Advanced Program

January 7th -
May 13th, 2025

Sundays from
5:00 - 8:00 PM EST

Tuesdays from
7:00 - 10:00 PM EST

Miftaah
Campus

Onsite classes

2 Days per week

build life-long friendships

live instruction

What is the Advanced Islamic
Studies Program?

The Advanced Islamic Studies Program is a comprehensive and rigorous educational journey tailored for students who have successfully completed the Miftaah Associate Program, Miftaah Online, or an equivalent program. This program is designed to offer a deeper and more profound exploration of the sacred knowledge within the Islamic tradition, enabling students to attain expertise in Islamic Studies and enhance their understanding of the Islamic Sciences.

Program Objectives:

1. Comprehensive Islamic Texts: Students will delve into an array of advanced Islamic texts, including the Qur'an, Hadith, Fiqh, Tafsir, and other foundational works of Islamic scholarship. Through extensive reading and critical analysis, participants will gain a profound understanding of the core principles and wisdom embedded within these sacred sources.
2. Advanced Islamic Courses: The program offers specialized courses that cover all aspects of the Islamic Sciences, including Aqeedah (Theology), Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence), Arabic language, History of Islam, Sufism, and Comparative Religion. These courses will provide students with a comprehensive and holistic perspective on the rich tapestry of Islamic knowledge.
3. Critical Thinking and Research Skills: The program emphasizes critical thinking and research abilities. Students will engage in scholarly discussions, debates, and research projects, enabling them to approach complex issues with analytical depth and academic integrity.

The Advanced Islamic Studies Program is a transformative educational experience that equips students with the tools, insights, and expertise to engage deeply with Islamic knowledge and scholarship. Through this program, participants will not only enrich their own lives but also contribute positively to the global Muslim community and society at large. Join us on this enlightening journey of learning and spiritual growth as we strive to advance the understanding of Islamic Sciences and strengthen our connection to the divine legacy of Islam.

Courses

Full-Year Track

Arabic Conversation

Building upon what is learnt in Introduction to Arabic Grammar, this class aims to reinforce many of the concepts learned in Introduction to Arabic Grammar, increase students’ vocabulary, and introduce them to new grammatical forms. The class focuses on providing students with a firm grasp of phraseology that is common to both spoken and written speech, including, but not limited to, a thorough review of Arabic possessive, descriptive, vocative, and indicative phrases. The class also covers how gender is used in Arabic, the full range of Arabic subjective, objective, and possessive pronouns, and the Arabic broken plural. As with Introduction to Arabic grammar, preparation for class and homework are essential so that students may devote in-class time to communicating in the language rather than talking “about” the language. Upon completion, students will be able to formulate basic sentences and speak Arabic on a beginner’s level.
Course Length: 2 Semesters
Text Used: First Steps to understanding Arabic

Arabic Morphology

This course provides students with a necessary base understanding of how Arabic root letters are conjugated to create different words. By the end of the course, students will know how to conjugate verbs in various tenses, determine base letters from non-base letters, and identify verbal patterns that convey information about the number, gender, and voice of the subject of a sentence. Students will also be able to identify the usage of verbs in the Qur'an.
Course Length: 2 Semesters
Text Used:

Arabic Grammar

This course consists of a systematic study of Arabic syntax and parallels the material learnt in Beginner Arabic Morphology I. The comprehensive text used in this course covers the various classifications of different types of sentences and the different components of a sentence’s anatomy, provides a basic but detailed understanding of the Arabic case system, and discusses how Arabic nouns respond to prepositions and verbs in accordance with the role the noun plays in the sentence.
Course Length: 2 Semesters
Text Used: Hidayat ul Nahw, Duroos ul Lughat (Shaykh Hashim al Qalam), Arabic Tutor 2

