Ask us to define ourselves in three words, and those three words would be Just. Like. You.
For most of our lives, we’re hard at work: we’re up till midnight in the library studying for a degree, we’re learning a skill, building a business, handling kids, writing a book. We have hardly a moment to ourselves. We don’t even ask whether we are fulfilled. We fall asleep counting the weeks until the end.
And then, finally, one day, slightly unexpectedly, the end arrives. Through slow and steady toil, we have achieved what we had been seeking for years: the book is done, the business is sold, the house is built, kids have grown up, the degree certificate is on the wall. People around us cheer and celebrate our success.
And that is when, where everything we’ve dreamt seems accomplished, there is a supreme unease within. Everything is beautiful and the sky is flawless. We have nothing unpleasant to do and everything seems picture perfect. Why then are we so flat, disoriented, and perhaps slightly tearful? Why are we so unpleased?
Allah (The Exalted) says is Surah Ar-R'ad, Verse 28:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.
Seeking Islamic education has always been the dream for many of us. Somewhere deep inside, all of us are driven by the fact that seeking knowledge would lead us to the highest station in Jannah. Though we come across stages in life where we want to learn our religion and become better, there always seems to be a roadblock ahead of us. The pathway to seek knowledge isn't clear, there are too many courses spread wide across, many degrees with many dollars to spend on them. And amidst this idyllic chaos of our so-called life, we tend to lose interest in traversing this hazy path on becoming a seeker of Ilm.
Student of Knowledge. A very scholastic word. A word which is synonymous with those pure genius extraordinary figures who've sought knowledge right from the time they've learned to say Alif. A journey that seems beyond the grasp of us normal souls. Something which we've all wanted to be, but do not know how to become.
But there is always a start to a journey. A fresh start is a journey - a journey that requires a plan. And the starting point is to overcome the insecurity that we too can be one of those seekers of truth. We are not, in the end, ever really very short of time or resources. What we’re truly short of is courage, open-heartedness and the desire to work hard. If we measure the reality of our lives by the quantity of time we have passed in a state of genuine happiness or being productive, the answer is going to be distressing. If we understand how well we can utilise the rest of our time by investing it in learning our Deen, Allah (The Exalted) will put barakah in it.
Hence, under the guidance of scholars, to help solve the problem that most sisters face when seeking knowledge, we are launching our Diploma in Shariah and Islamic Sciences for sisters to help them embark on the pathway to becoming a student of knowledge.
The foundations of any discipline are its definition, knowledge base, terminology, structure, methodology, and epistemology. If students understand why information is important and useful, if their curiosity is piqued, and if they perceive the relevance of the content, they will be willing to exert more effort and will perform better. Every professional will recommend that newbies start by first learning their fundamentals. This is a very astute advice. Hence our Diploma is focused on building the foundation (fundamental principles) in the various sciences of our Religion.
So what is the Diploma in Shariah and Islamic Sciences about?
Our Diploma focuses on the fundamentals of the basic sciences of Islam, and to help students understand the bigger picture. Once the fundamentals are strong, it is easy to understand the higher concepts. And slowly with time, one begins to understand the intricacies of our deen more wisely.
Check out https://www.ilm.arriqaaq.com/about-the-degree for more details.
Who is this Diploma for?
They said, You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation. We know how hard it is for women to connect with scholars and find authentic sources of knowledge, let alone a degree that helps them embark on this path. Seeking knowledge for adolescent girls and young women — a group that comprises an estimated one-eighth of the world’s population — is far from easy, especially when it comes to women in non-islamic countries to have the same opportunities to seek knowledge from an islamic school or to practice in their communities.
Our aim is to solve this problem and hence this Diploma is only for sisters across all age groups.
Is this Diploma free?
Oh yes! Completely Free. No cost. Alhamdulillah. Our mission is to provide a free, world-class Islamic Education for anyone, anywhere.
What is the focus of this Diploma?
The focus is to build your fundamentals in the sciences of Islam by learning the fundamental principles of each subject. Our courses focus on the principles of Aqeedah, Fiqh, Tafseer, and Arabic. There are a bunch of electives too which you can choose to further your knowledge like Tajweed, Countering Islamophobes, and a course on Emergency medical care in the community (to make you a Lifesaver before the person reaches the hospital). We believe in the skill development of people along with the knowledge of Deen.
Check out https://www.ilm.arriqaaq.com/curriculum for more details.
Who are our Instructors?
We have a group of eminently qualified instructors, with an outstanding academic profile, who have a tenacious hold in their respective fields. All of our teachers are firm upon the sound creed of Ahlus Sunnah treading upon the methodology of the Sahabah, Tabieen, and those who followed them upon goodness.
Check out https://www.ilm.arriqaaq.com/instructors for more details.
When does it start?
The Diploma starts August 29.
How do I apply?
Visit https://www.ilm.arriqaaq.com/apply to start your application and to check out all the wonderful courses.
Lastly, I'd like to finish with this amazing response from Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal to a man who was puzzled when he saw him carrying his wooden inkwell by himself. He, rahimahullah, said:
"With the Mihbara (inkpot), all the way to the maqbarah (graveyard)."
So what is our excuse dear sisters? Join us in embarking on this pathway to knowledge and help build a generation of righteous people! Start your application now. Diploma starts August 29.
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