Four Year Hawza StudY Programme

Towards Excellence in Shi’i Scholarship

Al-Mahdi Institute & its philosophy...The Al-Mahdi Institute was founded in 1993, with the central goal of establishing an educational institute in Europe that could provide students with advanced training in Islamic Studies and Arabic, tailored specifically for the needs of those living in multi-cultural and pluralist settings.

The core curriculum of study is an intensive and modified form of that which is taught in the traditional Muslim educational centres of Najaf and Qum. It offers its students a thorough grounding in reading, analysing and contextualising classical texts, supplemented by a great emphasis on the use of modern theories in the study of religion, theology and language. However, unlike other centres of Muslim learning this curriculum is delivered entirely in English and Arabic.

The emphasis on scholarly and academic rigour is combined with an open and non-dogmatic philosophy of learning, which presuppose no particular religious or philosophical commitment in order to study at the Institute. Instead the Institute insists on, and aims to cultivate, an attitude of deep respect towards the beliefs and cultural values of all.

Through its committed and serious engagement with both classical and contemporary scholarship pertaining to Islam, along with its open philosophy of learning, the Al-Mahdi Institute aims to continue in its trend of producing scholars who can function within the Western academic tradition as active participants, take part in the intellectual development of Shi’a thought and simultaneously contribute to portraying the human face of Islam and the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt within wider society..

What is taught and how?The Four Year Hawza Programme provides students with a modified and intensive course of Arabic and Islamic studies, based on a traditional curriculum as taught in the educational seminaries (Hawza’s) of Najaf and Qum. Our courses are delivered by scholars who are highly versed in traditional and modern methods of learning and the Institute prides itself on its model of small group teaching. Instructors read, explain and critically analyse traditional texts covering the full breadth of Muslim scholarly disciplines, encouraging the students to appreciate both the historical and contemporary relevance of the ideas at hand. This approach to teaching is supplemented by drawing on the relevant theories and methods found in the social sciences and humanities, bridging the gap between traditional learning and contemporary academia. Students are actively encouraged to develop their knowledge and understanding of the subjects encountered in an interactive manner, thus building the critical skills and independent thinking framework required for a deep engagement with the highest level of both classical and contemporary scholarship pertaining to Islam.

Structure and Assessment The first year of the programme will predominantly focus on introductory modules that cover the breadth of the core Muslim scholarly disciplines including Qur’anic studies, Hadith, Fiqh, Usul al-fiqh, Mantiq, ‘ilm al-kalam, Falsafa and ‘Irfan alongside an intensive study of the Arabic language and grammar. The first of the two semesters, which is weighted in favour of the Arabic training, enables students to begin to engage directly with Arabic texts for the studies of the various other disciplines on commencement of the second semester. These modules will provide students with an in depth insight into the historical context, major themes, classical debates and key thinkers within each discipline. This provides a strong foundation upon which students can advance successfully into years two, three and four. Each of the subsequent years of the program builds on this platform, providing the students with a depth and breadth of knowledge appropriate to each successive stage of their studies.

Alongside the study of core modules, students are required to attend periodic supplementary seminars and workshops delivered by renowned academics and ‘ulama. The seminars and workshops aim to ensure that students are not only provided with a strong theoretical knowledge of Islamic Studies, but that they are given wider exposure to scholars engaged in academia and grass roots community work, reiterating the practical and applied relevance of their studies.

Ongoing assessments are an important indicator of a student’s progress and form an integral part of the learning culture at the Al-Mahdi Institute. Coursework in the form of essays and presentations are set throughout each year, in a format designed to help students develop both their written and presentation skills. Each semester concludes with an examination period, where the skills and knowledge acquired throughout the course must be demonstrated in written and oral assessments.

