HomeAcademicsYear Two and Three ʿĀlimiyyah

Shaykh al-Adab Programme - Year Two and Three ʿĀlimiyyah

The Year Two and Three ʿĀlimiyyah known as the Shaykh al-Adab programme provides students with a strong foundation and intermediate understanding of the major Islamic Sciences. Students start to develop a solid proficiency in Classical Arabic and Modern Arabic attaining the ability to read and benefit from work of scholars within the Islamic scholarly context. Students also gain a firm grounding in Islamic theology (ʿAqīdah), and the foundations are placed in the methodology and principles of Qurʾānic studies, Hadith studies and Islamic Law.

The programme is named after the author of the famous anthology of Arabic literature Nafḥat al-‘Arab, the renowned scholar, Shaykh al-Adab, Mawlānā Muhammad I’zaz ‘Ali ibn Mizaj ‘Ali al-Amrohi of Deoband (d.1374/1955) may Allah have mercy upon him. His many published works include marginalia and footnotes to Nur al-Idah, Kanz al-Daqa’iq, Mukhtasar al-Quduri, Diwan al-Hamasah, Diwan al-Mutanabbi in Arabic, whilst authoring the famous anthology of Arabic literature Nafḥat al-‘Arab. His interest in Arabic literature and his contribution to Fiqh earned him the title Shaykh al-Adab wa l-Fiqh.

The curriculum synopsis below focuses on classical academics combined with modern-day applicability and personal development. Some of the subjects explored are highlighted below:

Intermediate Arabic Syntax

Students will explore the text Sharḥ Qaṭr al-Nadā wa Bal al-Ṣadā which Ibn Hishām (d. 761/1360) wrote as a commentary on his own work, Qaṭr al-Nadā. Although the content of Sharḥ Qaṭr al-Nadā is very similar to the content of his other famous work on grammar, Sharḥ Shudhūr al-Dhahab, the structure is clearer and provides more lucid explanations of syntax concepts. The novel structure by which he organized his work laid the foundation for similar works after him, and is still used today.

This component focuses upon the following:

• ❖Consolidating the grammar learnt in the first two years.
• ❖Refining and expanding upon previously learnt grammar.
• ❖Providing a knowledge of those aspects of grammar that will serve as a functional frame of reference.

Selections from Arabic Literature

This course aims to expand students’ understanding of classical Arabic literature and vocabulary, through the study of a selection of writings from various genres and eras of Arabic literature. Students are exposed to a wide range of rhetorical styles and expressions found in hadith texts, historical and prosopographical dictionaries, classical poetry, and modern prose. Through this segment, students will be equipped to read, analyse, and translate both classical and contemporary texts. Students will apply the rules learned in Sharḥ Qaṭr al-Nadā by studying the famous anthology of Arabic literature Nafḥat al-‘Arab and prose of Mukhtārāt min Adab al-ʿArab. Modern Standard Arabic is also incorporated with the study of GCSE and A-Level Arabic.

Introduction to Balaghah

The subject of rhetoric is introduced. A survey takes place of the vast field of Arabic rhetoric and rhetorical concepts within each of the three branches of Arabic rhetoric, al-maʿānī, al-bayān, and al-badīʿ, in a methodical and coherent way. Students experience a well-structured set of content which imparts the discipline’s theoretical aspects along with comprising a munificent number of examples and end-of-chapter exercises.

The objectives of this segment are:

• ❖Learn the fundamentals of the science of rhetoric.
• ❖Establish an understanding of the subject’s nomenclature.
• ❖Bolster one’s understanding of Arabic’s eloquence through hands-on engagement.

Urdu

Students will learn the most important rules of the Urdu language while expanding their vocabulary.

The objectives are:

• ❖Learn the Urdu language’s rules.
• ❖Begin building one’s ability to access the writings of ʿulamāʾ that have been penned in Urdu.
• ❖Complete the A-Level Urdu course.

Tajwid and Recitation

In this segment students will recite the entire Qur’ān applying the rules of tajwīd with a high level of precision along with memorizing the famous text of tajwīd written by Imam ibn al-Jazarī, al-Muqaddamah al-Jazarariyyah. After completion, students will receive a chain of transmission connecting themselves back to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as well as a chain of transmission for the text of ibn al-Jazarī linking the student directly with author.

The objectives with which tajwid is taught in this year are:

• ❖To give the student a broad-based theoretical knowledge of tajwid.
• ❖To introduce to the major sources of theory in the subject.
• ❖To create awareness of variant opinions amongst contemporary scholars.