Arabic Literature

This course aims at giving students a chance to put their Arabic comprehension skills used in their first-year grammar and conversation class to use. It also develops those skills. The class uses Sheikh Abu Hassan Ali Nadwi’s classic didactic text Qasas al-Nabiyin (Stories of the Prophets) to provide students with a manageably challenging reading experience. The fun and engaging text of Qasas al-Nabiyin gradually introduces more complicated and varied grammar and vocabulary as the text goes on. Therefore, each qissah (story) becomes like a baby step towards higher level Arabic comprehension for the student. This class gives students the skill and confidence to begin digesting some of the Islamic intellectual traditions’ most difficult and important works.
Course Length: 2 Semesters
Text Used: Tafsir al Jalalyn

Quran Comprehension

Students will study a compilation of verses from both the Quran. Various ayahs will be analyzed covering areas such as grammar, syntax, definitions, and moral conduct, encouraging the student to improve their knowledge of the Arabic language.
Course Length: 2 Semesters
Text Used: Tafsir al Jalalyn, Safwtul al Tafseer

Hadith Comprehension

This class is an introduction to the comprehension of primary religious sources in their original language and forms the basis of one’s ability to interpret, analyze, and apply Islam’s holy texts. Using the concise and to the point sayings of God’s Messenger (pbuh) collected in the classical text, students will begin to utilize concepts learned in their morphology and syntax classes to understand the Prophet’s (pbuh) words. A discussion of the grammar and vocabulary included in each hadeeth will be accompanied by a lesson on the hadeeth’s meaning and a discussion of its application in our place and time.
Course Length: 2 Semesters
Text Used: 40 Nawawi, Riyadus Saliheen HC

Tazkiah: Purification of the Heart

This Tazkiyah course will read and reflect over texts by Imam Ghazali, Imam Zarnuji, and other select texts. The objective of these readings is to train the student of knowledge by helping them learn practical tools to purify their hearts and build a stronger relationship with Allah SWT.
Course Length: 2 Semesters
Text Used: Purification of the Heart, Selection’s from Ihyaa, Ayuhal Wald Ghazali

Winter Semester

Fiqh: أحكام القران
Legal Rulings in the Quran

‍Course Length: 1 Year
Text Used: TBD
Course Instructor: Mufti Aasim Rashid

Hadith: الأبواب المنتخبة

Course Length: 1 Year
Text Used: Selected Chapters from Mishkaat Al-Masabih By: Muhammad Yusuf Al-Khandehlaw
Course Instructors: Shaykh Hasan Suleiman

Tazkiya: مختصر منهاج القاصدين

‍Course Length: 1 Year
Text Used: Summary of Ihya Uloom Ad-Din by Ibn Qudamah Al Maqdisi
Course Instructor: Shaykh Hunzala Zaidi

Tafseer: Surah Anbiya

Course Length: 1 Year
Text Used: Tafsir al-Jalalayn by Al-Mahalli and al-Suyuti
Course Instroctor: Shaykh Abdullah Waheed

Reading Comprehension: أسوة حسنة
Arabic Literature

‍Course Length: 1 Year
Text Used: Arabic literature By Abu Al-Hasan An-Nadwi
Course Instructor: Shaykh Maqsood Sher

Seerah: كيف عاملهم

‍Course Length: 1 Year
Text Used: Prophetic Dealings By Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajid

Alhamdulillah my experience so far is amazing, the vibe and the personalities of the teachers really bring the class together. They all know when to be funny and when to be serious. The topics for this year were absolutely amazing, my favorite class would have to be Mufti Abdul Rahman’s class “Etiquettes of a Seeker”. I feel like in whatever you’re learning, the teacher makes or breaks the class for you. Alhamdulillah these teachers are always positive and always put their students first.

Mujaba Ahsan
Year 2 Associate Student

I love coming to Miftaah; the classes give me tools to deal with hardships in life and help me be a better person overall. The instructors are sincere and real. We learn from not just what they are teaching about the subjects but their demeanor, their values and views and their stories and tangents.

