Throughout Islamic history, the scholarly tradition has consistently risen to meet the intellectual and practical challenges of its time, offering not merely methods of navigation but comprehensive frameworks for cultivating a sound and forward-looking future despite prevailing constraints.
While one stream of scholarship emphasizes mastery and preservation of the classical tradition, the Mathabah Learning Centre seeks to develop scholars specializing in Qur’anic Tafsir and Islamic Law who are equipped to address contemporary issues and provide clear, principled guidance on the application of the dīn across diverse present and future contexts.
The Mathabah Learning Centre’s Islamic Scholarship Program is open to graduates of the Level 1 program who aspire to study and contribute meaningfully to this centuries-old scholarly tradition.
The program comprises two tiers:
Tier 1: Principles of Islamic Scholarship
At this level, students receive structured training in the foundational disciplines of Islamic scholarship, including Islamic History, Theology (‘Aqidah), Qur’anic Sciences, Principles of Exegesis (Usul al-Tafsir), Principles of Hadith, and Principles of Islamic Law (Usul al-Fiqh) alongside substantive study of Fiqh. This level is designed to be undertaken concurrently with the Mathabah Learning Centre’s Arabic Certification Program.
Year 1
HISTORY
Course Name: The Rightly Guided Successors
Code: MLCHI201
Pre-requisites: Islamic Essentials certificate
Course Objective: To provide students with a clear understanding of:
• The concept and technicalities of the Caliphate
• The struggles and sacrifices of the Four Caliphs
• How Islam was spread and shaped the world as we know it today
• Contemporary methods and techniques of Western Democracy vs. the Islamic Caliphate
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course, students will:
• Have answers to many contentious issues related to Islamic history
• An understanding of the context of many rulings that will be studied in other fields of
Islamic Sciences
• An understanding of the benefits of the Islamic system vs. the contemporary democratic system
Course Book: The History of the Four Caliphs by Shaykh Khudari Bak al-Bajuri
Supplementary Text: The History of the Khalifahs who took the right way by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti
CREED
Course Name: Exploring Islamic Theology
Code: MLCCR201
Course Objective: To provide students with a sound comprehension of:
• The origins and development of Islamic Theology
• Previous and contemporary theological arguments and their responses
• The correct approach to theological matters
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:
• Be able to exercise sound discernment in matters of Islamic Creed
• Have answers with insight on contentious theological matters
Course Book: Al Fiqh al Akbar by Imam Abu Hanifah
Supplementary Text: Selections from the works of Ibn Taymiyah and Sharh al-‘Aqa’id by Imam
Taftazani
CREED
Course Name: Contemporary Sects
Code: MLCCR301
Course Objective: To provide students with an understanding of:
• The criterion that must be always employed to judge the validity and invalidity of religious
notions
• Contemporary theological challenges
• The theological differences between Ahmadism and Islam
• The theological differences between Shiasm and Sunnism
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:
• Be able to distinguish and identify the areas of differences between certain contemporary
Islamic Sects
• Be acquainted with the basis of those differences
• Be able to effectively explain those differences to members of the public
Course Book: Custom material from the Mathabah Learning Centre
Supplementary Text:
• Selections from the works of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
• Selections from Usul al-Kafi
Qur’an Sciences
Course Name: Qur’an Foundations 1
Code: MIQU101
Course Objective: To acquaint students with:
• The fundamental aspects of the Qur’an
• A thorough understanding of how the Qur’an was compiled and adopted in its current form
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:
• Have a clear comprehension of the Qur’an’s history
• A solid platform to move forward with towards interpreting the Qur’an with accuracy and
insight
Course Book: An Approach to Qur’anic Sciences by Mufti Taqi Usmani
Supplementary Text:
• Al- Itqan fi `Ulom al- Qur’an by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti
• The History of the Quranic Text by Muhammad Mustafa al-A’zami
Qur’an Sciences
Course Name: Qur’an Foundations 2
Code: MIQU110
Course Objective: To make students aware of:
• The arguments of the Orientalists pertaining to the preservation and the textual accuracy of
the Qur’an
• The motives behind their offensive against the Qur’an
• The flaws that are found in their arguments and objections
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:
• Develop a genuine sense of appreciation for the authenticity of the Qur’an
• Have answers to Orientalist arguments
