AlMaghrib Curriculum
Undergraduate Program
Bachelors Degree in Islamic Studies
AlMaghrib Institute is a self accredited Bachelors program, expected to gain acceptance among other institutions by virtue of its own merit and excellence.
Students will be awarded a degree from AlMaghrib Institute after completing the required number of credit hours and memorizing a portion of the Holy Qur'aan.
Credit Hours
To earn a degree with AlMaghrib, a student must complete a total of a 120 credit hours.
Students may choose from among the following three levels of Bachelors degree programs that AlMaghrib Institute offers.
Subject Curriculum
The following curriculum constitutes the 90 hours of mandatory courses that are required for graduation. Students shall take classes in Islamic Theology, Islamic Legal Sciences, Sciences and Exegesis of the Qur’aan, Sciences of the Books of Hadeeth, Islamic Ethics, Islamic History, and Methodology of Da’wah.
Islamic Theology (AQEEDAH)
Islamic Ethics (ADAAB)
Islamic Law (FIQH)
Islamic Legal Theory (USOOL AL-FIQH AND AL-QAWA'ID AL FIQHIYYAH)
Sciences and Exegesis of the Qur’aan (ULOOM AL-QUR'AAN AND TAFSEER)
Sciences of Books of Hadeeth (MUSTALAH AND KUTUB AS-SUNNAH)
Islamic History (SEERAH AND TAREEKH)
Methodology of Da’wah (FIQH AD-DA’WAH)
Electives
AlMaghrib Institute shall offer, depending on the availability and specialty of the instructors, current affairs, and needs of the society, miscellaneous courses in any of the above fields that shall constitute ‘electives’ that a student may take. Each student must take at least 20 hours of electives. Electives may be between 1 to 2 credit hours, depending on the length of each seminar.
Philosophy of Teaching
Unlike traditional Islamic institutions, AlMaghrib Institute does not intend to produce typical ‘Islamic students of knowledge’ that graduate from seminaries and madrassahs across the Muslim world. Rather, it wishes to help the average Western-raised Muslim to appreciate the complexities of the classical sciences of Islam in a practical and pragmatic way.
Regarding its methodology of fiqh, AlMaghrib Institute wishes to promote respect of all of the classical madhabs of Islam (primarily the Hanafis, Shafi’ees, Malikis, and Hanbalis). It wishes to instill in its students the spirit of tolerance regarding legitimate differences of opinion. Recognizing that AlMaghrib Institute will not produce mujtahids, and appreciating the dynamic and multi-cultural milieu of the Western Muslim situation, it shall try to combine traditional madhab-based fiqh with comparative fiqh.
To this end, it shall base its fiqh primarily on the classical Shafi’ee text of al-Shirazi, al-Muhadhab, which is perhaps the most well-explained and popular text of Shafi’ee fiqh, along with its explanation al-Majmu’ of Imam an-Nawawi.
It shall also teach comparative fiqh from the other classical madhabs, so that students are exposed to a broader perspective of Islamic legal opinion. Primarily, it will rely on al-Mughni of Ibn Qudamah for Hanbali fiqh, Sharh Fath al-Qadeer of Ibn al-Humam for Hanafi fiqh, and al-Mukhtasar of al-Khalil along with its famous shurooh for Maliki fiqh.
Questions
We are compiling a list of frequently asked questions so that the answers can be updated directly into our curriculum as much as possible.
First check out our general FAQ section and if you don’t find what you are looking for, ask us!
Bachelors Degree in Islamic Studies
AlMaghrib Institute is a self accredited Bachelors program, expected to gain acceptance among other institutions by virtue of its own merit and excellence.
Students will be awarded a degree from AlMaghrib Institute after completing the required number of credit hours and memorizing a portion of the Holy Qur'aan.
Credit Hours
- 90 Mandatory credit hours
- 20 Electives credit hours
- 18 Arabic credit hours
To earn a degree with AlMaghrib, a student must complete a total of a 120 credit hours.
| Percentage | Grade |
| 95-100 | A + |
| 90-94 | A |
| 85-89 | B |
| 80- 84 | B - |
| 75-79 | C |
| 70-74 | C - |
| 69-under | F |
Students may choose from among the following three levels of Bachelors degree programs that AlMaghrib Institute offers.
