scholars’

scribe
Student prospectus
Shariah Intensive Course
(Winter 2010)

Euro-Sunni in collaboration
with Madrassah Miftahul Khair,
Benoni (Johannesburg), South
Africa

www.euro-sunni.com/forum
admin@euro-sunni.com
 Virtues
of
gaining knowledge

Sayyidina Abu Hurayra (RA) said, "I heard the Messenger of Allāh
(Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), may Allāh bless him and grant him peace,
say, 'This world is cursed, and everything in it is cursed, except for the
remembrance of Allāh Almighty and obedience to Him, and a scholar or
a teacher.'" [AT-TIRMIDHI]

Sayyidina Anas (RA) stated that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam), may Allāh bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who
goes out in search of knowledge is in the way of Allāh until he returns."
[AT-TIRMIDHI]

Sayyidina Abu'd-Darda' (RA) said, "I heard the Messenger of Allāh

(Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), may Allāh bless him and grant him peace,
say, 'Allāh will make the path to the Garden easy for anyone who travels
a path in search of knowledge. Angels spread their wings for the seeker
of knowledge out of pleasure for what he is doing. Everyone in the
heavens and everyone in the earth ask forgiveness for a man of
knowledge, even the fish in the water. The superiority of the man of
knowledge to the man of worship is like the superiority of the moon to
all the planets. The men of knowledge are the heirs of the Prophets.
The Prophets bequeath neither dinar nor dirham; they bequeath
knowledge. Whoever takes it has taken an ample portion.'" [ABU DAWUD
AND AT-TIRMIDHI]

1
The setting...

2
 ...the madrassah

3
 Student Requirements
All teaching will be done in English; where Arabic texts are used, teachers will
read the text, in Arabic, and then explain in English. No prior knowledge of
Arabic will therefore be required, but students with prior experience of the
language will be able to gain more benefit from the teachers' reading.

Students can purchase text books in advance, using the curriculum as a guide,
although it is not an expectation. Those with books are kindly encouraged to
share resources during the lessons.

All students are expected to take extensive and detailed notes, as required, but
typing during class is discouraged due to the distracting nature of the noise
generated.

The following is a recommended list for each student:

1. Specific medication, inhalers, etc., along with any other general

medication which it is felt may be necessary whilst away from home
2. Spare set of glasses/spectacles
3. Miswaak
4. Comb
5. Mirror
6. Grooming/Trimming equipment (Moustache, Beard, Hair from the
private Areas)
7. Sufficient set of Sunnah clothes and headgear for the entire duration of
stay. Please note that the weather will be warm and humid.

Food and bedding will all be provided, so there is no need for students to weigh
down their luggage with such items if they do not feel they are specifically
required. Please see the 'specific information' section of this prospectus for
more information.

4
 Curriculum / Timetable
17/12/10 Friday
Major Begin Imam
Tajweed Tajweed Aqeedah Introduction to
18/12/10 Muhaditheen & Nawawi's 40
(Assesment) (Assesment) Tahawiyyah Basics of Hadeeth
Hadeeth Books Ahadeeth
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Aqeedah Imam Nawawi's 40 Imam Nawawi's 40 Imam Nawawi's 40
19/12/10
Hifdh Hifdh Tahawiyyah Ahadeeth Ahadeeth Ahadeeth

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Aqeedah Imam Nawawi's 40 Imam Nawawi's 40 Imam Nawawi's 40

20/12/10
Hifdh Hifdh Tahawiyyah Ahadeeth Ahadeeth Ahadeeth

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Aqeedah Imam Nawawi's 40 Imam Nawawi's 40 Imam Nawawi's 40

21/12/10
Hifdh Hifdh Tahawiyyah Ahadeeth Ahadeeth Ahadeeth
Introduction to
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Aqeedah Imam Nawawi's 40 Introduction to
22/12/10 Madhab of Imam
Hifdh Hifdh Tahawiyyah Ahadeeth Basics of Fiqh
Abu Haneefa (RA)
Formulation of
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Introduction to
23/12/10 Madhab of Imam Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Fiqh
Abu Haneefa (RA)
24/12/10 Friday 
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/
25/12/10 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Begin Riyadus-

