course/degree in teaching the deen.

[Ummu Sufyaan]

i know there are uni degrees/courses for teaching secular education (primary, high-school, etc) but is there anything available (courses, degrees, etc) that offers some kind of qualification in teaching Islamic studies (namely to children).

i know you dont really need a degree to teach Islam to others, but its better if you receive some kind of formal qualification by someone who is of "authority" to ensure that what you know/learn is accurate so that you can pass it on to others (in the form of teaching). its just silly to try teach someone something you are not well versed in yourself, and thus the need to learn before passing knowledge on is necessary, which can only be achieved through an "authority."

I dont necessarily mean through a university either, but just something which gives you that authority to pass that knowledge on (if it happens to be a university, then so be it).

i hope that makes sense...

if someone wanted to teach the deen to others (children), what are the means that they could achieve this?

 

[Muhaba]

i think if you can't find such a course, then study Islamic Studies as well as do a course in teacher training. There are correspondence courses in Islamic Studies from universities in Egypt, Lebonan, and Syria. In these you have to study on your own and then take an annual exam at the univeristy. There may also be online courses or total self-study courses but I'm not aware of them.

If you want to study on your own then start with tafsir and some good islamic history books.

you can also get some Islamic study books for children and teach them to your children.