Zaytuna Institute Curriculum/Courses (California) www.zaytuna.org
Abu Sidra
Curriculum
Although in recent years, there has been an increase in finely published
books on Islam and the amount is growing indicating the increasing interest
in Islam, there is still a great need for textbooks in English covering the
basic Islamic sciences. Several qualified scholars have been approached and
have agreed with nominal remuneration to translate traditional texts that
have been used in classical institutes all over the Muslim world for
centuries. These texts are small in size and need comments in some cases
and commentaries in others. The goal is to translate them creating a
cohesive Islamic vocabulary in the English language as has been done in
every Muslim language throughout the world, and publish them with the
original Arabic text included. This would enable students of Arabic to
study through the medium of their native language, in this case English,
while having access to the original in Arabic. The student will progress
through the texts with the end result being an educated Muslim fully versed
in the tenets and basics of his or her tradition.
Curriculum Planned
There are several Muslim sciences that every educated Muslim should have
some basic knowledge of and it would be around these that the core
curriculum would be based.
Arabic
Arabic is the sine qua non of Islamic studies and a commitment must be made
to learning it by any dedicated Muslim. A basic book on Grammar and
Morphology is close to completion and in sha Allah will be followed by a
series of readers for several levels.
Basic Grammar the Ajrummiyya with a modern and comprehensive commentary and
diagrams to facilitate the modern student’s grasp of the language.
Basic text on morphology (Sarf)
Basic reader in Arabic literature abridged from Jauhar al-Adab by
al-Hashimi
‘Aqida
The basic text would be Imam Ashurnubi’s “Twenty Obligations.” This was
used in al-Azhar’s lower madrassas as a basic introduction to ‘Aqida. Imam
at-Tahawi’s Creed would be used and Zaytuna has produced a translation with
notes that is to be published.
Jaurahat at-Tauhid by Ibrahim al-Laqqani. This text was used in Zaytuna
University’s first level institute for several centuries, as well as being
used in Syrian institutes and al-Azhar. It is a very comprehensive second
level ‘Aqida and is considered sufficient with a good commentary for the
non-specialist. A preliminary translation has already been done but not yet
published by Abdal-Hakim Winter, Ph.D. of Cambridge University. Nuh Keller
is working on a commentary and hopefully this will be published within the
coming year.
Fiqh
Zaytuna Institute adheres to and believes in the importance of following
the traditional schools of jurisprudence which where codified during the
first and blessed centuries of this Umma. Therefore teaching would be based
on using accepted and traditional texts of the classical period. There is
no intolerance toward any particular school and all four are rightly guided
and acceptable. Students are strongly encouraged to follow one particular
school and not attempt to derive judgments or matters from original sources
without the requisite qualifications of ijtihad.
The three schools will be emphasized, Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi’i because
the majority of Muslims adhere to one of these three. Although the Hambali
school is a valid school, it is limited to the Arabian peninsula and people
from that region are too insignificant in numbers in English speaking areas
to warrant text translation and emphasis. The Shafi’i text used will be
‘Umdat as-Salik, and has been translated and published in an excellent
edition by Shaykh Nuh Keller. The Maliki texts will be al-Akhdari at the
most basic level, the text of Ibn ‘Ashir which has been translated and is
waiting funds for publication, and finally the Epistle of Ibn Abi Zayd
which is being translated presently. Shaykha Besa of Jordan is presently
working on a serious Hanafi text.
Tassawuf
Bidayyatul -Hidayya by Imam al-Ghazzali (Translated)
Qawa’id at-Tassawuf Ahmad Zarruq (Translated but unpublished)
Nasiha by Ahmad Zarruq (untranslated)
Mathara by Shaykh al-Yaqubi
The Hikam of Ibn ‘Ata illah (translated but needs to be republished with
‘Arabic and English texts)
Usuul al-Fiqh
The Waraqat by Imam al-Haramain al-Juwayni will be used at a primary level
with a comprehensive commentary in English.
Idahu al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya by Imam al-Hadrami as-Shahari will be used for
this branch of fiqh.
The masterful text of Sidi Abdullah Ould Hajj Ibrahim will be the advanced
text for this subject.
Quran sciences
The Muqqadima of Ibn Juzzay for an introduction into the Quran sciences.
At-Tashil li ‘Ulum at-Tanzil as an introduction into the science of tafsir.
A small treatise on the science of tajwid by Imam al-Jazari.
Hadith
al-Bayquniyya by Imam al-Bayquni as an introduction into the science of
technical terms of the people of Hadith.
The forty hadith of Imam an-Nawawi
The Abridgment of Imam al-Bukhari by Ibn Abi Jamra
The Abridgment of Imam Muslim by Sayyid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Murrakashi
The Muwatta of Imam Malik
A book on the Prayers of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
Sira of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
Muhammad by Martin Lings
as-Shifa by Qadi ‘Iyad (translated).
Qurrat al-Absar with commentary (Arabic and English text with English
commentary)
Present situation of Muslims
Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age by Albert Hourani
Intellectual Origins of Islamic Resurgence in the Modern Arab World by Abu
Rabi’
The Failure of Political Islam by Olivier Roy
Islam and Post-Modernism by Akbar S. Ahmad
Other areas of concern will be addressed and texts for study identified
Related topics are Economics, Technology, Philosophy, Science, Modern
ideologies and beliefs i.e. Evolution etc.
Each of the above books that has not been translated will be translated and
published with Arabic and English texts, in sha Allah. A cassette series
will be done for some of the above books for distance learning and possibly
internet studies for students unable to attend classes locally.
History
The Muqaddima of Ibn Khaldun (translated)
The Venture of Islam by Hodgson (only until Muslims produce a better
history in English).
--
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Proclaim: He is Allah the One and Only (Unique). All are dependent on Him and
he is independent of all. Niether has He an offspring, nor is He
the offspring of anyone; And none is equal with Him in rank.
-- Al Quran, The Book of Islam, Ch.112
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