Meaning of al-Qasim

Prophet Muhammad (S) said: "I am a Distributor (Qasim) and Allah is the One who Gives." The distributive function of Prophethood, while it includes physical assets such as wealth and property, emphasizes the knowledge that Allah bestows on His prophets. Prophets leave behind an intellectual inheritance rich with knowledge, an inheritance that in the case of Muhammad (S) has transformed, and continues to transform, the lives and hearts of men and women all over the world.

Academic Program

Overview

Islam is unique among the world's religions in that it provides a complete framework upon which all aspects of an individual's life is based, a framework that embraces the intellectual, social and moral challenges each person faces. The fundamental simplicity and flexibility of this framework is responsible for Islam's global revival, a revival nowhere more evident than in the United States, where it is the fastest growing religion. The city of Chicago is a major center for Islamic events, institutions and education. It plays host to the largest annual convention of Muslims in North America, has an extensive network of Muslim Student Associations at leading universities like Northwestern and the University of Chicago, and is the center for several seminars, conferences and academic studies of Islam. Darul Qasim operates in the context of this fertile intellectual environment as the next step for individuals desiring a more substantive and structured knowledge of Islam.

Why Learn Academically?

The Qur'an and Sunnah were revealed and practiced, respectively, in the context of a real society that faced difficult challenges. These challenges were overcome, and a remarkable new civilization was born, because the early Muslims understood the relevance of the Qur'an and Sunnah to the world around them. There are two essential tools that facilitate the acquisition of such understanding, the Arabic language and Islamic studies. A deep knowledge of Arabic is the means through which exegesis, close textual analysis, is possible and the key to understanding how the culture, sociology and philosophy of previous generations functioned in the light of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Islamic studies includes such disciplines as 'aqidah, Islamic thought, and fiqh and is the means through which one gains access to the Qur'an and the resulting spiritual connection to our Creator, a connection that is the surest path for happiness in this life and the next.

Curriculum and Status

Darul Qasim has designed a three-year curriculum, with courses in Arabic and Islamic studies, that facilitates an academic approach to Islam for residents in the Chicago area. Courses are designed with sufficient flexibility to accommodate the needs of working individuals with busy personal and family lives. The academic year is split into four quarters, with students taking one class a quarter for the first year and increasing to two classes a quarter in the second and third years. Each course meets once a week for 1.5 hours with homework assigned. Students may also attend Saturday seminars and undertake a research project that serves as the culmination of their studies in the third year.

By the grace of Allah, Darul Qasim has successfully enrolled 25 students that are seriously committed to taking on the challenge of learning Islam academically. Darul Qasim has already prepared 5 students who serve as teaching assistants.

Leadership

Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia

Shaykh Mohammed Amin is a well-known Muslim scholar and theologian of the Greater Chicagoland area. Shaykh Amin received training in Islamic sciences such as the exegesis of the Quran, the science of Hadith transmission, and Islamic law and theology in the Indian Sub-Continent. His studies culminated at the world renowned Islamic seminary at Deoband, India. He received further instruction in Islamic Law at the Shariah Court of Patna, Bihar, India. He also received instruction in Islamic theism and theosophy from his mentor Shaykh Meeran in Bangalore India.

Shaykh Amin has worked as a professional translator and a book reviewer in England where he was raised. Since his arrival in Chicago in 1984, he has served as a Muslim scholar in various capacities and as an advisor for Muslim schools, Muslim organizations, and the Council of Religious Leaders of Greater Chicagoland. Shaykh Amin is the co-author of a book on Islamic Finance entitled Islamic Finance: What it is and what it could be (published in England). He has also written a book on Quranic exegesis entitled A Spark From the Dynamo of Prophethood. In the works is a book on Ghazalian eschatology.

In 1998, Shaykh Amin founded Darul Qasim, an institute of higher Islamic learning where both undergraduate and post-graduate studies are conducted under his direction and leadership (http://www.darulqasim.org). This effort along with his speaking engagements throughout the US and professional counseling services he provides keep his academic faculties alive and sharp