Islamic Studies Degree

The Bachelor of Religious Education and the Bachelor of Theology degree 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 of post-high school, professional-level 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.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition: $4,750.00
Graduation: $100.00

Admission Requirements

Completion of the Undergraduate Portfolio* to provide evidence of five or more years of post-high school, professional-level paid or volunteer work experience in a social service ministry or faith community
High school diploma or G.E.D. Foreign students must hold the equivalent.
Completion of the Application Procedure.

* See the Undergraduate Portfolio section for an explanation.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of degree track requirements (see below)
Submission of documentation of coursework and/or required response papers

Degree Track Requirements

Track A: This program is curriculum-selective and provides an opportunity for the student to personally select relevant courses in Islamic Studies from a range of venues located on the Approved Venues page. This track requires the completion of ten courses or 30 undergraduate credits. The senior paper is required.

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. Courses from colleges, universities or approved Islamic training centers may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Track B: This program is curriculum-specific and provides an opportunity for the student to work under the direct oversight of Dr. Omar Shahin, Director of Islamic Studies and Professor of Islamic Law at the Foundation. It requires Arabic language proficiency. This track requires the completion of ten courses (30 credits) from the specialized curriculum listed below. Membership in the North American Imams Federation is a requirement. The senior paper is not required.

Below may be found the required curriculum for Track B.

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: TTutors 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. Students may submit a nomination of tutor or venue to the College for approval.

Cost: Each course costs $300 which is paid directly to Cloverdale College.

Registration: To register for any of the following courses please complete and mail in the registration form here. For more information about any of the following courses please contact our faculty here.

Omar Ahmed Shahin, J.D. (Jordan), M.Th., Ph.D.
Professor of Islamic Law
Profile | E-mail

Islamic Studies Track B Program Curriculum

1. Authority of The Sunnah (BC 210 )
Book :
Sirat al-Nabi (saaws) And The Orientalists (2 vol.) by Muhammad Mohar Ali.
Al-Shafii's "Risala." Translated by Majid Khadduri
The Authority of the Sunnah and Its Importance. By J. Zarabozo.
The Status of the Sunnah in Islam, by M. Nasiruddin al-Albani
The Status of the Sunnah in Islam, by M. Nasiruddin al-Albani

Course Objectives
Introduce the subject of the Sunnah and discuss its legal authority.
Explain the position of the Sunnah in Islam, provide evidence for it and refute doubts -past and present- about it. Discuss the history of the Sunnah and the methodology of the Mohadethen.

2.   Tajweed : (BC 101)
          Book :
         Easy Tajwid by Dr. Al-Muqri Syed Kaleemullah Husaini.

Course Objectives
The ability to recite with the application of tajweed. The ability to recite Qur'an fluently. A strong understanding of the madd (prolongation). The ability to dissect the Tajweed rules from verses of the Qur'an

3. Fiqh of Worship (BC 102)
Book:
Fiqh Us-Sunnah, Volumes 1 & 2 by As-Sayyid Sabiq. Or any Figh book

Course Objectives
To understand different subjects that are related to our daily life such as purification and prayer. To learn how to perform ablution, ghusl and prayer.

4. Fiqh of Hadeeth (BC 103)
Book:
Fiqh of Hadith I by Sheikh Musa Shaheen Lasheen

Course Objectives
To study and understand the meaning of the Hadith selected for the course. To derive the rules and regulations of Islam from the Hadith. To learn the Prophetic wisdom from the meaning of each Hadith. To appreciate Hadith as the second source of Islamic Shari'ah. To understand the message of each Hadith.

5. History of Islam in the West (BC 211)
       Book :
        Muslims in the West: The Message and the Mission, by Syed Abul Hasan Nadawi
        Islam in the United States of America by Sulayman S. Nyang

Course Objectives:
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; and the need to know that America is a fertile land for Islam.

6. Tafseer 1 (BC 104)
Book : Both of the following
Tafseer Ibn Katheer ,
In the Shade of the Quran by Sayyid Qutb.

Course objectives:
Study and analyze the historical background of the revelation of each surah of the last Juz' of the Qur'an (Surahs 78 to 114). Give interpretation to the individual verses, explain terms and special words in them as well as discuss the relationship among the different surahs. Derive rules and regulations from the verses. Search for divine wisdom for traditional and contemporary issues in the light of guidance presented by the surahs and verses.

7. Tafseer 2 (BC 214)
     Book : Both of the following
     Tafseer Ibn Katheer ,
      In the Shade of the Quran by Sayyid Qutb.

Course objectives:
Study and analyze the historical background of the revelation of each surah of Juz' Tabarak. Give interpretation to the individual verses; explain terms and special words in them as well as discuss the relationship among the different surahs. Derive rules and regulations from the verses. Search for divine wisdom for traditional and contemporary issues in the light of the guidance presented by the surahs and verses.

8. Fiqh of Worship 2 (BC 212)
Book
Fiqh Us-Sunnah, Volumes 1 & 2 by As-Sayyid Sabiq. Or any Figh book

Course Objectives
To learn the importance of Saum, hajj and Zakat. To perform hajj and umrah.
To learn how to distribute Zakat in the correct way

9. Comparative Religion (BC 213)
Book
Guidance to the Uncertain In Reply to the Jews and the Nazarenes by Ibn Al Qayyim al-Jawziah.
The World's Religions, by Huston Smith

Course objectives:
This course attempts to define religion from the Muslim perspective and from a general scholastic standpoint. It discusses the Islamic stand on reading about other religions and the proper Islamic attitude in such a study. It familiarizes students with historic as well as modern developments of various religious traditions and the practices of their adherents around the world. Furthermore, it examines some specific religions and their belief systems and the Islamic response to claims of those religions which is necessary make da'wah to people of these religions.

10. Financial Contracts (BC 215)
Book:
Transactions in Islamic Law by Prof. Dr. Ala'Eddin Kharofa.

Course objectives
A solid grasp of the Arabic terms surrounding this subject. A strong understanding of what is meant by a 'contract' in Islam.

11- Family Law (BC 105)
   Book:
   Muslim Family in the West by Dr. Omar Shahin
   The Fiqh of Family, Marriage and Divorce by Jamal Zarabozo

Course Objectives:
To study and examine the significance of family in Islam and it's structure in the context of Islamic Law focusing on the basic laws and dimensions of marriage, legitimacy and divorce. To appreciate the foundations and the values of Islamic Family Law, by comparative studies the family values of other cultures. To train the students in answering questions arising from their readings.

12- How to write Research (BC 106)
Book
From Beginning to End: Internet Research and the Writing Process

Course objectives:
To learn how to collect information, Document it, then to write it academically.

13. Basic Arabic I (BC 107)
Book:
Any basic introductory text to the study of the Arabic language

Course objectives:
To introduce the beginning student to the Arabic language and acquaint him with the fundamentals of the language and its pronunciation and script.

14. Fiqh of Da'wa (BC 108)
Book:
Words of Advice Regarding Da'wah
by Abdul-Aziz bin Baaz

Course objectives:
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.

Omar Ahmed Shahin, J.D. (Jordan), M.Th., Ph.D.
Professor of Islamic Law
Profile | E-mail

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
http://www.icc-greaterchicago.com/

Resources in Islamic Studies

Council on Islamic Education (CIE)
International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
Islamic Studies and Research Association (ISRA)
Muslim American Society (MAS)
North American Imams Federation (NAIF)
Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS)