to asking questions: First, you should wait until the sheikh wants you to ask a

question or asks you if you have any, then wait for the sheikh to acknowledge you and then

speak. Begin by praying for your sheikh. Ask Allah to increase him in knowledge and baraka,

then ask your question. Phrase it respectfully, do not accuse the sheikh of saying something

wrong or dismissing an evidence, rather say "Sheikh I heard you say abc, I understood from this

xyz, is it also the case that / can you explain again / what is the reason for ?...etc." If the sheikh

does not answer your question, or answers a different question than you asked, and if the sheikh

gives you permission to, then reword your question. If again the answer is not what you want,

leave it, do not insist on asking again. Either the question is not relevant to the lesson, or the

sheikh intentionally did not answer you, or some other good reason for your not having an

answer.

* Humble yourself. The reality is that we are all woefully ignorant about Islam. What the sheikh

considers average everyday knowledge is well beyond what we consider advanced. If the sheikh

seems harsh or even seems arrogant to you, you should not think that it is the fault of his

character, often he is doing it on purpose, sometimes to stamp out any complacency in his

students, and sometimes to break the egos of students that haven't learned humility. Appreciate

the gravity of the subject matter and consider yourself blessed for having the chance to sit with

the sheikh.

* Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Guard your intention vigilantly. You are here to spend

your time in humble contemplation of sacred law in an attempt to come closer to God. If you feel

in your heart that you would like that people consider you knowledgeable or pious, then your

studies are a fitnah to you, and among the first to be thrown into the hellfire will be the

worshipper who wanted to be thought of as pious. Do not be jealous of your fellow students who

surpass you, Allah has chosen them, and you should ask Allah to increase them more as well as

you. Do not wish to win debates or to defend your self, this desire is from the vain conceit of the

weak in character and faith. Rather, learn from those who have knowledge you don't, and desire

only to please Allah.

May God bless your efforts and reward your intentions.

Arees Institute Syllabus

Documents

Transcript of Arees Institute Syllabus