• Sufficient knowledge to educate the masses on this important matter
Course Book:
• An Approach to Qur’anic Sciences by Mufti Taqi Usmani
• The History of the Quranic Text by Muhammad Mustafa al-A’zami
Qur’an Sciences
Course Name: Qur’an Foundations 3
Code: MLCQU120
Course Objective: To familiarize students with:
• What truly makes the Qur’an a miracle of Allah
• The prerequisites of exegesis / tafsir
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:
• Be positioned to acquaint the public of the miraculous nature of the Qur’an thus generating
a greater sense of appreciation for the book amongst them
• Understand the depth of the sciences of tafsir
Course Book:
• An Approach to Qur’anic Sciences by Mufti Taqi Usmani
Supplementary Text:
• Al- Itqan fi `Uloom al- Qurʾān by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti
Year 2
Qur’an Sciences
Course Name: Qur’an Foundations 4
Code: MLCQU130
Course Objective: To connect students with:
• The causes of inaccurate interpretations
• The important principles of tafsir
• The biographies of famous exegetes / mufassirs
• Renowned books of tafsir
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:
• Be in the prime position to efficiently and effectively study the tafsir of the Qur’an
Course Book:
• An Approach to Qur’anic Sciences by Mufti Taqi Usmani
Supplementary Text:
• Al- Itqan fi `Uloom al- Qurʾān by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti
Hadith Sciences
Course Name: The Creation and Evolution of Hadith Sciences
Code: MLCHA101
Course Objective: To equip students with the knowledge of:
• The importance of hadith studies
• The historical development of hadith sciences
• The objections raised by people of later generations on the validity of hadith
• A basic overview on the classification of aḥādīth based on their transmission chains
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:
• Foundational knowledge of hadith sciences
• Answers to the critics of hadith
Course Book:
• Quran, Hadith and Islam by Dr. Rashad Khalifa
• The Authority of the Sunnah by. Mufti Taqi Usmani
• A Beginners guide to Hadith Sciences
Supplementary Text: Nukhbat al-Fikr
Fiqh Origins and Principles
Course Name: Following a Madhhab
Code: MLCJU101
Course Objective: To acquaint students with the knowledge of:
• The concept of taqlid and its importance
• The biography of the four Imams of Islamic Law
• The reason why the four Imams differed in their conclusions pertaining to fiqh related
matters
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:
• Comprehension and appreciation for the nature of the work that was rendered by the four
Imams
• Answers for all the objections that are raised in the public pertaining to taqlid
• An understanding of the causes of differences
• A clear sense of direction on how to further pursue fiqh
Course Book:
• The Four Imams: Their lives and works by Abu Zahra
• Differences of the Imams by Sh. Zakariya Kandhlawi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Purification
Code: MLCFH101
Course Objective: To acquaint students with the knowledge of:
• The essential rulings of fiqh that apply to a person’s everyday life
• Certain authentic prophetic narrations that have been used to reach those rulings
Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:
• A theoretical and practical comprehension of essential fiqh rulings
• An understanding of the origins of those rulings
• The ability to contextualize prophetic narrations
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Ritual Prayer 1
Code: MLCFH201
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Ritual Prayer 2
Code: MLCFH210
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Year 3
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Zakah and Fasting
Code: MLCFH301
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Pilgrimage
Code: MLCFH310
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Marriage & Divorce 1
Code: MLCFH401
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Marriage & Divorce 2
Code: MLCFH410
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Penal Law (Historical Aspect)
Code: MLCFH501
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Fiqh & Hadith
Course Name: Military Campaigns (Historical Aspect)
The Permissible and Prohibited
Code: MLCFH601
Course Book:
• Mukhtasar al-Qudūrī by Imam Abu Husayn al-Qudūrī
• A Collection of Imam Abu Hanifah’s Hadiths and Fatwas by Omar Subedar
• Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan by Muhammad Fuwad Abdul Baqi
Tier 2: Specialization
Upon successful completion of Level 1, students may pursue one of the following specialization tracks:
- Scholar of Qur’anic Tafsir Certification Program
- Scholar of Islamic Legal Studies. (Fiqh) Certification Program
Scholar of Qur’anic Tafsir Certification Program
Module 1: Orientation and Revision
Overview
This module provides advanced orientation to the discipline of tafsīr while strengthening the linguistic, legal, and methodological foundations required for higher-level research.