-
Bachelors Degree:
Completion of the specified coursework with a final grade point average of C- or better in all classes, along with memorization of the last three Juz of the Qur’aan with basic implementation of the rules of tajweed. - Bachelors with Honors:
Completion of the specified coursework with a final grade point average of C- or better in all classes, along with memorization of the last three Juz of the Qur’aan and seven other Juz of the student’s choosing (a total of ten Juz) and mastery of the science of tajweed. - Bachelors with an Ijaazah in the Qur’aan:
Completion of the specified coursework with a final grade point average of C- or better in all classes, along with memorization of the entire Qur’aan with precise and proper recitation from memory to a Shaykh. The student shall be awarded an Ijaazah in the qira’ah that s/he chooses (more than one may be chosen).
Subject Curriculum
The following curriculum constitutes the 90 hours of mandatory courses that are required for graduation. Students shall take classes in Islamic Theology, Islamic Legal Sciences, Sciences and Exegesis of the Qur’aan, Sciences of the Books of Hadeeth, Islamic Ethics, Islamic History, and Methodology of Da’wah.
Islamic Theology (AQEEDAH)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| AQD 101 | Doctrines of Faith I | 3 | Allah's Lordship and Right to Be Worshipped |
| AQD 102 | Doctrines of Faith II | 3 | Allah’s Names and Attributes |
| AQD 201 | Doctrines of Faith III | 3 | Angels, Prophets, Books, Qadr, Signs of Day of Judgment, Day of Judgment, Paradise and Hell |
| AQD 301 | Doctrines of Faith IV | 3 | Sunnah and Bid’ah, Walaa and Baraa, Status of Companions, Reality of Iman, Issues pertaining to Takfeer, Advanced Topics |
| AQD 401 | Heresiology | 3 | Historical and theological analysis of the development of various groups and schisms in Islam |
| AQD 410 | Comparative Religion | 3 | Other world religions, with emphasis on Judaism and Christianity |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 18
Islamic Ethics (ADAAB)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| ADB 101 | Islamic Ethics | 3 | Spirituality and manners in Islam, emphasis on instilling of true spirituality by following the Qur’aan and Sunnah |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 3
Islamic Law (FIQH)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| FQH 101 | Fiqh of Worship I | 3 | Purification, Food and Drink, Clothing |
| FQH 201 | Fiqh of Worship II | 3 | Salat I |
| FQH 205 | Fiqh of Worship III | 3 | Salat II, Funerals, Wills |
| FQH 301 | Fiqh of Worship IV | 3 | Zakat, Fasting, Hajj |
| FQH 305 | Fiqh of Family Life | 3 | Marriage and Divorce |
| FQH 405 | Fiqh of Business | 3 | Issues pertaining to contracts and contemporary financial transactions |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 18
Islamic Legal Theory (USOOL AL-FIQH AND AL-QAWA'ID AL FIQHIYYAH)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| USL 101 | Evolution of Fiqh | 3 | Historical analysis of the development of Islamic legal theory |
| USL 201 | Islamic Legal Theory I | 3 | Primary sources of deriving Fiqh |
| USL 205 | Islamic Legal Theory II | 3 | Secondary sources of deriving Fiqh, Islamic legal maxims (Qawaa'id) |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 9
Sciences and Exegesis of the Qur’aan (ULOOM AL-QUR'AAN AND TAFSEER)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| QRN 101 | Sciences of the Qur'aan | 3 | Introduction to the field of Uloom al-Qur’aan, with special emphasis on translation and modern orientalist thought |
| QRN 201 | Tafseer Juz Amma | 3 | Comparative and comprehensive Tafseer of the last Juz of the Qur’aan |
| QRN 205 | Tafseer Surah al-Baqarah | 3 | Selected readings from Surah al-Baqarah |
| QRN 301 | Thematic Tafseer | 3 | Selections of various themes and their exegesis, exposure to various Qur’aanic commentaries and their methodologies |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 12
