PhD of Foundations of Islamic Creed According to Qur'an and Sunnah with the Understanding of the Best Generation

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Foundations of Islamic Creed (ʿAqīdah) at Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University is an advanced research degree dedicated to the systematic, evidential, and methodological study of Islamic theology as grounded in the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah, understood in accordance with the comprehension (fahm) of the Best Generation (al-Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ): the noble Companions, their students (Tābiʿūn), and the followers of the Tābiʿūn. This program is founded upon the divine statement: “If they believe in the like of that which you believe in, then they are rightly guided.” (Al-Baqarah 2:137) And the prophetic testimony: “The best of people are my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim) The program affirms that authentic theological inquiry is inseparable from revealed guidance and the inherited methodology of the earliest generations, who combined textual fidelity with intellectual rigor, spiritual humility, and ethical integrity. Program Objectives The PhD aims to: Cultivate mastery in the foundational principles of Islamic creed derived from the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. Develop advanced competency in the methodological framework of the Salaf in matters of the Divine Names and Attributes, faith (īmān), divine decree (qadar), and prophethood. Train scholars in the foundations of Islamic faith to become nurturing scholars who combine sound creed, refined character, pedagogical wisdom, and principled leadership. Prepare researchers capable of engaging classical theological works with academic precision while preserving orthodoxy and methodological integrity. Equip scholars to address historical and contemporary theological challenges through principled, evidence-based scholarship rooted in revelation. Promote excellence (iḥsān) in research, writing, and teaching within a framework of reverence for revelation and fidelity to the understanding of the Best Generation.