We believe the Muslim community's most urgent need is sound educational institutions that root the realities of Islam in daily life, shape character, and produce graduates capable of beneficial engagement with the world.
This requires immersion in the Prophetic Inheritance. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. The Prophets bequeathed neither dirham nor dinar; rather, they bequeathed knowledge. Whoever receives this knowledge has received a great portion."
Sacred knowledge is inseparable from the purpose of life itself: to know one's Lord. It reaches us through the living scholarly tradition and its unbroken chains of transmission.
We invite you to join us on this journey.
About the Seminary
The Seminary's full-time program runs three years. Each year builds on the one before it, moving students from foundational literacy in the Islamic sciences and Arabic language into classical text-based study and, finally, into practical training for community service.
The program is built on three pillars: knowledge, devotion, and service (al-Maqāṣid al-Thalātha). They are the organizing principle of every year of study, shaping how students learn, worship, and engage with the world around them.
YEAR 1 - establishes the foundations. Students develop Arabic reading proficiency, basic speaking and listening skills, and the study habits that serious learning requires. By year's end, a student can recite the Quran, read voweled Arabic texts, explain the individual obligations (farḍ ʿayn) of the religion, and demonstrate a foundational level of Islamic literacy.
YEAR 2 - prepares students for classical text-based study. Arabic grammar deepens, texts are read without vowels, and students develop intermediate speaking and listening skills. They also begin studying fiqh through primary texts in either the Shāfiʿī or Ḥanafī school, receive training in Quranic recitation with tajwīd, and are prepared for their first practical service: teaching the essentials of Imān, Islām, and Iḥsān, and delivering a Friday sermon (khuṭba).
YEAR 3 - advances into classical Arabic texts across the Islamic sciences. Students develop advanced speaking, listening, and translation skills using an Arabic-to-Arabic dictionary, and study tafsīr, sīra, ʿaqīda, and hadith at an advanced level, alongside hands-on training to serve their communities: teaching at schools and madrasas, conducting a nikāḥ, overseeing funeral rites, and establishing gatherings of remembrance.
Download the full course catalog for a complete breakdown of texts, subjects, and outcomes by term (download link below).
eligibility
18 years of age or older
U.S. Permanent Resident
High School diploma or equivalent
Exceptions may be considered for students under 18 or currently in high school on a case-by-case basis.
the ideal student
We are looking for students who are dedicated to knowledge, devotion, and service as a way of life; disciplined in managing a demanding academic schedule; active participants in congregational prayer and gatherings of remembrance; and respectful of communal life and the ethos of Al-Maqasid.
The Seminary is a full-time residential program, and the coursework is rigorous. Students who thrive here are serious about sacred knowledge, committed to the spiritual path, and prepared to give the program their full attention. Students who come without external obligations are better positioned to succeed.
Lodging
Separate fully furnished shared accommodations are available for male and female students. Students are responsible for their own bedding linens (& pillows) and personal belongings. Students are also responsible for purchasing their own foodstuffs and toiletries.
PROGRAM FEES
Seminary tuition: $8,500/year (includes textbooks)
Lodging: $6,400/year
Application fee: $50
Introductory Arabic & Reading Course fee: $350
Security deposit: $500 (required)
Tuition and lodging may be paid in full or over an 8-month installment plan.
ENROLLMENT DATES:
January 10 - March 31
Contact us
Questions? Check our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us here.
seminary@almaqasid.org
(610) 786-6786