Islamic Studies Track
(Option for the B.R.E. or B.Th.)

The Bachelor of Religious Education and the Bachelor of Theology degree-completion program may be earned in Islamic Studies with all courses offered in either the English language or the Arabic language. All students applying for this degree must have five years applied paid or volunteer work experience in a Muslim religious community. Students taking this degree may go on for graduate study in the Arabic or English language for the Master of Theology, Doctor of Education or Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies at the Graduate Theological Foundation.

Coursework

Below may be found the required curriculum for the Islamic Studies Track. Students must take the following courses at any approved venue from any approved tutor. Each time the student completes a course from a selected institution, the completion certificate, transcript, or some other documented form of verification must be copied and sent via mail or fax to Cloverdale College for listing on the student’s transcript. Both the institution and the title of the course are cited on the transcript.

Cloverdale College has approved the Islamic American University, Internet Islamic University (an online university), Islamic University of Minnesota, and the Islamic Cultural Center of Greater Chicago as places where students may complete their coursework. Courses from colleges, universities or approved Islamic training centers may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Credit: Each course is valued at 3 credits based upon 24 contact hours of instruction and guided readings. If a course is valued higher, it is so indicated.

Tutors: Tutors are Imams approved for teaching at Cloverdale College by Imam Dr. Omar Shahin, Director of Islamic Studies and Professor of Islamic Law at the College. Students may recommend a Tutor to Dr. Shahin for consideration and validation. Any Tutor approved by Dr. Shahin may offer core curriculum courses for the College. Please submit a nomination of tutor or venue to the College for approval.

Cost: Each course costs $200.00 and is paid directly to the Course Tutor rather than to the College. The Tutor is at liberty to waive the fee or to have the fee paid directly to his religious community.

Program Curriculum

Tajweed (3 credits)

This course introduces the student to the rules and the terms one needs in order to be successful in beautifying one’s recitation. The main topics the student shall learn include the virtue of learning Qur’an, the points of articulation of the letters, the rules of the letter laam in the glorious word ‘Allah’, the rules of the letter raa, the rules of nun sakin and tanween, the rules of madd and how to stop during recitation.

Text:
Arabic A Bridge to Islamic Culture Part 1 (A)
by Mamdouh N. Mohamed

Basic Arabic I (3 credits)

This course focuses on building up the Islamic vocabulary of the students so as to help them understand Islamic texts down the road. This course is designed to help the student comprehend simple sentences from the first few pages. The book consists of 10 main lessons for reading and understanding. In addition, there are other lessons that would help the student improve pronunciation as well as writing.

Text:
Arabic A Bridge to Islamic Culture Part 1 (A)
by Mamdouh N. Mohamed

Financial Contracts I (3 credits)

This course is an introduction to the elements of contracts according to Shari’ah and what makes a contract valid or invalid according to Islam. It also introduces students to various prohibited types of sales. It further discusses the different khiyaaraat (options) in contracts, and then concludes with a discussion of partnerships and the validity and invalidity thereof.

Text:
Transactions in Islamic Law
by Prof. Dr. Ala’Eddin Kharofa

Authority of the Sunnah (3 credits)

This course will cover the definitions of the Sunnah, generally and with respect to other branches of Shari’ah; the sunnah as a revelation and an independent source of legislation; the preservation of the Sunnah and the evolution of its recording and writing; clarification of the significance of the ahaad Hadeeth; as well as refutation of the Orientalists’ and Modernists’ views of the Sunnah.

Texts:
The Authority and Importance of the Sunnah
by Jamal Zarabozo
6 audiotapes
by Jamal Zarabozo (total of 12 lectures)

Research Methods (3 credits)

This course will introduce the student to the basics of research as a disciplined process of investigating and seeking facts. The elements of methods and language will be clarified and detailed; these elements will comprise the preparation and writing of research papers and theses. The emphasis Islam has placed on research will be demonstrated and ascertained, and references and research resources will be described so that students may make full use of them.

Texts:
10 Steps in Writing the Research Paper (6th ed.)
by Roberta Markman, Peter T. Markman and Marie L.
Waddell. Barron's, 2001.
Writing Research Paper
A short essay by Hassen Laidi

Fiqh of Da’wa (6 credits)

This course will focus on studying the importance of da’wah; the ways of inviting different people to Islam; the need to make plans to take care of new Muslims; the characteristics of a good da’ee; and why we are obligated to make da’wah.

Text:
Words of Advice Regarding Da’wah
by Abdul-Aziz bin Baaz

Fiqh of Worship I (6 credits)

Purification: This includes the kind of water used, impurities, purifying the body and clothes, going to the bathroom. Ablution: This includes the obligatory parts of the ablution, the sunnah acts of the ablution, nullification of ablution, wiping over
the socks, al-ghusl, tayammum, menstruation.

Prayer: This includes adhan, the prerequisites of the prayer, the obligatory acts of the prayer, the sunnah acts of the prayer, attatawwu (supererogatory prayers), non-stressed sunnah prayers, the witr prayer, the late night prayer, the special prayers (tarawih, istikharah, hajah, taubah, and kasuf), sujjud us-sahu salat al- Jama'ah, the Friday prayer, salat al-khauf and the 'Id prayer.

Text:
Fiqh Us-Sunnah (Volumes 1 & 2)
by As-Sayyid Sabiq

History of Islam in the West (3 credits)

This course will focus on the need to understand why the West rejects Islam; the need for Muslims to play a positive and constructive role in the West now that America is a fertile land for Islam.

Course Objectives:

To explain why the official West refuses to accept Islam.
To explain how Muslims can make a real change in the lifestyle of the West.
To define the role of Muslim students in the West.
To explain if there is a real clash between Western civilization and Islam.

Text:
Muslims in the West: The Message and the Mission
by Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadawi

Islamic Cultural Center of Greater Chicago

Cloverdale College has a special relationship with this Center which allows students in the Islamic Studies Track to take all required coursework on-site at the Center in Northbrook, Illinois. This relationship is called a P.R.I.M.E. affiliation (Partnering Resources in Ministry Education). For an explanation of P.R.I.M.E., Click Here.

For more information, please contact:
Imam Senad Agic, D.Min., Ph.D.
1810 North Pfingsten Road
Northbrook IL 60062
Tel: (847) 272-0319
Fax: (847) 272-4406
www.icc-chicago.com

Islamic Studies Track (Option for the B.R.E. or B.Th.)