Masters of Ar-Rāsikhūn in ʿAqīdah Studies (AQD101) – 4 Years

Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University

Program Description

The Masters of Ar-Rāsikhūn in ʿAqīdah Studies (AQD101) is a rigorous four-year advanced graduate program dedicated to cultivating scholars firmly grounded in Islamic creed (العقيدة) according to the Qur’an, the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the understanding of the best generations — the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), the Tābiʿūn, and those who followed them in excellence.

This program seeks to revive and preserve the pure creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah — the creed built upon the unequivocal texts (النصوص المحكمة), free from theological distortion (تحريف), negation (تعطيل), anthropomorphism (تمثيل), or speculative innovation (بدعة). Students are trained to approach matters of belief with submission to revelation, sound reasoning in harmony with transmitted knowledge, and reverence for the methodology of the Salaf.

Allah Most High states:

“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers — We will turn him to what he has chosen.” (Qur’an 4:115)

And He says:

“The first forerunners among the Muhājirūn and the Anṣār and those who follow them with excellence — Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.” (Qur’an 9:100)

The program therefore centers upon following the path of the earliest generations in understanding Tawḥīd, the Divine Names and Attributes, faith (īmān), decree (qadar), Prophethood, the Hereafter, and the principles that safeguard orthodoxy.

Academic Vision

The Masters of Ar-Rāsikhūn aims to produce scholars who are:

• Firmly rooted in textual evidence (راسخون في العلم)

• Academically precise and methodologically disciplined

• Capable of critical engagement with classical and contemporary theological discourse

• Equipped to clarify misconceptions and respond to doubts with wisdom and knowledge

• Distinguished by humility, spiritual refinement, and upright character

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets.”

This program aspires to nurture inheritors who combine knowledge (علم), certainty (يقين), wisdom (حكمة), and integrity (أمانة).

Core Areas of Study

Over four years, students engage in advanced study of:

• Tawḥīd al-Rubūbiyyah, al-Ulūhiyyah, and al-Asmāʾ wa al-Ṣifāt

• Methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah in affirming the Divine Attributes without distortion

• The reality and components of Īmān

• Qadar and the Divine Will

• Foundations of refuting deviant theological trends past and present

• Principles of creed in light of Qur’anic exegesis and authentic hadith

• Classical creedal texts with commentary and analytical study

• Research methodology in Islamic theology

Students are trained in disciplined reading of foundational texts, comparative theological analysis, and structured research writing rooted in primary sources.

Methodological Framework

The program is built upon the following principles:

1. Revelation precedes speculation.

2. The understanding of the Companions is the primary interpretive lens.

3. Sound intellect never contradicts authentic transmission.

4. Innovation in creed is rejected; clarity and adherence are upheld.

5. Knowledge must be accompanied by sincerity and righteous action.

Students are reminded that creed is not merely academic theory but a living reality that shapes worship, ethics, governance, and society.

Graduate Outcomes

Upon completion, graduates will:

• Demonstrate mastery of foundational and advanced creedal doctrines.

• Articulate orthodox positions with clarity and textual evidence.

• Engage responsibly in contemporary theological discourse.

• Contribute to scholarship, teaching, and community leadership.

• Uphold excellence (الإحسان) in knowledge and character.

Allah says:

“Allah will raise those who believe among you and those who were given knowledge by degrees.” (Qur’an 58:11)

This program represents a commitment to preserving the clarity of Islamic belief while cultivating academic excellence, intellectual discipline, and spiritual refinement — producing scholars who stand firm upon truth with wisdom, balance, and reverence for revelation.

Curriculum Excellence: Depth, 

A. Core Curriculum (Mandatory for All Degrees)

Every student must master:

Foundations of ʿAqīdah

• Tawḥīd al-Rubūbiyyah, al-Ulūhiyyah, al-Asmāʾ wa’l-Ṣifāt

• Refutation of modern and classical deviations

• Qadar according to Ahl al-Sunnah

Qur’an

• Tafsīr with Salafi methodology

• Uṣūl al-Tafsīr

Ḥadīth

• Uṣūl al-Ḥadīth

• Major collections

• Application to creed and law

Manhaj of the Salaf

• How the Salaf differed

• How they understood evidence

• Their balance between reason and revelation

B. Classical Text-Based Learning

Prestige comes from textual mastery, not PowerPoints.

Examples:

• al-ʿAqīdah al-Wāsiṭiyyah

• al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah (with Salafi commentary)

• Kitāb al-Tawḥīd

• al-Sunnah by ʿAbdullāh ibn Aḥmad

• Lumʿat al-Iʿtiqād

Here is a refined, formal, doctoral-level academic version of your institutional framework, preserving your intent while elevating clarity, structure, and scholarly tone for accreditation, publication, and international academic standards:

Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University

Foundational Academic & Scholarly Framework

I. Formal ʿAqīdah Charter

Preamble

Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University affirms that authentic Islamic knowledge is derived exclusively from the Noble Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as understood, transmitted, and practiced by the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ—namely, the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), the Tābiʿūn, and those who followed them in excellence.

This Charter establishes the binding creedal foundation governing the University’s academic, administrative, and public identity, ensuring fidelity to orthodoxy in all institutional functions.

