Bushra Alvi, 4th year student in the Intermediate Program, glances back at the physical gates that make up the back wall of Darul Qasim’s library. Students and faculty spent countless hours here studying traditional and contemporary Islamic texts. She is asked to reflect on how walking through the symbolic gate of knowledge, that is Darul Qasim, has transformed her. Instantly...
“I see Darul Qasim as being a place that has the potential not just to transform individuals, but also society as a whole.[…] Because what we are trying to do here is […] not just teach students the bare bones, dry fiqh […] and this is what you believe… and things like that. But getting them to think about Islam...
On the first night of Ramaḍān, Shaykh Amin shared some post-tarāwīḥ reflections on the immense reward that is accessible to all during this blessed month. He reminded all who were present that Allah ﷻ is the Most Generous Being, al-Karīm, and that He ﷻ loves us to ask Him ﷻ to fulfill our needs. This month should be entered by...
“For me, Darul Qasim, more than any other institution, was able to create a dialogue with the living and a dialogue with those that are dead.” Mawlana Saaleh Baseer, a second-year Ifta student, reflects here on Darul Qasim’s illuminating and engaging approach to the acquisition of academic knowledge. When walking through this gate of knowledge there is a realization that...
What does walking through the gate of knowledge look, feel, and sound like for a female student at Darul Qasim? Sayeeda Hikmat, a 4th year student in the intermediate program, shares: “It’s never going to end…I can keep doing more and more!” Sayeeda’s excitement and dedication to the acquisition of Islamic knowledge can be felt not only in her words,...
As this blessed month of Ramadan begins, take a glimpse inside a world of learning. Join us as we share with you stories of Darul Qasim and walk through the Gate of Knowledge.
In this Pre-Ramaḍān segment, Dr. Stodolsky elucidates the Prophetic virtue of generosity as a means of reflecting upon how the Prophet ﷺ elevated this virtue in the blessed month of Ramaḍān. His reflections serve as a reminder to work on building our generosity, alongside our abundant recitation throughout the month. Dr. Muhammed Volkan Yildiran Stodolsky is the Chair in the...
The Muslim’s worldview is rooted in the belief that “Allah ﷻ is permanent and all else is changing.” Change is not to be feared or lamented, but rather taken as an opportunity to strengthen one’s conviction that Allah is in control all of the time. This ability to relate to Allah ﷻ in alternating times with unshakable faith is exemplified...
In mid-February, all eyes were on the Indian state of Karnataka as female Muslim students took a stand against a college’s decision to ban the hijab. As videos, images, and op-eds flooded our news feeds, Chicago Muslim leaders called on their communities to go further than virtual and verbal support. A think tank was created with the intention of providing...