ArAbic

The intensive Arabic training at the Al-Mahdi Institute is focussed on allowing students to develop the advanced philological skills required to independently understand, analyse and critically engage with the Arabic of the Qur’an and Muslim scholarship. Accordingly, the course is constructed of modules dealing with language (lugha), grammar (sarf wa nahw), Arabic rhetoric (balagha) and Qura’nic morphology (i’rab al-Qur’an). No prior knowledge of Arabic is assumed. In the first year, student’s commence with introductory texts designed for non-native speakers. By year three, students are capable of studying the advanced classical works traditionally employed for the teaching of Arabic, such as the Sharh of Ibn Aqil.

Fiqh

In scholarly terms, fiqh is defined as a detailed knowledge of Shari’a laws with their specific evidences and justifications. Throughout the four years of the course, students are given a comprehensive and progressively detailed study of these laws and the debates surrounding their justifications. After an introductory module on the historical development of fiqh, students go on to study Baqir Irwani’s al-Fiqh al-Istidlali. Here, they will critically engage with the justifications of the entire breadth of fiqhi laws, ranging from the method of wudhu (ablution) to the conditions governing the validity of financial transactions. In the fourth year, students will move on to read selected themes from more advanced texts, such as Sharh al-Luma’a and al-Maqasib.

An insight into the subjects studied...

UsUl Al-Fiqh

Usul al-Fiqh is a discipline which studies the general principles involved in the inference of the laws of fiqh. An in depth study of Usul al-Fiqh has been a central part of the training of scholars throughout the history of Shi’i scholarship. Following this tradition, students are given a comprehensive grounding in all the theoretical discussions of Usul al-Fiqh based on a traditional curriculum, supplemented by relevant discussions from philosophy of language, hermeneutics, moral philosophy and epistemology. Introductory courses are based on Abd al-Hadi al-Fadli’s Mabadi al-Usul, and Baqir al-Sadr’s Halaqat al-Uwla. This is followed by a close and complete reading of Muhammad Rida Muzaffar’s text Usul al-Fiqh.

hAdith stUdies

The Hadith are defined as the reports which transmit the sayings, actions and tacit approvals of the Prophet and the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt. Above and beyond the analyses and contextualisation of the content of traditions, the study of Hadith at the Al-Mahdi Institute entails a further detailed study of both the classical disciplines involved in the categorisation and authentication of these traditions i.e. ‘ilm al-diraya and ‘ilm al-rijal. These theoretical studies are supplemented with supervised practical training in the application of the rigorous traditional method of authenticating Hadith, ensuring that students gain the skills required to independently conduct this process. Through this practical training, and with reference to broader studies, students can engage with the criticisms levelled at this system, as well as gain a thorough firsthand experience of the meticulous nature of the traditional approach.

history

Although not a central part of the traditional Shi’i Hawza curriculum, the course at Al-Mahdi Institute places great emphasis on the study of history. The central themes and periods covered include Pre-Islamic Arabia, The Life of the Prophet, Post-Prophetic Period and The History and Development of Shi’ism and its Schisms. Beyond the subject specific knowledge that this study brings, students are equipped with the bibliographical and analytical tools needed to critically engage with a breadth of primary source material in Arabic, as well as with the secondary surveys written in the English language.

‘irFAn (MysticisM)

This course examines the origins, history and development of Mysticism in Islam. Students will be taught the central motifs of its divisions (theoretical and practical) in the mystical literature, with a critical reading of key texts. The major themes in theoretical mysticism are taught from the renowned works of Jalal al-Din al-Rumi and Ibn ‘Arabi, and practical ‘Irfan from Abu Nasr ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ali al-Siraj al-Tusi’s al-Luma’a fi Tarikh al-Tasawwuf al-Islami.

‘ilM Al-kAlAM (theology)

After an introductory module surveying the different schools and historical development of Muslim theology, students undertake a close reading of Allama Hilli’s classical Shi’i text, al-Bab al-Hadi ‘Ashar. The central themes of Muslim theological doctrine, including the arguments for the existence of God, debates over predestination and freewill, theodicy, Prophethood, Imamology and Eschatology, are then further critically examined with reference to both the contemporary work of Jaffer Subhani’s Illahiyat and the classical work of Kashf al-Murad fi Tajrid al-Ittiqad, by Allama Hilli and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi.