26/12/10 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-

27/12/10 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-

28/12/10 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen
Reconciling Need for Tassawuff
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Introduction to Continue Riyadus-
29/12/10 Tassawuff & and Self-
Hifdh Hifdh Basics of Tassawuff Saliheen
Shariah reformation
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-
30/12/10 \ Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen
31/12/10 Friday
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-
01/01/11 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-

02/01/11 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-

03/01/11 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen

Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-

04/01/11 Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen
Over view of Surah
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Introduction to Continue Riyadus-
05/01/11 Al-Fatiha/Al- Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Qur'aan Saliheen
Baqara
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Over view of Surah Over view of Surah Continue Riyadus-
06/01/11 Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Yaseen Waqiya Saliheen
07/01/11 Friday 
Over view of Surah
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-
08/01/11 Mulk & begin Fiqh Over view 30th Juz Fiqh
Hifdh Saliheen
overview 30th Juz
Tajweed/Nadhira/ Tajweed/Nadhira/ Continue Riyadus-
09/01/11 Fiqh Over view 30th Juz Fiqh
Hifdh Hifdh Saliheen

Programmes may be subject to change without prior notice.

5
•Preference should be given to teaching from English books with emphasis on
practical demonstrations (i.e. wudhu, salah etc).

•After tajweed assessment on the first day, students will be divided into:
•Basic group: The lowest level of tajweed (taught using Yassarnal-Qur’aan
& Tajweed for Beginners)
•Nadhira: Middle group consisting of those who can read but need some
practise with makhraj & tajweed ( using Tajweed for Beginners)
•Hifhdh: Advanced group consisting of students who will be encouraged
to memorise surahs from the Qur’aan while improving their tajweed

•Students will go through the entire text of Aqeedah Tahawiyyah with

commentary of Qari Tayyab (RA).

•Students will cover basics of tasawuff, reconcile its basic concepts with Shariah
and learn the need for it, taught by senior shaykh of a tareeqa.

•Students will be given a brief overview of hadeeth e.g. :

What is hadeeth? And main types of hadeeth? What is athar? And what is the
contribution of Muslim ulama to this science?

•Brief intro to Sahih Sitta and other major works.

•Cover Imam Nawawi (RA)’s 40 Hadeeth & various chapters of Riyadus-Saliheen

•Students will cover as much fiqh as possible:

•Beginning with the concept of taqleed and its importance
•Basic history, formulation and progression of the madhhab of Imam Abu
Haneefa (RA)
•Fiqh will be taught from Ta’leem al-Haq with advanced students studying
Maraqi 'l-Sa'adat (English) or Al-Fiqh al-muyyassar in Arabic. The students who
are yet more learned will be taught from Hadiyyah al-‘alāiyyah.
•At a minimum students will thoroughly cover Kitabut-Tahara, Kitabus-
Salah & Kitabus-Saum

•Students will go through tafseer (Safwa at-tafāsīr, Anwār al-Bayān or Ma’ārif al-
Qurān (the latter two for English speaking students) of commonly recited surahs
with a scholar.

6
 Specific Information
Currency
South African currency is the Rand, indicated by the symbol R. One cent is
equal to 1/100 of a rand. Therefore, a 50 cent coin is equal to half a rand, and
so on. Bank notes are equal to their full face value in Rand.
Since the exchange rates fluctuate, these are the approximate rates as of the
12th of October 2010: 1 Rand = 0.1046 (€: Euros) / 0.1444 ($: US Dollars) / 0.0913
(£: British Pounds)

Carrying Money
Since boarding and lodging will be provided by the Dār al ‘Ulūm, students will
not need to worry about day-to-day expenses.
Major credit cards are readily accepted in South Africa and students are
advised to carry traveller’s cheques instead of cash which they can readily
redeem with the advice & mushwara of Dār al ‘Ulūm.

