SUHBAH SEMINARY
SUHBAH FOUNDATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GREATER HOUSTON (ISGH) IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE SUHBAH SEMINARY ONSITE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS & ONLINE
QURANIC ARABIC & TAFSEER
WEEKENDS
WEEKENDS (FALL 2022): ALTERNATE WEEKENDS
Every other Sat & Sun 9:30a-1:30p & Wed 7p-8:30p CST
AUGUST 6 TO DECEMBER 18, 2022
Taught by: Ustadhs Mahad and Safiya
ONSITE and ONLINE options available
ISLAMIC STUDIES
(MODULE 1)
WEEKENDS
WEEKENDS (FALL 2022): ALTERNATE WEEKENDS
Every other Sat & Sun 9:30a-2p
AUGUST 13 TO DECEMBER 4, 2022
Taught by: Ustadhs Mahad and Safiya
Sh Joe Bradford, Ustadha Farhat Shamsi, Sh Arsalan Majid,
Imam Khalis Rashad & Sh Ammar Alshukry
ONSITE and ONLINE options available
Please read through thoroughly before applying. Applicants will be interviewed and assessed to determine their acceptance.
FALL 2022 Seminary Application DEADLINE: JULY 22, 2022
FALL 2022 classes begin: AUGUST 2022
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SUHBAH MISSION
Suhbah means “companionship”, “fellowship” or “to accompany”. It comes from the same root letters as the word “Sahaabah” – the companions of Prophet Muhammad (S). At Suhbah Institute, our mission is to accompany and inspire individuals along their journey of growth by providing quality, nurturing and easily accessible Islamic learning that is applicable to our ever changing lives and circumstances – whether that be in our relationships with others, with ourselves, or with our Lord.
SUHBAH SEMINARY OVERVIEW
Suhbah Institute in collaboration with the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) proudly presents the SUHBAH Seminary. SUHBAH Seminary offers part time and full time studies in Quranic Arabic, Tafseer, and Islamic studies. Students will primarily study Classical Fusha Quranic Arabic and Quranic Tafseer with a separate track in Islamic Studies concentrating on Aqeedah, Quran, Fiqh, Seerah, Hadith, Women studies and other disciplines, equipping students with the knowledge to benefit themselves, their families and their communities. The mission of SUHBAH seminary is to inspire growth and learning to nurture well-rounded Muslims, grounded in foundational Islamic knowledge, aware of the ever changing dynamics of our modern world, who can serve and teach in their local communities in the position of instructors, halaqa leaders, youth group leaders, community activists, and more.
SCHOLARSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS
Suhbah Institute offers scholarships to all UHMSA and TAMU MSA students (at 50% off tuition) as well as financial aid to all other attendees in need of financial assistance. If you are in need of a scholarship/financial aid, please indicate that on the application form.
For questions, email info@suhbah.com
SPONSOR
Would you like to help students out by sponsoring their seminary studies?
DIFFERENT TRACKS OFFERED
Students may choose from Arabic & Tafseer and/or Islamic Studies Tracks. Most tracks have online and onsite options. Quranic Arabic Level 1 is Online only.
QURANIC ARABIC & TAFSEER WEEKEND TRACK
Fall WEEKENDS
DATES: August 6 to December 18, 2022
SCHEDULE: 2 Weekends a month, Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am-1:30pm CST
and Every Wednesday 7:00pm-8:30pm CST
Quranic Arabic & Tafseer can be taken concurrently or separately from the Islamic studies track. The class schedules do not conflict.
Deadline to apply: July 22, 2022
Taught by: Ustadhs Mahad and Safiya
ONSITE and ONLINE options available
TUITION: $250/month
ISLAMIC STUDIES TRACK
MODULE 1
Fall WEEKENDS
DATES: August 13 to December 4, 2022
SCHEDULE: 2 Weekends a month, Saturday and Sunday 9:30am-2:00pm CST
Islamic Studies (which comprises of 2 modules) can be taken concurrently or separately from the Arabic tracks. The class schedules do not conflict.
*Module 1 of Islamic Studies is NOT a pre-requisite to enroll in Module 2. Module 1 can be taken in the Fall semester and Module 2 can be taken in the Spring Semester. To see what is taught in each module, go to the Curriculum portion of this site.
Deadline to apply: July 22, 2022
Taught by: Ustadhs Mahad and Safiya
Sh Joe Bradford, Ustadha Farhat Shamsi, Sh Abdullah Ashraf, Sh Arsalan Majid, Imam Khalis Rashad & Sh Ammar Alshukry
ONSITE and ONLINE options available
TUITION: $150/month
ACADEMIC CALENDAR FALL 2022
ONLINE & ONSITE OPTIONS
Students can choose to attend the seminary online or onsite at the Suhbah Center in the Memorial area of Houston, Texas.
Onsite Location:
Suhbah Center
1111 Conrad Sauer Dr. Suite I
Houston, TX 77043
The program will be fully accessible online and onsite to all students. Onsite Classroom capacity is approximately 24 students.
Arabic/Tafseer students will be provided a physical and online textbook and workbook. Islamic studies students will be provided with online materials and class notes. Online video and PowerPoint recordings will be available each day after class. Students will have access to all recordings for the duration of the semester. Homeworks and exams will be conducted online as well through Suhbah’s LMS.
Click HERE to see an example of the online LMS (learning management system) we are using for current students.
CURRICULUM
Students may choose one or both of our curricula.
Quranic Arabic students will primarily study Classical Arabic (Bayyinah Dream Curriculum) and Quranic Tafseer.
