About AlMaghrib
What is AlMaghrib?
To study overseas is indeed a very enriching experience, but not everyone is blessed with such an opportunity. Our hectic schedules often sideline our in-depth study of Islam. It is for this reason that AlMaghrib Institute was established, and has dedicated itself to providing courses on Islam in a six-day, two weekend, intensive seminar format. These trademark double-weekend university-style seminars carry students toward a bachelor's degree in the Islamic Studies.
Following the 'seminar' style of education, AlMaghrib takes the traditional semester long course, beautifully condenses it into six days, and produces an Islamic educational experience that is unique. Our aim is to empower Muslims, two weekends at a time, to carry the message of Allah and His Messenger. Alhamdulillah, AlMaghrib Institute currently has the largest Islamic Studies student body in North America!
AlMaghrib seminars are fun, engaging, and information-packed. Seminars are presently conducted in over ten U.S. cities and four cities in Canada. Attending a seminar means being surrounded by energized students and being taught, live and in person, by an AlMaghrib certified instructor.
AlMaghrib Institute's admissions and enrollment policies do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, age, disability, or other status protected by law. AlMaghrib Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization candidate.
To study overseas is indeed a very enriching experience, but not everyone is blessed with such an opportunity. Our hectic schedules often sideline our in-depth study of Islam. It is for this reason that AlMaghrib Institute was established, and has dedicated itself to providing courses on Islam in a six-day, two weekend, intensive seminar format. These trademark double-weekend university-style seminars carry students toward a bachelor's degree in the Islamic Studies.
Following the 'seminar' style of education, AlMaghrib takes the traditional semester long course, beautifully condenses it into six days, and produces an Islamic educational experience that is unique. Our aim is to empower Muslims, two weekends at a time, to carry the message of Allah and His Messenger. Alhamdulillah, AlMaghrib Institute currently has the largest Islamic Studies student body in North America!
AlMaghrib seminars are fun, engaging, and information-packed. Seminars are presently conducted in over ten U.S. cities and four cities in Canada. Attending a seminar means being surrounded by energized students and being taught, live and in person, by an AlMaghrib certified instructor.
AlMaghrib Institute's admissions and enrollment policies do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, age, disability, or other status protected by law. AlMaghrib Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization candidate.
Vision & Purpose
The vision of AlMaghrib Institute is to become the largest and most beneficial learning system in the history of Ummat Muhammad, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam. We envision our learning system entering every nation of the world, and being accessible to all people who seek to gain a deeper understanding of Islam. In each place it enters, AlMaghrib Institute will build sincere, dedicated and brilliant students of knowledge who will go on to become leaders, bringing their communities to new heights. History will look back on AlMaghrib Institute's pioneering work as being the driving force that awakened the Ummah giant.
Our purpose is to provide trademark double-weekend university-style seminars carrying students toward a bachelor's degree in the Islamic Studies.
Our focus is on providing this service with on-location instruction filled with visual splendor, activities, and rich lectures prepared well in advance by AlMaghrib certified instructors.
Our standard is that with each double-weekend seminar, our students will learn more in the six days of AlMaghrib instruction than they have learned in the last six years of their own personal, independent study in that specific subject area.
Our work ethic is to demand more from our students, instructors, volunteers and staff than anyone else would.
Our method is to make higher Islamic education easily digestible and entertaining, while never sacrificing quality and depth. By these means, AlMaghrib Institute students will cherish the knowledge they attain and utilize it in the most fruitful and beneficial way.
Ultimately, the purpose of AlMaghrib Institute is to make people better Muslims and bring people closer to Allah, and thereby, equip them to service their communities and humanity at large.
The vision of AlMaghrib Institute is to become the largest and most beneficial learning system in the history of Ummat Muhammad, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam. We envision our learning system entering every nation of the world, and being accessible to all people who seek to gain a deeper understanding of Islam. In each place it enters, AlMaghrib Institute will build sincere, dedicated and brilliant students of knowledge who will go on to become leaders, bringing their communities to new heights. History will look back on AlMaghrib Institute's pioneering work as being the driving force that awakened the Ummah giant.
Our purpose is to provide trademark double-weekend university-style seminars carrying students toward a bachelor's degree in the Islamic Studies.
Our focus is on providing this service with on-location instruction filled with visual splendor, activities, and rich lectures prepared well in advance by AlMaghrib certified instructors.
Our standard is that with each double-weekend seminar, our students will learn more in the six days of AlMaghrib instruction than they have learned in the last six years of their own personal, independent study in that specific subject area.
Our work ethic is to demand more from our students, instructors, volunteers and staff than anyone else would.
Our method is to make higher Islamic education easily digestible and entertaining, while never sacrificing quality and depth. By these means, AlMaghrib Institute students will cherish the knowledge they attain and utilize it in the most fruitful and beneficial way.
Ultimately, the purpose of AlMaghrib Institute is to make people better Muslims and bring people closer to Allah, and thereby, equip them to service their communities and humanity at large.
Our Style & Method
Our Style
On an abrasive piece of construction paper, list the things concerning halaqahs and Islamic classes that have always annoyed you. After completing this task, take that paper and gleefully trash it into the recycling bin. This is what we did when founding AlMaghrib Institute. The list we threw out contained such things as:
You'll be delighted to note that not only did we throw this list out, we shredded it with one of those cool shredders you can get at Wal-Mart.
Traditional vs. Modern Learning
What do you picture when you think 'traditional' learning? Do you picture the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - drawing a diagram into the sand? Do you picture the straightforward five-minute lessons that the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - would give?