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1.Tafsīr Orientation
A guided study of Sūrat Yāsīn and Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt to familiarize students with the classical exegetical style. This is followed by the study of Sūrat al-Raʿd (with focus on ʿaqīdah-related themes), and Sūrat Hūd (with emphasis on prophetic narratives), including comparative analysis with parallel Qur’anic passages and relevant Biblical accounts. -
2.Fiqh of Tafsīr
Study of the legal verses (Āyāt al-Aḥkām) from Sūrat al-Baqarah. -
3.Introduction to Classical Tafāsīr
Survey of major exegetical methodologies as represented in the works of leading mufassirūn, including Ibn Kathīr, Qurṭubī, Fakhr al-Rāzī, Ālūsī, and Abū Saʿūd. -
4.Principles of Tafsīr
Study of the history, classifications, technical terminology, and governing principles of tafsīr. -
5.Principles of Fiqh (Uṣūl al-Fiqh)
Foundational rules governing the derivation of legal rulings from the Qur’an. -
6.Advanced Arabic Grammar
Comprehensive revision of intermediate grammatical principles alongside the introduction of advanced rules to enhance precision in Qur’anic analysis. -
7.Arabic Poetry
Study of selected classical Arabic poetry to deepen linguistic sensitivity and stylistic awareness. -
8.Arabic Rhetoric (Balāghah)
Advanced review of rhetorical principles to develop nuanced appreciation of Qur’anic eloquence. -
9.Translations:
Students will translate selected exegetical passages from the works of Imām al-Qurṭubī, Imām Ibn Kathīr, Imām Fakhr al-Rāzī, and Imām al-Ālūsī. The assigned selections will be drawn from Sūrat al-Ḥadīd, Sūrat al-Aʿrāf, Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah, and Sūrat al-Nisāʾ.
Module 2: Research
Overview
This module develops students’ comparative research and analytical capabilities within the tafsīr and fiqh traditions.
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1.Compilation and Comparative Analysis
Students will compile and analyze exegetical discussions on selected sūrahs from designated classical tafsīrs. They will:
⟐ Identify and analyze differences among the interpretations.
⟐ Determine which interpretation is most appropriate for contemporary contexts, with justification.
⟐ Assess and document the sources and authenticity gradings of cited hadiths and āthār.
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2.Fiqh Analysis
Students will research selected legal rulings from designated sūrahs and present the positions of the four major madhāhib. Evidence will be drawn from the relied-upon authoritative texts of each school.
Module 3: Publication
Overview
This capstone module trains students in the professional preparation of publishable scholarly work.
Training Includes:
⟐ Manuscript development
⟐ Academic editing
⟐ Typesetting
⟐ Print preparation
Capstone Project Requirements:
Each student will be assigned a specific sūrah and will produce a publication-ready work that
includes:
⟐ An introduction and thematic synopsis of the sūrah
⟐ An original translation of the Arabic verses (use of existing translations is not permitted)
⟐ Verse-by-verse explanation grounded in classical tafsīr literature and supported by
contemporary traditional scholarship
⟐ Relevant fiqh discussions derived from the verses
⟐ Key lessons and applied insights
⟐ Optional analytical perspectives where appropriate
All submissions must meet publishable academic standards. Upon successful completion and
approval of the final project, students will be awarded the certification of Scholar of Qur’anic Exegesis by the Institute.
Scholar of Islamic Legal Studies (Fiqh) Certification Program
This program has been designed to cultivate a new generation of scholars in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) who possess the methodological tools to understand how legal conclusions are derived from their primary sources, governing legal principles, and the socio-historical contexts in which they emerged. Through this training, graduates will be equipped to address contemporary issues with rigor and to provide contextually appropriate, principled guidance.
Module 1: Classical Fiqh
Overview
This module establishes students’ foundational mastery of legal theory and core juristic rulings within the classical tradition.
Subjects Covered:
- Uṣūl al-Fiqh
A systematic study of the origins and development of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence and their application in deriving legal rulings. - Fiqh al-ʿIbādāt
A comprehensive study of the ritual dimensions of the dīn, including ṭahārah, ṣalāh,
zakāh, ṣawm, ḥajj, and ʿumrah - Fiqh al-Muʿāmalāt I
A focused study of family-related rulings, including marriage, child nursing, and divorce.
Module 2: Classical Fiqh (Advanced Muʿāmalāt)
Overview
This module advances students’ engagement with complex transactional and governance-related rulings.
- Fiqh al-Muʿāmalāt II
Study of regulations pertaining to waqf, gifting, trusts, governance, jizya, and penal law. - Fiqh al-Muʿāmalāt III
Detailed analysis of rulings related to nafaqah, leasing, hunting, animal slaughter, vows,
kaffārāt, beverages, istiḥsān, borrowing, and intersex (khunthā) rulings.
Subjects Covered:
Module 3: Contemporary Fiqh (Fiqh al-Nawāzil)
Overview
This module trains students to apply juristic methodology to emerging and contemporary issues
across both devotional and transactional domains.
Subjects Covered:
3. Fiqh al-Nawāzil I (ʿIbādāt)
Ṭahārah: Contemporary rulings related to ritual purity, including dentures, prosthetics, cosmetics, and performing tayammum using modern surfaces (e.g., train walls).