Islamic Studies students will go in depth into the foundational Islamic Sciences including Seerah, Aqeedah, Fiqh, Ulum al Hadith, Ulum al Quran, Women’s Fiqh and other disciplines.
QURANIC ARABIC AND TAFSEER STUDIES:
The 2 primary focuses of study concentrate on Quranic Arabic (Classical Fusha Arabic) and Quranic tafseer (explanation) and tadabbur (reflection) of selected chapters and verses of the Quran. This course is taught by Ustadh Mahad Qamar and Ustadha Safiya Ravat – former lead instructors of Arabic and Tafseer at the Bayyinah Dream Arabic program.
QURANIC ARABIC: The SUHBAH curriculum is designed to foster an understanding and appreciation of the Quran in Arabic. Students will learn how to understand and translate the Quran by studying the Bayyinah Dream Arabic curriculum which includes:
- 80% of Quranic Arabic vocabulary
- Grammar (Nahw)
- Morphology (Sarf)
- Basics of Arabic rhetoric (Balaaghah)
APPROX: 84 CLASS HOURS
QURAN TAFSEER: Students will also study the tafseer of several surahs of the Quran in depth from classical and contemporary sources, aiming to reflect over the grammar, balaaghah (eloquence/rhetoric) and lessons in the ayaat in interactive discussion circles in order to glean the Quranic lessons that are applicable to their daily lives.
APPROX: 33 CLASS HOURS
ISLAMIC STUDIES:
The Islamic Studies curriculum consists of 2 modules spanning 2 semesters. While it is encouraged to take Module 1 before Module 2, that is not a pre-requisite. The classes are multi-dimensional and consist of a rotating roster of core foundational Islamic sciences that one would find in their first year of an Islamic Studies degree.
The Islamic sciences will include foundational studies in the following subjects:
MODULE 1 (offered in the Fall):
- Makki Seerah, life of the Prophet (S) in Makkah – Mahad Qamar
- Ulum ul Quran (Sciences of Quran) – Mahad Qamar
- Ulum al Hadith (Sciences of Hadith) – Farhat Shamsi
- Usul al Iman (Aqeedah) – Joe Bradford
- Intro to Fiqh and Usul al Fiqh (Islamic Law and Jurisprudence) – Safiya Ravat
- Fiqh of Worship (Taharah and Salah) – Arsalan Majid
- Women’s Fiqh – Safiya Ravat
- Islamic Civilization – Ammar AlShukry
- Purification of the Heart – Khalis Rashaad
MODULE 2 (offered in the Spring):
- Answering Atheism – Fahad Tasleem
- Qawaa’id al Fiqhiyyah (Legal Maxims in Islamic Law) – Joe Bradford
- Fiqh al Usrah (Fiqh of Family, Marriage, Divorce) – Abdullah Ashraf
- Stories of Women in the Quran (A Thematic Tafseer) – Farhat Shamsi
- Madani Seerah – Mahad Qamar
- Contemporary Fiqh (Selected contemporary issues) – Safiya Ravat
- The Names of Allah – Ammar Alshukry
- Inner Dimensions of Prayer – Daniel Hernandez
- Stories of the Prophets – Anisul Haque
and more…
- The Islamic Studies classes will be taught in a rotating manner and will include guest instructors and scholars qualified in their respective fields inshaAllah.
APPROX: 80-85 CLASS HOURS PER MODULE
REQUIREMENTS
Student MUST be able to read Arabic (for Quranic Arabic and Tafseer studies).
Student must be at least age 16 or older (specific exceptions can be made, email info@suhbah.com to inquire).
Student must have the appropriate immigration status to study as SUHBAH does not offer any student visas.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS:
MAIN INSTRUCTORS:
Mahad Qamar and Safiya Ravat are the co-founders of Suhbah Institute and the main instructors of Suhbah Seminary. They were previous head instructors of Arabic and Quranic Tafseer studies at the Bayyinah Dream Arabic program. Mahad and Safiya attained their Bachelor’s in Fiqh and Usul al Fiqh (Islamic Law and Jurisprudence) from the International Islamic University of Malaysia, and completed their Master’s in Pastoral Counseling in Marriage and Family Therapy. Mahad and Safiya lead the Islamic Pre Marital and Marital Enrichment training for Suhbah. To see their classes, videos or articles, you can find Mahad and Safiya at Facebook.com/MahadandSafiya, Facebook.com/SuhbahInstitute or in Instagram @suhbah_institute.
GUEST INSTRUCTORS:
Safiya Ravat & Mahad Qamar
Founders & Main Instructors | Quranic Arabic, Tafseer, Seerah, Fiqh and Usul al Fiqh, Women's Fiqh, Ulum ul Quran, Contemporary Fiqh
Shaykh Joe Bradford
Guest Instructor | Usul al Iman (Aqeedah/Faith) | Qawaid Al Fiqhiyyah (Legal Maxims)
Shaykh Arsalan Majid
Guest Instructor | Fiqh of Worship, Taharah & Salah
Shaykh Ammar AlShukry
Guest Instructor | Islamic History and Civilization | Names of Allah
Shaykh Anisul Haque
Guest Instructor | Stories of the Prophets
Ustadh Fahad Tasleem
Guest Instructor | Answering Atheism
Ustadha Farhat Shamsi
Guest Instructor | Ulum al Hadith | Stories of Women in the Quran
Imam Khalis Rashaad
Guest Instructor | Hadith Selection, 40 Hadith an Nawawi
Ustadh Abdullah Ashraf
Guest Instructor | Fiqh al Usrah (Fiqh of Family, Marriage, Divorce)
Imam Danny Hernandez
Guest Instructor | Etiquette of the Student of Knowledge | Inner Dimensions of Prayer