FAlsAFA (PhilosoPhy)

This course introduces students to the historical origins of Muslim philosophy, including the major philosophers and their works. It critically examines the philosophical ideas of the Peripatetic, the Illuminationist and the Transcendental Schools of philosophy in Islam. After the first year, students are given a comprehensive insight into the transcendental philosophy of Mulla Sadra, through a close reading of al-Tabatabi’s Bidayat al-Hikma.

qUr’Anic stUdies

The Institute has a Qur’anic Studies program, which is composed of two key elements. The first of these consists of a study of ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, a classical theoretical discipline which tackles questions such as the authenticity of the Qur’an and its compilation, the nature and manner of revelation and the structure and themes in the Qur’an. The course is based on readings from al-Talkhis wa al-Tamhid of Hadi Ma’rifa, combined with extensive reference to works of the most prominent Orientalists and contemporary scholars of Qur’anic studies. The second element introduces students to ‘Ilm al-Tafsir, studying the theoretical principles and different approaches to the exegesis and interpretation of the Qur’an. With this background, students begin their study of Tafsir al-Qur’an itself. This not only involves the traditional atomistic and thematic approaches to Tafsir, but also allows a critical engagement with the application of emerging hermeneutical approaches to the Qur’an at a stage where students are expected to draw upon the theoretical skills acquired in their studies of Arabic, Hadith, Usul al-fiqh, Theology, Mysticism and Philosophy, to enrich their appreciation of what Muslim’s believe is the Word of God.

MAntiq (logic)

Logic is defined as the study of the rules and principles governing sound thinking. This classical science is taught throughout Shi’i seminaries as the epistemological framework for the Muslim intellectual disciplines. The course at Al-Mahdi Institute gives students a deep insight into this framework, critically engaging with all the major themes of the discipline including ‘Concepts’, ‘Assents’, and ‘the Five Arts’ based on readings from Muhammad Rida Muzaffar’s al-Mantiq.

other coUrses:

Beyond the above core subjects, the Al-Mahdi Institute offers a variety of modules which are not taught in traditional Muslim educational seminaries. These modules include; Issues in Contemporary Philosophy and Ethics, Political Economy and International Politics of the Islamic World, Moral Economy & the Phenomenon of Islamic Banking and Finance, Women and Gender Studies, Comparative Religion, Islam and Pluralism, and Methodological Issues in the Study of Religion and Islam

“Al-Mahdi Institute is a place for serious attempts to learn about the most fundamental and important classical Islamic, and particularly Shi’i texts through a close and critical study - always keeping our contemporary concerns and questions in mind.”

dr AkrAMi

Meet some of our faculty...

The faculty at Al-Mahdi Institute represents a body of scholars trained to the very highest level, both in terms of traditional Muslim scholarship and academic excellence. It is composed of individuals with an established track record of creative scholarship, whom are known for their commitment to the enrichment of contemporary society. Although primarily a teaching institute, this faculty and the broader staff are deeply engaged in research, publications and outreach programmes, which serve both scholarly forums and the wider community.

Shaykh Arif studied at the Madrassa of Seyed Al-Khoei, London and graduated with Honours in 1988. He then travelled to Qum to further his studies and received his training at the Hawza Ilmiyyah between 1989-1993. During this time, he received private training and conducted research studies with some of the leading scholars of Qum, whilst concurrently teaching Grammar, Logic, and Usul al-Fiqh. Following his return from Iran, Shaykh Arif continued his Dars al-Kharij under Ayatollah Hussain Amini. Since 1993, he has been director of, and senior lecturer at the Al-Mahdi Institute.

AriF AbdUl hUssAin

Shaykh Arif is also a prolific and inspirational lecturer, and has also delivered numerous religious sermons worldwide. Alongside his position as a religious consultant in the local community, he also serves as Imam of Jumu’a (Friday Prayers) in Birmingham.

