Syllabus

AQI Syllabus Full-Time

AQI Syllabus Part-Time

Study Levels

Whilst students may complete the entire ʿĀlimiyyah programme, the syllabus has also been designed so that it may be studied to different levels according to a student's individual needs and circumstances.

Arabic Intensive Programme

The first level, corresponding to the first year of the Full-Time and Part-Time syllabus. This stage focuses primarily on the acquisition of the Arabic language skills required for further study.

Sanatayn (Post-Maktab) Programme: 

The second level, completed after Year 2 of the Full-Time course or Year 3 of the Part-Time course. This stage combines the continued study of Arabic with a broader introduction to the Islamic sciences.

Structure of the Course

The course comprises two broad categories of study: ʿUlūm Āliyyah (العلوم الآلية), the instrumental or foundational sciences, and ʿUlūm ʿĀliyyah (العلوم العالية), the higher or objective sciences.

The Instrumental Sciences – ʿUlūm Āliyyah

The purpose of the instrumental sciences is not merely to study these subjects as ends in themselves, but to develop the skills students require to access, read, and understand the Arabic and Islamic texts through which the higher sciences are studied.

The study of these sciences takes place broadly over two stages.

In the first stage, primarily during Year 1, students learn the essential theory and rules of subjects such as Arabic grammar (Nahw) and morphology (Sarf). The emphasis at this stage is upon establishing a sound theoretical foundation.

In the second stage, beginning particularly in Year 2, students continue to reinforce this theory while gradually moving from learning the rules to applying them. Most textbooks are now studied in Arabic, requiring students to read, translate, analyse, and work through Arabic texts under the supervision of their teachers. Arabic literature is also incorporated into the syllabus to broaden vocabulary and develop greater fluency and confidence in reading and understanding Arabic.

The aim is therefore that students progress from knowing Arabic grammar and morphology theoretically to possessing the practical ability to use these sciences as tools for independently understanding Arabic texts.

Importannce of The Instrumental Sciences

As the higher sciences are taught through Arabic textbooks and primary sources, a firm foundation in Nahw, Sarf, Balāghah, and Arabic literature is essential. Without these tools, students will struggle to properly understand and appreciate the texts studied in the higher years.

For this reason, progression is not based solely on completing a year or achieving examination marks. Students must demonstrate the knowledge and practical ability necessary to access the Arabic primary sources and benefit from the higher sciences. A strong foundation in the instrumental sciences is therefore fundamental to progression into the higher years of the course.

The Higher Sciences – ʿUlūm ʿĀliyyah

The higher sciences are the principal objectives towards which the instrumental sciences ultimately lead. Once students have developed the necessary linguistic and academic tools, these skills are increasingly applied to the study of the major Islamic sciences.

These include the Qurʾān, its translation and the sciences relating to its understanding; Ḥadīth, its commentaries and related sciences; and Fiqh, together with the sciences required for its proper understanding.