Sumreena Hussain
Advanced Associate Student

Miftaah Institute has been an answer to my du'aas. The classes are very well taught and the instructors are exceptional. The best part about it is that if I cannot attend live, I can go back and watch the recordings. There are a lot of resources to help us understand and pass the class like the PowerPoints and the notes. The administration is also very receptive to any questions or concerns I have.

Fazia Abrahim from Sunrise, Florida
Miftaah Online Winter 2022 Student

Provide broad-based knowledge and critical skills in the areas of Islamic theology, jurisprudence, Qur’anic exegesis, Prophetic traditions, history, contemporary and spiritual aspects of Islamic Studies

Prepare individuals for leadership in serving the Muslim community

Provide access to tertiary level study in Islamic Studies by means of distance education and in class learning

Provide pathways for further learning at postgraduate and research higher degree levels.

Course Instructors

Learn from traditionally trained scholars

Mufti Aasim Rashid

Instructor

Mufti Aasim Rashid is a distinguished Muslim scholar, speaker and educator (the title ‘Mufti’ indicates his expertise and authority in Islamic law). He is devoted to the study and explanation of Islamic sacred texts and their relation to the modern context. His lectures, delivered at conferences and institutions around the world, are known to be inspiring and pertinent to the issues and pressing questions of the day. Mufti Aasim is the founder of the Al-Ihsan Educational Foundation, which has initiated the ‘Islam Unravelled’ project.

Shaykh Abdullah Waheed

Instructor

Shaykh Abdullah Waheed was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, MI. He commenced his studies at the age of ten in Toronto, Canada, where he went to memorize the Quran. He completed the memorization of the Holy Quran by the tender age of thirteen and then went on to study in the seven-year extensive Shariah program in Toronto, Canada. Shaykh Abdullah specialized in the Tafseer of the Quran. Shaykh Abdullah spent years studying the details and beauty of our Holy book since understanding and mastering the language of the Holy Quran was always the primary goal. Shaykh Abdullah is a co-founder and instructor at Miftaah Institute and is also the Director of Islamic Affairs at Flint Islamic Center.

Shaykh Maqsood Sher

Instructor

As a senior seminary teacher and scholar, Shaykh Maqsood is an exemplary mentor in Islamic studies, scriptures, and Holy Book interpretations. With an education in Quranic studies, and a bachelor’s in Islamic studies and the Arabic language, Shaykh Maqsood drives to create engaging lectures, foster meaningful discussions, and maintain a healthy and intellectually challenging space for students to grow. Shaykh Maqsood’s recent endeavors include informational lectures discussing “FAMILY TIES, ” “COMMUNITY BUILDING,” ”JUSTICE IN ISLAM,” and “LOVE OF GOD (ALLAH) & PROPHETS,” and will continue his teachings at Miftaah.

Mufti Abdul Wahab Waheed

Instructor

Mufti Abdul Wahab completed his Hadith Intensive in the renowned Islamic University founded by Sheikh Yusuf Binori RA known as Jamia Binoritown, where he had the fortune of studying under teachers who had received their Ijaazat from Al- Azhar, Madina Univsirty, and Ummul Qura. Upon graduation, Mufti Abdul Wahab wanted to pursue his passion in understanding and education in the field of Islamic Jurisprudence and Law.

Shaykh Hunzla Zaidi

Instructor

Shaykh Hunzla Zaidi was raised in Canton, Michigan. He started the memorization of the Quran at Masjid Bilal Ypsilanti under Qari Shahid Mahmood, and finished when he was ten years old. After middle school, high school, and a couple years of university level studies in the field of Biochemistry, Hunzla left the field and devoted himself full time to learning Deen. He studied at AlHussnain Seminary, a branch of senior scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel’s schools based in Pakistan. Shaykh Hunzla then finished his studies under the guidance of world renowned scholars in Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia in Binori Town, Pakistan, receiving his certification of Hadith from there. He is currently a Miftaah Institute instructor.