Shaykh Arif’s teaching and research interests include; Muslim Philosophy, Theosophy, Mysticism, Logic, Usul al-Fiqh, Fiqh, and Tafsir. He has published a wide range of scholarly works, including translations and original articles.

Seyed Amir Akrami holds a BA in Islamic Studies and MA in Religion and Mysticism from Tehran University and a PhD in the Philosophy of Religion from the University of McGill, Canada. He has held the position of a lecturer in the Faculty of Islamic Theology at the University of Tehran and has been a visiting research fellow at the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations.

Seyed Akrami has also served as Secretary for Inter-Religious Dialogue at the Organisation for IslamicCulture and Communication in Tehran, Iran. He has been part of an elite group of Muslim scholars and Christian theologians, participating in periodic conferences under the auspices of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s ‘Building Bridges’ initiative.

Seyed Akrami’s teaching and research interests include; Islamic studies (Qur’anic studies, Islamic Mysticism, Philosophy and Theology), Inter-religious Dialogue, Religious Pluralism, and Philosophy of Religion. Seyed Akrami’s work has been published widely in a range of academic journals and edited volumes, in English and Farsi.

seyed AMir AkrAMi

He then moved to the UK to conduct research in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield. He was awarded an Mphil for research on Moral Scepticism and Moral Realism, and obtained a PhD for research regarding the epistemic justification of moral beliefs. Dr Fanaei’s teaching and research interests include; Philosophy of Fiqh, Hermeneutics, Usul al-Fiqh, Tafsir, Moral Philosophy, and Epistemology. He has a wide range of cutting edge publications in both English and Farsi, which include numerous journal articles and monographs.

Seyed Fatemei has spent thirteen years studying to the highest level in the traditional educational seminaries of Qum. During this time, he studied a range of Arabic disciplines (including Grammar and Literature), Formal Logic, Qur’anic Studies and Tafsir, Theology, Islamic Philosophy, as well as both Usul al-fiqh and Fiqh under the direct instruction of some of the leading scholars present at that time. Whilst pursuing his traditional education, Seyed Fatemi also studied Public Law at Tehran University, and was awarded both an LLB and LLM. In 1999

Dr Fanaei has completed seventeen years of seminary studies. He graduated from the renowned Fayziyeh School of the Hawza Illmiyah in Qum, followed by seven years of Dars al-Kharij study under teachers such as the Grand Ayatollah Tabrizi, Grand Ayatollah Haeiri, Grand Ayatollah Vahid, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, and the Ayatollah Ahmad Mianeji. During this time, he was also awarded an MA in Islamic Theology from the University of Qum, taking special interest in Modern Theology and Philosophy of Religion.

Ali FAnAei

seyed MohAMMAd ghAri s. FAteMi

Seyed Fatemi was awarded with a PhD from the Faculty of Law at the University of Manchester, studying Comparative Human Rights.

Seyed Fatemi’s teaching and research interests include; the Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights, International and Comparative Human Rights, Islam and Human Rights, Usul al-Fiqh and Hermeneutics, the History and Development of Fiqh, and Muslim Theology. His extensive publications include a number of monographs and a range of articles in leading international academic journals.

Dr. Khalid has written articles for a leading Urdu newspaper ‘Daily Jang London’ on contemporary topics such as Education, Problems of Muslim Youth, Islam and Extremism. He continues to write articles and features in English for the ‘Azan’ magazine and ‘Naveed-e-Sahar’, on topics such as Muslim Youth and Education, Youth and Crimes, Islam and Terrorism and other community related issues.

Dr. Khalid’s research and teaching interests include; History, Hadith Studies, ‘Ulum al-Qur’an and ‘Ulum al-Hadith.

