Assalamu Aleykum,

www.darululum.org

Curriculum: http://www.darululum.org/lightboxdar...iculum2009.pdf

Introduction

To seek knowledge is a sacred duty of every Muslim, male and female. The first word revealed of the Qur'an was iqra Read! the Quran instructed. Seek knowledge! Lead yourselves out of ignorance! The Prophet (peace be upon him) declared seeking knowledge an obligation upon every Muslim. He explained that the superiority of the one who has knowledge over the one who merely worships is like the superiority of the moon over every other heavenly body. The companions and first students of the Prophet took firm hold of his guidance and forwarded the legacy legacy of that he shaped over twenty-three years of prophethood. The Companions stood fast upon their quest for sacred knowledge in the face even of severe hunger that used to last for days. Their knowledge fully cultivated, they set out and shared the Prophetic guidance with the world, establishing the teachings of the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah, and passing their uncommon sprit of learning on to following generations. These early generations of Muslims, owing to the strength of their desire for sacred knowledge, journeyed to distant lands seeking a single prophetic hadith without hesitation in order to seek out knowledge that they lacked themselves.

In the early and middle centuries, the Islamic sciences enjoyed the highest level of priority among Muslims. Islamic history is witness to a large number of scholastic centers throughout Muslim world. The central masjid in every city and town played housed the Islamic institute that would host hundreds of knowledge seekers.

The legacy of knowledge that was initiated by the Qur'an and the Prophet (peace be upon him) continued and spread far and wide, finding homes in the great learning hubs of Baghdad, Balkh, Nishapur, Herat, Isfahan, Basra, Merv, Amul, Mosul, Damascus, Cairo, Sanaa and Delhi. These centers of continued legacy not only preserved the knowledge, but also led and guided Muslims in their times of hardship.

When colonialism invaded Muslim lands and eroded their political power, it was these institutions of knowledge that Muslims turn for both leadership and guidance. In the Indian sub continent, Muslims were in a dilemma, not been able to decide what to do. As the British put an end to the traditional education system, the ulama grew worried about the future of their religious as well as cultural identities. They responded to the situation first with force, staging an uprising of 1857. When this resulted in disastrous consequences, they changed their tack. Sensing the changing nature and need of the time, they decided to tackle the issue through education, opening a series of madrasas, first in Deoband, later in spots all across India. A huge network of madarsas rapidly developed. In the last century, these institutions have been the backbone of Islamic revival in this part of the world, playing a significant role in spreading the Islamic call and preserving the Islamic sciences.

Today, the importance of upholding the continued Islamic scholastic legacy is like never before. Each generation that passes upon the great prophetic era presents its people-Muslim and non-Muslim, men and women-with unique challenges and, as we learn from Hadith, vulnerability to deviation severer than that of any time before. The onus is therefore on us to decide whether to adopt the brilliant and liberating legacy of knowledge, or to keep ourselves in dark ignorance, standing the coming generations in bad stead.

We are fortunate to live in an age of remarkable advance in communications technology where nearly anything we can imagine is within reach. Indeed, the Internet perhaps puts too much within reach and leaves too little to the imagination. The potential harms of such technology realized, however, we can make proper use of the technological tools we have in the cause of seeking and preserving sacred knowledge. Today, we can be part of the continued legacy using the latest advances of our time.

Darul Ulum is an online Islamic institute, a continuation of the chain of sacred madrassas that have transferred the legacy of knowledge from one generation to another. It is headquartered in Deoband, the city which has hosted thousands of seekers of knowledge from different parts of the world for the past 150 years. This online institute was founded to preserve and deliver knowledge to men and women of all ages from all over the world. It follows a comprehensive, five-year Alim degree program covering the following subjects:

* Arabic Grammar (Syntax and Morphology)
* Arabic Literature (Speech, Composition, and Rhetoric)
* Islamic Theology ('Aqidah)
* Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh)
* Fiqh (Jurisprudence)
* 'Ulum al-Hadith (Sciences of Hadith Interpretation)
* Hadith (Prophetic Traditions)
* Usul al-Tafsir (Principles of Exegesis)
* Tafsir al-Quran (Exegesis)
* Sirah (Prophetic Biography)


A group of designated Islamic scholars has designed the curriculum to suit the schedules of even the busiest students. Imagine studying Alim course the traditional way right from your home under highly educated and designated scholars of Islam directly from the city of Deoband. Imagine joining them through live video conferencing and being among those who followed the command of the Prophet (PBUH): one who is present must convey (the knowledge) to one who is absent. Using an English, then Arabic medium, our five-year Islamic studies course is designed and developed to cater specifically to English-speaking students. Its target audience men and women who intended to study the Islamic sciences, but were prevented by their jobs or family responsibilities. This course is also beneficial for students in universities and colleges who desire to serve Islam, but whose ongoing education does not allow then to enroll in a full-time Islamic institute. It also targets those who cannot afford to travel abroad to study. Here is a chance for all of you to study Islam the traditional way-and later serve your community as an alim-right from home using the tools of modernity.