بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

PhD in Foundations of Islamic Creed (ʿAqīdah) According to the Qur’an and Sunnah with the Understanding of the Best Generation

Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University

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Program Description (English)

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.

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Program Objectives

The PhD aims to:

1. Cultivate mastery in the foundational principles of Islamic creed derived from the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah.

2. 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.

3. Train scholars in the foundations of Islamic faith to become nurturing scholars who combine sound creed, refined character, pedagogical wisdom, and principled leadership.

4. Prepare researchers capable of engaging classical theological works with academic precision while preserving orthodoxy and methodological integrity.

5. Equip scholars to address historical and contemporary theological challenges through principled, evidence-based scholarship rooted in revelation.

6. Promote excellence (iḥsān) in research, writing, and teaching within a framework of reverence for revelation and fidelity to the understanding of the Best Generation.

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Core Areas of Specialization

* The Epistemology of Creed in the Qur’an and Sunnah

* Methodology of the Salaf in Theological Affirmation and Negation

* The Divine Names and Attributes (Asmāʾ wa Ṣifāt)

* The Reality of Īmān and Its Components

* Qadar (Divine Decree) and Human Responsibility

* Prophethood and Revelation

* Analysis of Classical Creedal Texts

* Contemporary Ideological and Theological Currents

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Research Methodology

Students are rigorously trained in:

* Advanced textual analysis of Qur’anic exegesis (tafsīr) and the sciences of hadith.

* Critical engagement with classical creedal literature within the bounds of Ahl al-Sunnah methodology.

* Manuscript studies and scholarly verification.

* Academic writing at the highest standards of clarity, coherence, and evidential strength.

Research must demonstrate:

* Clear scriptural grounding.

* Fidelity to the understanding of the Companions and early generations.

* Analytical depth and scholarly independence.

* Precision, balance, and ethical academic conduct.

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Graduate Outcomes

Graduates of this program atAl-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University will be qualified to:

* Produce original and authoritative research in Islamic creed.

* Teach and supervise at advanced academic levels.

* Author scholarly works rooted in revelation and classical methodology.

* Serve as nurturing scholars who uphold orthodoxy while guiding communities with wisdom, balance, and excellence.

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