Educated at the universities of London, King’s College, Nottingham, and Derby, Dr Williams has previously taught Religious and Islamic Studies at the universities of Chester, Derby, and Birmingham City University. His doctoral research focussed upon contemporary perceptions of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib amongst Sunni and Twelver Shi’a traditions in the UK. He is currently working on a second doctoral project that focuses on the modern Turkish Religio-Social Movement.

Dr. Khalid has received an MA from the University of Birmingham and a PhD from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Prior to this, Dr. Khalid received an MA in Islamic Studies from Markez-e-Uloom Islamiyah, Pakistan, and a BA in Islamic Studies from Idara Ishaatul Uloom, Pakistan. For over twenty years, he has served as a Minister of Religion and a visiting lecturer in local schools. Dr. Khalid also holds the post of a senior consultant in Islamic issues and has extensive experience in community-wide affairs.

Dr Williams’ teaching and research interests include; Historical and Contemporary Expressions of Sufism, Research Methodologies in the Study of Religio-Social Movements, Contemporary Turkish Islam and its Implications for a European Muslim Identity, and Christian-Muslim Inter-Religious Dialogue. Dr Williams has an established track record of publications and continues to publish his work in a wide range of academic journals.

Muhammed Khalid

iAn WilliAMs

Shaykh Mohammed embarked on his advanced religious education in the Hawza of Najaf, Iraq in 1993. During the next six years, he studied under the direct supervision of illustrious scholars such as the Ayatollah Shahid Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr and Ayatollah Kalantar. His other instructors during this time included Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqubi, Seyed Mohammad al-Sistani, and Seyed Ahmed al-Safi. In the year 2000, he travelled to the Hawza of Seyeda Zainab in Damascus, where he spent the next two years studying within the institutions affiliated to Ayatollah Jawad Tabrizi and Ayatollah Muhammad

Hussein Fadl-Allah. During this time, he also taught at the al-Sadr Institute. Since 2003, he has been teaching across the range of traditional Hawzawi disciplines at the Al-Mahdi Institute.

Shaykh Mohammed has also delivered religious sermons throughout Europe, is a regular participant and discussant on numerous Arabic Satellite TV Channels, and has contributed to international conferences relating to the Role of Religion in Iraq.

Shaykh Mohammed’s research and teaching interests include; Logic, Fiqh, Comparative Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh and Philosophy, maintaining a particular emphasis on Arabic Grammar, Language and Rhetoric.

Seyed Aliraza Naqvi graduated in Islamic Studies & Arabic from Madrassa Seyed al-Khoei, London. He then went on to further his Islamic studies in the Hawza Ilmiyya of Qum, under the supervision of the Grand Ayatollah Maddadi. He also holds an MA in Islamic Studies from Punjab University.

Seyed Aliraza has a long history of serving grass roots Muslim communities, acting as principal to the Muhammadi Madrassa in Birmingham, and previously principal to the Al-Mahdi Institute. He

seyed AlirAzA nAqvi

MohAMMed shUkri

also has a leading role in the Islamic Education Board (IEB) of the KSIM World Federation. Seyed Aliraza is internationally renowned as a first rate reciter of lectures and poetry dedicated to eulogising the Ahlul Bayt.

Seyed Aliraza’s research and teaching interests include; Arabic Language and Grammar, Contemporary Issues in Islamic Law, Spirituality, Islamic Education and Tabligh.

“The greatest benefits of studying Islam at an advanced level is the potential for self development (spiritual and intellectual). It is also a gateway to discovering and understanding issues pertaining to the world, society and rights, and insha Allah, it aids the student to himself or herself become a guide towards the right path...”

shAykh MohAMMed shUkri

Life at the Al-Mahdi Institute...

When students embark on the Four Year Hawza Programme, they become part and parcel of the wider activities of the Al-Mahdi Institute, gaining full access to its facilities and resources. The Al-Mahdi Institute houses a vibrant community of researchers and scholars engaged in a range of activities in addition to their academic and scholarly pursuits, which includes community outreach and interfaith work.