Sciences of Books of Hadeeth (MUSTALAH AND KUTUB AS-SUNNAH)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| SNH 101 | Sciences of Hadeeth I | 3 | The legal status of the Sunnah, history of its compilation, famous works and methodologies, famous scholars of hadeeth and their methodologies |
| SNH 201 | Books of Hadeeth I | 3 | The Saheeh of Imam al-Bukhari, methodology, place in Islamic thought, selected readings |
| SNH 205 | Books of Hadeeth II | 3 | The Saheeh of Imam Muslim, methodology, place in Islamic thought, selected readings |
| SNH 210 | Books of Hadeeth III | 3 | The four Sunan works, methodology, selected readings, introduction to other major works (the Muwwatta of Malik, the Musnad of Ahmad, the three Mu’jams of at-Tabarani, the Mustadrak of al-Haakim, etc.) |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 12
Islamic History (SEERAH AND TAREEKH)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| HST 101 | Seerah | 3 | Analysis and overview of the Seerah of the Prophet salla Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam |
| HST 201 | History of the Khulaafa | 3 | From the inauguration of Abu Bakr until the caliphate of Mu’awiyah, emphasis on the proper methodology regarding the Fitnah between the Companions |
| HST 301 | The Middle Ages | 3 | Overview of the early major Islamic dynasties until the fall of Spain (Umayyads, Abbasids, Muslim Spain, etc.) |
| HST 401 | The Modern Muslim World | 3 | Overview of the period from the Ottomans until present, particular emphasis on understanding the historical background of modern conflicts in the Muslim world |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 12
Methodology of Da’wah (FIQH AD-DA’WAH)
| Course Number | Course Title | CH | Course Description |
| DWH101 | The Fiqh of Da'wah | 3 | Implementing the command of Allaah to ‘call to His Way with wisdom, good advice, and proper debate' |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 3
Electives
AlMaghrib Institute shall offer, depending on the availability and specialty of the instructors, current affairs, and needs of the society, miscellaneous courses in any of the above fields that shall constitute ‘electives’ that a student may take. Each student must take at least 20 hours of electives. Electives may be between 1 to 2 credit hours, depending on the length of each seminar.
Philosophy of Teaching
Unlike traditional Islamic institutions, AlMaghrib Institute does not intend to produce typical ‘Islamic students of knowledge’ that graduate from seminaries and madrassahs across the Muslim world. Rather, it wishes to help the average Western-raised Muslim to appreciate the complexities of the classical sciences of Islam in a practical and pragmatic way.
Regarding its methodology of fiqh, AlMaghrib Institute wishes to promote respect of all of the classical madhabs of Islam (primarily the Hanafis, Shafi’ees, Malikis, and Hanbalis). It wishes to instill in its students the spirit of tolerance regarding legitimate differences of opinion. Recognizing that AlMaghrib Institute will not produce mujtahids, and appreciating the dynamic and multi-cultural milieu of the Western Muslim situation, it shall try to combine traditional madhab-based fiqh with comparative fiqh.
To this end, it shall base its fiqh primarily on the classical Shafi’ee text of al-Shirazi, al-Muhadhab, which is perhaps the most well-explained and popular text of Shafi’ee fiqh, along with its explanation al-Majmu’ of Imam an-Nawawi.
It shall also teach comparative fiqh from the other classical madhabs, so that students are exposed to a broader perspective of Islamic legal opinion. Primarily, it will rely on al-Mughni of Ibn Qudamah for Hanbali fiqh, Sharh Fath al-Qadeer of Ibn al-Humam for Hanafi fiqh, and al-Mukhtasar of al-Khalil along with its famous shurooh for Maliki fiqh.
Questions
We are compiling a list of frequently asked questions so that the answers can be updated directly into our curriculum as much as possible.
First check out our general FAQ section and if you don’t find what you are looking for, ask us!