Maʿānī al-Qurʾān (Translation of the meanings of the Qurʾān)

The process of familiarising the student with the Qurʾān starts with the word-for-word translation of the Holy Qurʾān. The student's Qurʾānic vocabulary and their familiarity with the language of the Qurʾān are gradually expanded as they work their way through a systematic translation of the Qurʾān with explanatory comments added as required.

The objectives of this component are:

• ❖To create familiarity with Qurʾānic Arabic.
• ❖Introduce the student to the content of the Qurʾān.
• ❖To cultivate basic translation skills.
• ❖To lay the foundation upon which his further study of the Qurʾān will be built.

Ḥadīth Studies - Ahadith al-Fada'il

Ahadith al-fada'il, or ahadith of an edifying nature where the emphasis falls upon attributes of moral excellence and the spiritual advantages of deeds is introduced. The study of Imam Abū Zakariyyā al-Nawawī’s renowned hadith collection on virtues Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn is adopted. This segment consists of reading and translating the narrations of the work alongside a brief commentary provided by the Ustadh. Through this course students are expected not only to understand and memorise hadith of everyday importance, but also to use the prophetic traditions to strengthen their Arabic vocabulary and grammar. Studying this text will expose one to a large assortment of mutūn that comprise the ḥadīth corpus.

In the fada'il genre the aims are:

• ❖Introducing the student to ahadith of a specifically edifying nature.
• ❖To draw moral lessons out of hadith.
• ❖To acquaint him with the language of hadith.
• ❖To cultivate basic translation skills.

Introductory Hadith Critical Methodology

A skeletal overview of Ḥadīth nomenclature (Muṣṭalaḥ al-Ḥadīth) is introduced in the third year. This work provides the student with an overview of the development of Ḥadīth and its related sciences and a thorough analysis of the major concepts therein. Students attain the knowledge of critical information required to initiate the avid Ḥadīth student into this fundamental science of Sharī‘ah. The module introduces students to foundational hadith nomenclature (muṣtalaḥ) and critical concepts of the hadith sciences through the memorization of al-Manẓūmah al-Bayqūniyyah, a 34-line concise poem on hadith terminology. This is followed by the analysis and study of the complementary commentary authored by Shaykh Abdullah Sirajuddin al-Husayni of Aleppo. Supplemental lectures and readings on the history of hadith compilation, famous figures and key literature, orientalist criticism and Muslim responses, the authority of hadith, will enrich the student's understanding of the hadith's historical, epistemological, and legal significance.

The objectives of this component are:

• ❖To familiarise the student with basic hadith terminology and methodology.
• ❖To reinforce theoretical knowledge through application to actual cases.
• ❖To familiarise the student with orientalist criticism and Muslim responses and the authority of hadith

Sirah

Students will be guided through a complete survey of the Prophetic Biography from classical texts. Students will be presented with multiple perspectives and accounts of the Prophet’s life in a manner that relates to the modern context, focusing on the practical implications of the Prophetic life in our current times. Students will explore as-Sīrat an-Nabawīyyah of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ written by Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī al-Nadwī (d.1377/1999). This masterpiece is a scholarly and thoroughly researched Arabic work. In this book, the author has been particularly mindful of the current generation’s mindset, taste, understanding and sensibilities. Similarly, he has been entirely considerate of the modern method of research and discourse, so that the content, evidences and style prove to be effective. In preparing the book, the author has read old and new literature, in Arabic and other languages; so that the book, in addition to being comprehensive, is also able to dispel any confusion that exists in the modern mind. As a result, this book has received much acclaim, and within a short space of time, it has been included in the syllabus of universities.

The aims of this component are:

• ❖Imparting a more detailed knowledge of sirah.
• ❖Progressing from a purely narrative to a more analytical mode of reading history.
• ❖Drawing lessons from the sirah.
• ❖Reinforcing the student’s knowledge of Arabic.

Fiqh Studies- Islamic Jurisprudence

Students will complete an in-depth study of legal rulings according to the Hanafi school of thought. The course introduces students to masāʾil (legal cases) in all abwāb fiqhiyyah (juristic chapters). Students will cover legal methods and rulings pertaining to devotional and transactional law including rulings related to purification, fasting, Hajj, and business transactions. Each legal issue and its ruling are coupled with proof from either primary sources of Islamic law or deduced maxims. Students will be exposed to multiple opinions within the school and preferences.