Ṣalāh: Issues such as performing prayer on an aircraft, following an imām via live broadcast, and burial practices involving coffins.
Zakāh: Analysis of the niṣāb for gold and silver, zakāh on inventory prior to possession, zakāh on debts and payment plans, and the scope of fī sabīlillāh.
Ṣawm: Fasting regulations in regions with extended daylight hours.
Ḥajj: Contemporary questions including entry into Makkah without iḥrām for business purposes, sequencing of rites on the 10 th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah and performing ṭawāf al- ziyārah in a state of major ritual impurity.
4. Fiqh al-Nawāzil II (Muʿāmalāt and Social Issues)
⟐ Commercial and Financial Matters: Supplying human milk, drop-shipping, sale of debt,
stock market participation, modern financing structures, and contemporary forms of
gambling.
⟐ Ribā and Financial Contexts: Interest in Dār al-Ḥarb contexts; definitions of Dār al-
Ḥarb, Dār al-Islām, and Dār al-Aman; rulings on bank profits, paper and digital currency,
online commerce, profit-bearing loans, conventional bank loans, and insurance.
⟐ Family and Personal Law: Prenuptial agreements, civil marriages, interfaith marriage
(Christians and Jews), marriage to Shīʿī and Aḥmadīs, IVF, and contraceptive use.
⟐ Medical Ethics: Blood transfusions, medicines containing alcohol, gender reassignment
procedures, medical assistance in dying, and organ transplantation.
⟐Interfaith and Social Questions: Praying for deceased non-Muslims and discussions
surrounding religious pluralism.
⟐ Food and Slaughter Issues: Chemical transformation (istiḥālah), pre-slaughter
stunning, mechanical poultry slaughter, and slaughter by Jews or Christians.
⟐ Civic Engagement: Muslim participation in politics, candidacy in elections, and
participation in non-Muslim celebrations.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be awarded the certification of Scholar of Islamic Legal Studies (Fiqh) by the Institute.
Tier 3: Scholar of Islamic Legal Opinion (Iftā Program)
Course Overview
The Advanced Islamic Legal Studies (Iftā Program) is delivered over two academic years through structured live instruction and supervised research.
The Iftā Program at Mathabah is a rigorous, innovative two-year course designed for graduates
of the Scholar of Islamic Legal Studies (Fiqh) Certification Program and qualified scholars
(ʿulamāʾ and ʿālimāt) from recognized Islamic institutions seeking advanced specialization in
fiqh and legal methodology. The curriculum provides comprehensive training in the research,
formulation, and issuance of Islamic legal verdicts (fatāwā).
Students engage a broad range of core subjects, including the principles of legal research and
fatwā issuance, juristic maxims (qawāʿid fiqhiyyah), the higher objectives of Islamic law
(maqāṣid al-sharīʿah), practicing Islam in Western minority contexts, the historical development
of the four madhāhib, contemporary fiqh issues (fiqh al-nawāzil), modern Islamic finance, family
counseling, and the sciences of ḥadīth as they relate to jurisprudence and iftā.
Under the guidance of qualified instructors and experienced muftīs, students study a curated
selection of advanced texts, including Rasm al-Muftī, al-Qawāʿid al-Fiqhiyyah, Maqāṣid al-
Sharīʿah, al-Muslim Muwāṭinan fī Urūbbā, al-Madāris al-Uṣūliyyah, al-Fatāwā wa Fiqh al-
Nawāzil, al-Iqtiṣād al-Islāmī, as well as classical iftā manuals and reference works.
As a central program requirement, each student must produce a minimum of 500 thoroughly
researched and properly referenced fatāwā, in addition to completing a supervised dissertation
addressing a significant contemporary issue. All research is conducted under the oversight of
the Mathabah Learning Centre Iftā Department.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be awarded the certification of
Scholar of Islamic Legal Opinion (Muftī) by the Institute.
Year One
Subjects:
⟐ Introduction to Iftā
⟐ Requirements for
⟐ Mastery in Iftā
⟐ Principles of Islamic Legal Theory
⟐ Principles and
⟐ Methodology of Iftā
⟐ Islamic Family Law
⟐ Islamic Dietary Law
⟐ Fatwā Writing Practicum
⟐ Thesis Development and Writing
Class Format:
Live instruction twice weekly; each session is two hours in duration.
Year Two
Subjects:
⟐ Objectives of Islamic Law (Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah)
⟐ Islamic Trade, Business, and Finance
⟐ The Four Schools of Islamic Law
⟐ Application of Fiqh in Western Minority Contexts (Fiqh al-Aqalliyyāt)
⟐ Politics and Citizenship
⟐ Advanced Fatwā Writing Practicum
⟐ Thesis Completion and Writing
