Pillars Seminary Online

Apply to be a student in Pillars' online 2023-2024 Year I Foundations Certificate program. Learn Qur'anic Arabic and the foundational Islamic sciences from relevant expert sources in a structured format.

September 16, 2023 - May 12, 2024

Part-Time

Classes are held twice a week, two hours each day – designed for full-time students and working professionals.

Visionary Curriculum

Rooted in the orthodox tradition and put into conversation with contemporary discourse.

Certificate

Students will receive a certificate upon completion and an opportunity to continue with our full Ijazah program.

Meet Your Teachers

Imam Ahmad Deeb has been serving communities from an early age under the training and mentorship of his father, shaykh Abdallah Deeb. After finishing his bachelor's in Psychology, he traveled to Cape Town, SA, and completed formal seminary training. He then completed his M.A. in Islamic Studies and Leadership at Bayan Islamic Graduate School. His thesis topic was “Re-forming Islamic Reform: Ma'loom min al-Dīn bil Darūrah, the Theology of Law, and the Epistemological Limits of Ijtihād.” His academic interests and love of community work led him to community psychology, where he is a doctoral candidate in the field. He is the co-founder of Pillars Seminary and currently serves as Imam and pastoral counselor for Shifaa Community.

Ustadh Abass Darab (Qur'anic Arabic), originally descending from Afghanistan, was born and raised in Northern Virginia. He started his Islamic Studies journey under the mentorship of Imam Zia Makhdoum. He went on to study Arabic and the Islamic sciences at Zaytuna College. From there, he traveled to different parts of the Muslim world to further his studies, including Yemen, Mauritania, Jordan, South Africa, Senegal and Gambia. He has spent the last several years under the tutelage of Imam Fode Drame, focusing on Qur'anic studies and the development of prophetic character. He works as an educator focusing on teaching Qur'an and Arabic. He is also currently a student at Bayan Islamic Graduate School pursuing a Masters of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy.

Our Foundations Curriculum

A nine-month curriculum that gives you an understanding of the essentials of your faith in conversation with contemporary challenges.

The Prophet's Biography (Sīrah)

Learn about the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from his blessed birth to his blessed death. Focus will be placed on appreciating the Prophet'sexample with reference to major themes in the Qur'an.

Theology (Aqīdah)

Learn the essentials of Muslim creed, including proofs for God's existence, and the major articles of belief through rational and textual evidences rooted in the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah.

Devotional Law (Fiqh)

Understand the essentials of Muslim practice and the detailed rulings concerning the major pillars of worship and devotion such as prayer, fasting, zakāt, and ḥajj - according to the Mālikī school.

Spirituality (Tazkiyah)

Develop the tools of the spiritual path, while understanding the psychological make-up of the human being, how one purifies their heart, and the process of authentic religious experience.

Eschatology ('Alāmāt al-Sā'ah)

Learn the fourth necessary dimension of Islam: signs of the end of times (fiqh al-taḥawwulāt).

Qur'anic Arabic

Gain a foundation in classical Arabic, so you can begin your path to understanding the Qur'an in its revealed language.

Workshops From Expert Scholars

Each subect is introduced by a specialist in the field, along with seminars on other topics like "Islam in America" and "Women of God."

Engaging Lectures

Learn through organized lessons and presentations that engage multiple learning styles, with visuals and discussion.

Application

Through homework, assessments, and real-life examples, you will be able to apply what you learn in your life.

Communal Learning

You will learn with, and have access to, an online community of seekers of knowledge for support.