Students will complete a detailed study al- Mukhtaṣar of Imam al-Qudūrī (d. 428/1036). This will introduce them to masā'il (legal cases) in all abwāb fiqhiyyah (juristic chapters). Within the Hanafi school, al-Mukhtaṣar is known simply as al-Kitāb (The Book) due to its immense influence and authority. The text is distinguished by the clarity of its language, and by being concise and comprehensive at the same time. A proper study of this text will allow students to recall and retain all of the core legal rulings in the school. Thereafter students will explore Sharḥ al-Wiqāyah by ʿUbayd Allāh b. Masʿūd (d. 747/1346). The author comments on his grandfather’s (Tāj al-Sharīʿah) al-Wiqāyah. Each legal issue and its ruling are coupled with proof from either primary sources of Islamic law or deduced maxims. The author also weighs multiple opinions within the school and offers his preferences. Sharḥ al-Wiqāyah is arguably the best stepping stone to al-Marghīnānī’s al-Hidāyah at the advanced level.

The aims of this component are:

• ❖To create familiarity with fiqh in its broader spectrum.
• ❖To allow students to recall and retain all of the core legal rulings in the school
• ❖To introduce the student to Islamic legal reasoning by providing transmitted and analytical evidence for the legal opinions of the Ḥanafī school.

Uṣūl al-Fiqh (Legal Theory) – Islamic Legal Methodology

The segment introduces the student to Usūl al-Fiqh (Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence). Students are introduced to major themes and terminologies of the field, citing examples of application.

The objectives with which Usūl al-Fiqh is taught are:

• ❖To introduce the student to the essential concepts and terminology of usul al-fiqh.
• ❖To instil a basic understanding of how fiqh and usul al-fiqh relate to one another.
• ❖To construct a broad framework for further inquiry into the subject.

This discipline is taught using the text Usul al-Shashi for the purpose of aquatinting the masa’il (legal principles/cases) related to usul as it contains the central masa’il found in both the Hanafi and Shafi’i usul books.

Tārīkh al-Islāmī (Islāmic History)

Islām’s history will be reviewed from the Prophet’s time through the Ottoman Empire until the eventual settling of Muslims as minorities in various countries around the world. Knowing history is imperative. Through this study, one will identify with a beautiful and rich history that begins with our beloved Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. The cultures, civilizations, institutions, and peoples who lived before us are our roots. One will appreciate and understand from where he has come. With revisionist historical narratives being offered, one must know the reality of his past. By knowing this, one will be able to better shape the future.

Mawlānā Muḥammad Rayhān’s Tārīkh Ummat-e-Muslimah aims to introduce the students to a comprehensive, yet concise presentation of Islamic history. This will equip them with a critical understanding of the events and circumstances which continue to contribute to the shaping of Muslims’ perspectives of the world and the worlds’ perspectives of Muslims. This becomes especially important in a climate that has become rife with misinformation and malicious distortion of Islam’s historical development.

The objectives of this segment are:

• ❖Study the history of Islām from early Islām until the modern era.
• ❖Realize the impact that the Prophet’s teachings and guidance had on the world.
• ❖Identify with Islām’s rich historical legacy by knowing one’s roots

Islamic Theology

A study of a comprehensive understanding of Islamic Theology detailing the articles and declarations of faith, using al-'Aqīdah al-Tahāwiyyah accompanying a detailed commentary from the teacher.

Using al-'Aqīdah al-Tahāwiyyah, a concise and lucid work of creed by the polymath and one of the foremost scholars of early Islam, Imām Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭaḥāwī’ (d. 321/933), which is universally accepted amongst scholarly circles as a foundational text in Islamic belief. Students will be exposed to commentaries which have been written throughout the ages, expositing its meanings and uncovering its subtleties such as, by the brilliant scholar, judge and theologian Abu Hafs Siraj al-Din al-Ghaznawi (d. 773/1372).

Contemporary issues related to Islāmic theology and theology in general will also be addressed.

The objectives are:

• ❖Provide an introduction to the study of aqidah.
• ❖Learn the tenets of Islām in detail.
• ❖Analyse heterodox sects and some of the refutations that scholars provided rebutting their arguments.
• ❖Develop a functional understanding of the subject’s main chapters and primary concepts.
• ❖Gradually improve one’s skill of negotiating theology books.
• ❖To lay the foundation for further inquiry into the subject.