Aalim Course

Lesson 1 • History of Islamic Scholarship

Traces the development of Islamic intellectual tradition from the Prophetic era through classical and modern periods. Contextualises the curriculum within living scholarly heritage.

Lesson 2 • Overview of Classical Islamic Sciences

Maps the major disciplines comprising the Aalim curriculum. Students understand how each science relates to and supports the others.

Lesson 3 • Study Methods and Academic Habits

Introduces classical and contemporary methods for effective religious study. Equips students with tools for retention, revision, and scholarly discipline.

Lesson 1 • Reading and Translating Classical Texts

Applies morphological, syntactic, and rhetorical skills to unseen classical Islamic texts. Students produce accurate translations with scholarly annotations.

Lesson 2 • Arabic Rhetoric (Balagha)

Introduces the three branches of Arabic rhetoric: clarity, figurative language, and eloquence. Students identify rhetorical devices in Quranic and classical texts.

Lesson 3 • Arabic Morphology (Sarf)

Teaches the system of Arabic word formation, root patterns, and verb conjugations. Morphological mastery enables students to decode unfamiliar vocabulary in classical texts.

Lesson 4 • Classical Arabic Vocabulary Building

Systematically expands the technical and literary vocabulary found in Islamic scholarly texts. Students develop reading fluency in classical Arabic prose.

Lesson 1 • Waqf and Ibtida

Explains the rules of stopping and starting in recitation and their impact on meaning. Students learn to identify permissible and impermissible stopping points.

Lesson 2 • Core Tajweed Rules

Covers the primary rules governing recitation, including noon sakinah, meem sakinah, and madd. Students apply each rule in Quranic text.

Lesson 3 • Applied Recitation Practice

Integrates all tajweed rules through supervised recitation of selected Quranic passages. Students receive corrective feedback and build fluency.

Lesson 4 • Recitation Styles and Qiraat Introduction

Introduces the concept of multiple authentic recitation traditions and their scholarly basis. Students gain awareness of variant readings and their legitimacy.

Lesson 1 • Classical Theological Schools

Surveys the major schools of Islamic theology and their key positions on contested issues. Students evaluate arguments and understand the boundaries of valid scholarly disagreement.

Lesson 2 • Foundations of Islamic Creed

Introduces the six pillars of faith and their Quranic and hadith basis. Students understand the centrality of correct belief to Islamic practice.

Lesson 3 • Divine Attributes and Tawhid

Examines the categories of divine oneness and the attributes of Allah in classical theological detail. Students distinguish authentic doctrine from deviant positions.

Lesson 4 • Eschatology and the Unseen

Covers Islamic doctrine on death, resurrection, judgment, paradise, and hellfire. Students ground eschatological beliefs in Quranic and hadith evidence.

Lesson 1 • Classical Tafsir Works and Their Methodology

Surveys major classical tafsir texts and the methodological approach of each. Students evaluate sources and select appropriate references for research.

Lesson 2 • Asbab al-Nuzul and Contextual Analysis

Examines the occasions of revelation and their role in accurate interpretation. Students apply contextual analysis to selected Quranic passages.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Tafsir Methodology

Teaches the accepted methods of Quranic interpretation and their hierarchy. Students distinguish valid from invalid interpretive approaches.

Lesson 4 • Introduction to Uloom al-Quran

Covers the foundational sciences surrounding the Quran, including revelation, compilation, and preservation. Establishes the scholarly framework for Quranic study.

Lesson 1 • Classification of Hadith

Covers the full taxonomy of hadith grades from sahih to mawdu and their legal implications. Students classify hadith specimens using established criteria.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to Hadith and Its Importance

Defines hadith, its components, and its authority as a source of Islamic law and theology. Establishes the necessity of hadith sciences for religious scholarship.

Lesson 3 • Applied Hadith Research and Takhrij

Develops practical skills in locating, grading, and contextualising hadith for scholarly use. Students complete takhrij exercises on selected narrations.

Lesson 4 • Major Hadith Collections and Their Status

Surveys the six canonical collections and other major compilations with their scholarly standing. Students navigate primary hadith sources for research and legal derivation.

Lesson 1 • Foundations of Fiqh and Legal Theory

Introduces the sources, objectives, and structure of Islamic law. Students understand how legal rulings are derived and categorised.

Lesson 2 • Acts of Worship (Ibadat)

Covers the detailed rulings of purification, prayer, fasting, zakat, and pilgrimage. Students master the conditions, pillars, and invalidators of each act of worship.

Lesson 3 • Comparative Fiqh Across the Four Schools

Analyses points of agreement and disagreement among the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafii, and Hanbali schools. Students evaluate evidential bases for differing positions.

Lesson 4 • Transactions and Commercial Law (Muamalat)

Examines the Islamic legal framework for contracts, sales, and financial dealings. Students identify valid and invalid transactions using classical criteria.

Lesson 1 • Legal Maxims (Qawaid Fiqhiyyah)

Teaches the five foundational legal maxims and their subsidiary principles. Students apply maxims to resolve novel legal questions efficiently.

Lesson 2 • Applied Legal Reasoning on Contemporary Issues

Applies usul al-fiqh methodology to selected modern legal questions in finance, medicine, and society. Students produce structured legal opinions with evidential support.

Lesson 3 • Secondary Legal Principles

Covers supplementary legal tools including istihsan, maslaha, urf, and sadd al-dharai. Students apply these principles to cases where primary sources are silent.

Lesson 4 • Sources of Islamic Law

Examines the Quran, Sunnah, ijma, and qiyas as the four primary legal sources. Students understand the authority and conditions of each source.