The library and communal areas of the Institute allow the students and staff to interact closely at a personal level outside the classroom, and becomes a forum for sharing and exchanging ideas as well as a platform for developing long lasting relationships.

The Institute’s location in Birmingham is in close proximity to the largest Shi’a hub in the UK outside of London, where students have the opportunity to participate in, and even contribute to, the diverse range of ongoing religious and social activities.

“The institute has given me the opportunity for both intellectual and spiritual development. Its unique character lies in the teachers from diverse backgrounds giving the students an insight into different perspectives, and encouraging them to think outside the box.”

tAreq Miernik grAdUAte oF Al-MAhdi

After the Four Year Hawza Programme

On completion of the four year programme, students can further advance their Hawza studies at the Al-Mahdi Institute, going on to study texts taught at the highest level of formal seminary training. Former students have also moved on to pursue a range of valuable careers. Not only are the graduates of this programme capable of fulfilling the traditional role of a religiously trained scholar (‘alim) within the community, but they also have the skills and train-ing required to meet the rising demand for committed and cutting edge Mus-lim scholars in a range of other fields, including Academia, Media, Teaching and Politics.

Some graduates of the Al-Mahdi Institute...

Imranali joined the Al-Mahdi Institute after completing his degree in Law (LLB) at the University of Sheffield. Whilst studying Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Institute, Imranali also completed his LPC at the College of Law in Birmingham, UK. Upon graduating from the Al-Mahdi Institute’s Four Year Hawza Programme, Imranali was given a place at Kings College, London to undertake his doctoral research. He is currently in the process of finishing his PhD, which focuses on “The Role of the Self in International Human Rights: a comparative Shi’a-Muslim and Christian-Western perspective”

Imranali continues to serve the grass roots by giving lectures to Shi’a communities in the UK and around the world. He teaches at the Madrassa in Chelmsford, and is regularly invited to share his knowledge and expertise on Ahlul Bayt TV and Press TV. Furthermore, Imranali has also presented numerous academic papers at leading universities and has published extensively in a range of formats.

After completing professional qualifications in Optometry, Ali-reza enrolled on the Four Year Hawza Programme at the Al-Mahdi Institute in 2004. Upon graduating from the program he won a highly competitive scholarship from the Centre of the Advanced Study of the Arab World to pursue his research for a further four years at Durham University. As part of this programme, he undertook an MA in Research Methods, for which he was awarded a distinction. Ali-reza is currently moving towards completion of his PhD, which examines the

Ali-rezA bhojAni

relationship between Morality and Law in Shi’i Islam, with particular reference to the role of reason as a source of Shari’a.

Alongside his research commitments, he is also continuing with advanced Hawza studies at the Al-Mahdi Institute. Since graduating from the programme, Ali-reza has participated in academic workshops and conferences worldwide, and published a variety of works. He has also taught Islamic studies modules at a range of different higher education institutes, including Durham University, Al-Mahdi Institute, and IIPS (MTP Damascus). Beyond his work in academia, Ali-reza also occasionally delivers lectures and led Friday prayers at Muslim centres throughout the UK.

iMrAnAli PAnjWAni

Applying to the Hawza Programme

Applications for the Four Year Hawza Programme are now open. The first year of this programme is also open to students seeking to pursue advanced Arabic and Islamic Studies training during a gap year.

Tuition fee scholarships and bursaries are available for students upon application. These awards are also open to students who only intend to take the first year of this programme.

Financial support for subsequent years is merit based and dependent on academic progress.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need more information before applying. Applicants are encouraged to apply early.

For enquiries and admission procedures please contact:

admissions@almahdi.edu

“The seeking of knowledge is a responsibility upon every Muslim, and surely Allah loves the desirers of knowledge…”

the ProPhet MUhAMMAd

Al-Mahdi Institute

532 Moseley RoadBalsall HeathBirminghamB12 9AETel: +44 (0)121 446 5047Fax: +44 (0)121 446 5085

www.almahdi.edu