Islamic Studies

Aqida is the foundational study of creed and covers the six pillars of faith: God, the angels, the revealed books, the messengers, the Final Day, and divine destiny.

Hadith is the study of the sunnah, behavior, words, and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Upper-level courses go into the history of the compilation of hadith, narration, classification, and transmission.

The Ribaat Arabic Program provides a comprehensive curriculum for non-Arabic speakers designed to develop students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in the Arabic language.

Ribaat certification requirements are required courses for students who are seeking certification. They include orientation courses, seminars, oral assessments, thesis projects, and discussion, as well as in-person retreats to ensure a solid, well-rounded understanding of the concepts learned and an ability to apply them practically.

Communication is the study of how to effectively write, speak, and deliver a message. Communication studies provide students with the necessary skills to be effective teachers, community leaders, and changemakers.

Education courses ground students in pedagogical theory, modern educational methodology, and best teaching practices. They also provide the developmental knowledge needed to connect with students at each age and a background of some of the issues that may be faced when working with them.

Fiqh is the study of codified Islamic law (jurisprudence) according to a specific madhhab. The study of fiqh is divided into two primary subject areas: the fiqh of worship and the fiqh of deeds. The fiqh of worship includes matters of purity, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and mandatory charity (zakat). The fiqh of deeds includes social, political, and economic matters of life.

History is the study of past events of the earth, its peoples, civilizations, natural resources, and international relations. Ribaat history courses focus primarily on the history of the Muslim world and the diaspora, Muslim historical figures and movements, as well as the effect of global history on Muslim civilizations.

Tazkiya is the study of how to purify the self. It includes the qualities of a believer, qualities of a disbeliever, and methods of identifying and treating diseases of the heart. Tazkiya teaches spiritual ethics and how to gain piety while living in the world in the manner of those who were and are beloved to God.

Sira began as the documentation of the battles during the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and grew into a complex compendium of his entire lived history. His life, relationships, manners, experiences, what he did and did not do, what he said – all add up to Sira. His life is a blessed example of a lived Quran and how best to live on this earth.

Social Sciences at Ribaat encompass the study of social and cultural aspects of human relationships both individually and collectively within Muslim societies. This includes the study of Islamic cultures and societies through the lenses of anthropology, sociology, historiography, human geography, education, history, communications, and psychology.

Tafsir is the exegesis of the Quran. It includes asbab al-nuzul, or the contextual reasons for the revelation of particular verses; grammatical points; an explanation of vocabulary; related hadiths or stories from the life of the Prophet ﷺ; commentary and lessons learned. Tafsir can be as simple as a translation of the Quran, since a translator interprets the meaning and renders it into English.

Tajwid is a Quranic science that details the correct pronunciation of the letters of the Holy Quran, including points of articulation, the attributes of letters, the duration of letters, and mouth shape and letter fulfillment, as well as the rules of tajwid. Ribaat tajwid courses enable students to become proficient in the recitation of the Holy Quran, with a complete understanding of and ability to apply the rules of tajwid.