Location
Madrassah Miftahul Khair (www.miftaahulkhair.com/index.html) is located in
Benoni, Gauteng Province, roughly 19KM (11 miles) away from South Africa’s
largest International Airport - OR Tambo International Airport -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O.R._Tambo_International_Airport
Flights to and from South Africa run regularly and frequently from most
worldwide locations.

Crime
High crime rate is a concern in South Africa, so students are requested not to
venture out without the consultation (mushwara) of Dār al ‘Ulūm staff & Ulama.
Neither Euro-Sunni nor the Dār al ‘Ulūm take no responsibility of events and
circumstances outside of the Dār al ‘Ulūm premises.

Weather
During the 23-day intensive course, the temperature is expected to be between
14-26˚C (57-78˚F) and rainfall is supposed to be the highest from the end of
December throughout January. It is expected that humidity will be high around
70% during daytime and drop to around 47% during the nights.

7
Health/Sickness
Madrassah Miftahul Khair is located at an altitude of 1596m above sea level,
which means that students arriving from sea level may have some initial
difficulty with breathing (during exertion) and asthma sufferers are requested
to ensure that they bring their inhalers and medications with them.
We recommend that students take the same precautions they would usually
when travelling abroad, with regards to carrying medication and other health-
related items.
There are currently no health advisories for travel to South Africa but we
implore students to with the relevant authorities in their home country and/or
their local doctor. There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
Tap water is safe to drink in the institute as well as all surrounding areas.
Likewise, there are numerous Halaal outlets nearby, in case the food provided
by the institute does not agree with the student.

Electricity
Electrical current is 230V, 50Hz. Round, three-pin plugs are standard. Please
ensure that you have the relevant adaptors/converters for whichever electrical
devices (laptops, phones etc) which you may be carrying.

Language
The contents of the course will be taught in English and English will be widely
and readily understood by staff. In addition, Dār al ‘Ulūm staff will also be able
to converse in Arabic, Urdu and Gujrati.

Mobile/Cell Phone Access

Communication with the family and similar needs will be the responsibility of
the students.
Mobile phones are called cell phones in South Africa. Students will be
encouraged to purchase prepaid pay-as-you-go mobile SIMs, which will allow
them to economically communicate with their families back home during their
stay. Alternatively, they can continue to use their native phones (from their
home countries) but will need to be aware of the extra charges.
If students decide to purchase South African chips, they will need to ensure
that their cell phone does accept these chips. GSM mobile phone networks
serve 900 and 1800 frequencies throughout the country which should be
compatible with most mobile (cell) phones Internationally, but please check to
make sure.

8
 Internet/Email Access
Madrassah Miftahul Khair will be unable to provide students with Internet/e-
mail access during their stay, but Dār al ‘Ulūm Ulama & staff may point students
to paid Internet Cafe.
Communication with the family and similar needs will be the responsibility of
the students.

Sisters
Sisters are encouraged to attend the course but they will be housed in separate
and independent accommodation to their Mahram and also taught separately
by all female staff. There will be strictly no interaction or contact between
genders.

Transportation
Students will be picked up from Oliver Thambo International airport
(Johannesburg) for transportation to the Dār al ‘Ulūm upon arrival and dropped
back for their return flights. They are therefore requested to ensure that
correct flight details are provided and confirmation received from us.

Accommodation
Bedding, blankets, pillows, etc. will be provided. Students will therefore not
have to worry about bringing such items along in their luggage.

South African Students

This course is primarily aimed at Foreign students, but you are requested to
contact Euro-Sunni and the Dār al ‘Ulūm to check for remaining places which
may be available.

Post-Course Tour
Inshā Allāh, the madrassah will arrange for students to tour the Gauteng area
after the course. Students wanting to join the tour should keep this in mind
when booking their return flights. Unfortunately, we will not be able to
arrange tours in other provinces (unless if its to other Dār al ‘Ulūms). However,
the madrassah will offer whatever assistance possible.

9
Photograph credits (clockwise from top-left) as follows. Cover: Philip Niewold.
Page 2: Darren Powers; Patty Ghillebert; Nicolas Raymond; Wynand van Niekerk. Page 3: Madrassah Miftahul-Khair.