Many of the 'modern' techniques now used in universities and schools are in fact found in the Sunnah of the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - and are a part of our Islamic heritage.
When someone applies these techniques, they are not, in reality, departing from 'traditional' learning. On the contrary, they are looking deeper into the techniques that the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - used.
At AlMaghrib Institute, our instructors seek to apply many of the prophetic techniques of teaching knowledge, and to use methods that allow students to interact and understand the material presented in a deeper and longer-lasting way.
The following methods are used in our trademark AlMaghrib double-weekend seminars:
Our Style
On an abrasive piece of construction paper, list the things concerning halaqahs and Islamic classes that have always annoyed you. After completing this task, take that paper and gleefully trash it into the recycling bin. This is what we did when founding AlMaghrib Institute. The list we threw out contained such things as:
- Unprepared teachers merely reading out of a book
- Limited or no use of technology
- Deathly boring lecture format with no engaging hands-on activities
- No assignments or exams to make sure the students understood the material
- Both teacher and student sitting on wooden stools and frowning all class long
You'll be delighted to note that not only did we throw this list out, we shredded it with one of those cool shredders you can get at Wal-Mart.
Traditional vs. Modern Learning
What do you picture when you think 'traditional' learning? Do you picture the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - drawing a diagram into the sand? Do you picture the straightforward five-minute lessons that the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - would give?
Many of the 'modern' techniques now used in universities and schools are in fact found in the Sunnah of the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - and are a part of our Islamic heritage.
When someone applies these techniques, they are not, in reality, departing from 'traditional' learning. On the contrary, they are looking deeper into the techniques that the Prophet - sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam - used.
At AlMaghrib Institute, our instructors seek to apply many of the prophetic techniques of teaching knowledge, and to use methods that allow students to interact and understand the material presented in a deeper and longer-lasting way.
The following methods are used in our trademark AlMaghrib double-weekend seminars:
- Instructors assign recommended reading and share tips on how to prepare academically, mentally, and spiritually for the seminar, so that students can familiarize themselves with the material and maximize the benefit they acquire from the seminar.
- The seminars will usually be comprised of six days of instruction: with classes on Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday for two consecutive weekends.
- The two-weekend seminar will consist of 35-45 hours of class time.
- The seminar will include interactive sessions and activities such as Jam sessions and Gem boards, which encourage students to interact with the material they have learned and introduce them to innovative, reflective ways of expressing their thoughts and feelings about the seminar.
- An onsite exam of the material will be administered approximately one month after the seminar, to ensure that students retain the information learned, and to evaluate the level of the students' comprehension. For the seminar to count towards a bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies, the student is required to take the exam and receive a passing grade.
- Power Point presentations and other Audio/Visual methods are routinely used during the seminars.
- Each student registered for the seminar receives a binder that outlines the material and facilitates absorption of the information taught.
The Two-Weekend Structure
The two-weekend AlMaghrib Institute structure is our way of thinking outside the box. Can Islam be taught in an eight-week summer program or in a two-hour halaqah on Sundays? Our communities concede that this can be done. Then why can't those same hours be put into a two weekend intensive format, with high quality instruction and material for maximum benefit? This is what AlMaghrib Institute seeks to do.
In the past, people would come to Rasulullah – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – spend a short time with him and with the companions, then return to their people, successfully bringing, not just a few people, but their entire nation into the fold of Islam. It was their sincerity, their strong minds, and their strong wills that allowed for this change to take place, with the grace of Allah. These are the qualities that AlMaghrib Institute seeks to resurrect in its students – Sincerity, Strong minds, and Strong wills.
Material
Experience has shown us that most Muslim students prefer a course taught from a variety of Islamic books and not just one source. Thus, most seminars will be based on a number of classical works instead of just one text. For example, in the first Tafseer seminar, the information will be gathered from At-Tabaree, Ibn Katheer, Al-Qurtubee, as well as others.
On Location
An additional feature of AlMaghrib Institute is that it is not confined to a specific building or a particular locality. Although AlMaghrib Institute's main headquarters is in Houston, Texas, AlMaghrib seminars are offered in Universities and Islamic centers across the United States and Canada. Presently, AlMaghrib Institute seminars are offered in over ten U.S. cities and four in Canada.
The two-weekend AlMaghrib Institute structure is our way of thinking outside the box. Can Islam be taught in an eight-week summer program or in a two-hour halaqah on Sundays? Our communities concede that this can be done. Then why can't those same hours be put into a two weekend intensive format, with high quality instruction and material for maximum benefit? This is what AlMaghrib Institute seeks to do.
In the past, people would come to Rasulullah – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – spend a short time with him and with the companions, then return to their people, successfully bringing, not just a few people, but their entire nation into the fold of Islam. It was their sincerity, their strong minds, and their strong wills that allowed for this change to take place, with the grace of Allah. These are the qualities that AlMaghrib Institute seeks to resurrect in its students – Sincerity, Strong minds, and Strong wills.
Material
Experience has shown us that most Muslim students prefer a course taught from a variety of Islamic books and not just one source. Thus, most seminars will be based on a number of classical works instead of just one text. For example, in the first Tafseer seminar, the information will be gathered from At-Tabaree, Ibn Katheer, Al-Qurtubee, as well as others.
On Location
An additional feature of AlMaghrib Institute is that it is not confined to a specific building or a particular locality. Although AlMaghrib Institute's main headquarters is in Houston, Texas, AlMaghrib seminars are offered in Universities and Islamic centers across the United States and Canada. Presently, AlMaghrib Institute seminars are offered in over ten U.S. cities and four in Canada.