Syllabus For the First Year

Our first year of study will focus on the fundamentals, with particular emphasis on the foundations of Islamic belief. That being said, there will also be a self-development (akhlaaq) component to help us train our souls to receive more divine grace and be better channels of divine mercy to others. Last but not least, there is also a segment, which will assist us in cultivating our relationship with the Noble Quran.

Below is a general breakdown of the three sections:

1. Aqaid (Islamic Beliefs)
2. Akhlaaq (Self-Development)
3. Introduction to the Noble Quran

Each subject is divided into two stages – the tentative duration of each module is also detailed.

Note:
Looking at the subjects below, will naturally evoke a sense of deep gratitude for the opportunity to learn this valuable knowledge for the sake of God. However, it may also appear to be overwhelming. For those who are comfortable with this arrangement – that’s great! For the others, a few points should be taken into consideration:

1. Don’t worry! You’ve made the right decision.
2. You will not be alone, after Allah (swt) and the Imam of our time (as), you have a very experienced teacher and a dedicated and caring team of believers who are walking along side you.
3. All these materials are taught and have video lectures associated with them. In addition, there will be a strong emphasis on pairing up with a co-student, who you are comfortable with. In addition larger groups of 3-4 may be formed, most of whom you may already know or are at least acquainted with, if not good friends.
4. As a last resort, if all these measures do not facilitate your learning experience, the course does have a withdrawal date, which is 4 weeks after the start of the program, namely on February 22nd, 2016.

We kindly ask that you officially withdraw from the course by sending an email to kawtharLearningCircle@gmail.com, so that those who are on the waiting list may be invited to join the group.

Online Resources

To stay connected and up-to-date a number of different resources are available.

1. Live Webinars
2. Blog
3. Forum
4. File Repository
5. WhatsApp Group

Physical Gatherings

A community gradually discovers as it grows that it is not there simply for itself. It belongs to humanity. It has received a gift, which must bear fruit for the sake of others. (Jean Vanier)

One of KLC’s objectives is to encourage students, who live in the same location, to meet as extended family members and have enriching discussions in person. The online exchanges will prove to be very beneficial but should be supplemented with face-to-face gatherings, whenever possible. Please review the Peer Contact List to find out where everyone is located.

General Schedule - Commitment of An Hour Per Day

Commitment is of high importance and will lead not only to the success of the student but also to the program itself. A bi-weekly (14 days) schedule is outlined below:

1. Online Lectures and Course Reading: 6-8 hours (Mandatory)
2. Webinar with Dr. Shomali / Q&A / Intro of Next Lesson / Quiz:1.5 hours (Mandatory)
3. Self-Study and Review: 2 hours (Mandatory)
4. Discussion with Study Partner(s): 2.5 hours (Mandatory)
5. Forum Discussion / Physical Gathering: (Highly Recommended)

Additional Points

1. Dr. Shomali will visit the community twice per year for an extended weekend. The initial gathering will take place on the weekend of March 5th and 6th, Inshallah. The group will be updated once the details are finalized.
2. For those who are able to invest more time into the online community, please reserve one to two hours per week to provide support to your peers. This is not obligatory but is highly recommended in order to foster a communal and cohesive study environment.
3. Accommodations for University/college exams and religious holidays will be given, but no extended vacation periods will be allotted in order to maintain the momentum.

*If you are currently attending University / college, please send your mid-term and final exam schedule to the KLC email account.

Communication on the Forums

Any one can post messages to the forum, and everyone can see everyone else’s posts—and can respond. All the messages will remain available throughout the entire course.

Some Guidelines for Posts

• Please use an informative subject line. Remember that it’s going to remain on the board for the whole class, and it will be useful to you and other students to be able to find a particular thread easily later on if you want to revisit a discussion.
• If you want to post a NEW comment or question, start a new thread. If you want to CONTINUE a discussion already started, use “reply” (your post will then appear in the same thread as the previous items on that topic). This is important! If new questions get hidden in replies to old threads, it makes it harder for people to follow the discussion and to find it again later.
• These posts take the place of classroom discussion. Don’t be intimidated into hesitating to post for fear of committing an error. You may consider reading over your posts before sending them, however, to be sure you have been clear.)
• Review questions will be posted on the forum to assist the students as they reflect over the material.
• Quizzes will also be posted on the discussion board.
• Gentle Reminder:
  • Please employ the same communication style on the forum as you would, if your peer was sitting face-to-face with you.
  • Remember, if you want to offer a critique or alternate point of view, the counterstatement must be directed towards the material and not the person.
  • Please follow the Islamic guidelines in relation to modesty and dignity.

Course Structure

Sessions run from Sunday through to Saturday. These online webinars are equivalent to in-class lectures, therefore your participation is mandatory. You should start each week’s study by working through the online lectures, taking notes and then reviewing the material. At any time, you can stop and post questions or comments on the Discussion Board.

You should check the discussion board regularly and read as many posts as you can from your classmates, too; you’ll learn a lot from the discussions. You can also help each other out by sharing information, tips, and experiences.