Creedal Commitments

The University affirms adherence to the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamāʿah, including:

1. Tawḥīd

• Tawḥīd al-Rubūbiyyah

• Tawḥīd al-Ulūhiyyah

• Tawḥīd al-Asmāʾ wa’l-Ṣifāt, affirmed without distortion (taḥrīf), negation (taʿṭīl), asking how (takyīf), or likening (tamthīl)

2. The Six Pillars of Īmān

• Belief in Allah

• Belief in the Angels

• Belief in the Revealed Books

• Belief in the Messengers

• Belief in the Last Day

• Belief in Divine Decree (al-Qadar), its good and its evil

3. Methodology (Manhaj)

• Understanding the revealed texts in accordance with the methodology and consensus of the Salaf

• Rejection of theological innovation (bidʿah) in matters of creed

• Affirmation of legitimate scholarly disagreement where supported by evidence, without sectarian partisanship

4. Sources of Knowledge

• The Qur’an

• The authentic Sunnah

• Ijmāʿ (scholarly consensus)

• Sound Qiyās (analogical reasoning)

This ʿAqīdah Charter is binding upon all faculty, students, administrators, and institutional representatives.

II. Model Master’s Curriculum

Degree Title

Master of Foundations of Islamic Creed (ʿAqīdah)

Program Objectives

Graduates of this program will:

• Demonstrate mastery of Sunni creed according to the understanding of the Salaf

• Critically analyze classical and contemporary theological deviations

• Articulate, teach, and defend orthodox Islamic belief with academic rigor and intellectual responsibility

Core Curriculum (Required)

Year One – Foundational Studies

• Uṣūl al-ʿAqīdah (Principles of Creed)

• Tawḥīd in the Qur’an and Sunnah

• Uṣūl al-Ḥadīth

• Uṣūl al-Tafsīr

• Arabic for Classical Islamic Texts

Year Two – Classical Texts & Analytical Study

• al-ʿAqīdah al-Wāsiṭiyyah (with Salafi commentary)

• al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah (Sunni analytical approach)

• Kitāb al-Tawḥīd

• al-Qadar according to Ahl al-Sunnah

• Methodology of the Salaf in Creed

Year Three – Contemporary Engagement & Research

• Modern Ideologies and Creedal Deviations

• Comparative Theology

• Research Methodology in Islamic Studies

• Supervised Thesis (with formal defense)

Graduation Requirement

Successful defense of a scholarly thesis before an accredited academic panel.

III. Scholarly Governance Framework

1. Board of Trustees

• Legal and fiduciary oversight

• Safeguarding institutional independence and long-term sustainability

2. Scholarly Council (Hayʾat al-ʿUlamāʾ)

Mandate:

• Oversight of creedal integrity

• Approval of curriculum

• Vetting of faculty

• Resolution of doctrinal matters

Members must be recognized scholars firmly grounded in Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamāʿah.

3. Academic Senate

• Establishment of academic standards

• Oversight of assessment integrity

• Assurance of research quality

4. Ethical Code Committee

• Enforcement of academic honesty

• Regulation of scholarly conduct and adab al-ikhtilāf (ethics of disagreement)

• Maintenance of professional standards

IV. Vision & Mission Statement

Vision

To emerge as a globally respected Sunni Islamic university that produces scholars and educators firmly grounded in the Qur’an and Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ, integrating classical Islamic scholarship with rigorous academic excellence.

The University aspires to:

1. Disseminate Tawḥīd globally and cultivate, through the LITRP Al-Ihsan Rabbāniyyūn Curriculum, a generation of deeply grounded scholars committed to lifelong learning, teaching, and exemplary conduct.

2. Promote high-value learning through the dissemination of authentic Islamic knowledge with excellence, rooted in the understanding of the earliest generations.

3. Nurture scholars who embody iḥsān (excellence) across all dimensions of life—intellectual, spiritual, and social—while contributing positively to Canadian society and the global community.

4. Establish itself as a leading institution of higher Islamic education in Canada, producing Rabbāniyyūn scholars characterized by academic rigor, professional excellence, and ethical integrity.

5. Inspire excellence across all facets of human endeavor through a holistic, revelation-centered educational framework.

Mission

The mission of Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University is to learn, implement, and teach authentic Islamic knowledge with excellence.

With reliance upon Allah and seeking His aid, the University endeavors to fulfill its vision gradually and sustainably, cultivating a scholarly community grounded in the methodology of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence—continuing this legacy across generations, by the will of Allah.

Institutional Identity

A Scholarly Institution Dedicated to the Qur’an and Sunnah

According to the Understanding of the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ

Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University is committed to advancing authentic Islamic scholarship through rigorous academic inquiry, disciplined intellectual engagement, and ethical refinement. It seeks to cultivate scholars and leaders distinguished by sound creed, scholarly depth, and service to humanity.

Institutional Commitments

• Preservation of authentic Islamic creed

• Delivery of education grounded in classical texts and scholarly rigor

• Service to the Ummah with integrity, clarity, and excellence

• Engagement with contemporary challenges without compromising Islamic principles

Core Values

• Ikhlāṣ (Sincerity)

• ʿIlm (Authentic Knowledge)

• Adab (Ethical Conduct)

• Amānah (Trust and Responsibility)

• Academic Excellence

This framework constitutes the constitutional academic identity of Al-Ihsan Canadian Islamic University and is designed to support accreditation processes, scholarly collaboration, and the establishment of public trust through clarity, integrity, and excellence.

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