Highlights
Summer Program Overview
The ALIM Summer Program is an intensive three-week retreat seeking to educate and empower Muslims with the requisite knowledge to understand their religion in the light of a changing world. The curriculum addresses traditional subjects such as Fiqh, Tafsir and Sirah as well as contemporary issues in courses like Islam in America, Modernism, Sectarianism, and Liberalism.
The study of tradition fosters critical thinking, whereas the contemporary courses invoke tradition, thus empowering the participants with the tools to balance contemporary realities with traditional sciences. Moreover, the Summer Program imbibes students with the tarbiyyah (training) to fortify their personal identity while inspiring them to work for the improvement of society. Finally, the collegial relationship between the students and the scholars lead to informative discussions and opportunities for reflection outside of the classroom. The opportunity to live away from life’s ephemeral realities allows students the privilege of learning through direct observation and interaction with their teachers in formal and informal settings.
The students also learn much from each other as they create ties of brotherhood and sisterhood that span the nation and globe. ALIM students keep in touch through e-mail networks, social media and other means to continuously cultivate their ideas through collaboration.
The Summer Program has been the cornerstone of ALIM since its inception in 1998.
The ALIM Summer Program is an intensive three-week retreat seeking to educate and empower Muslims with the requisite knowledge to understand their religion in the light of a changing world. The curriculum addresses traditional subjects such as Fiqh, Tafsir and Sirah as well as contemporary issues in courses like Islam in America, Modernism, Sectarianism, and Liberalism.
The study of tradition fosters critical thinking, whereas the contemporary courses invoke tradition, thus empowering the participants with the tools to balance contemporary realities with traditional sciences. Moreover, the Summer Program imbibes students with the tarbiyyah (training) to fortify their personal identity while inspiring them to work for the improvement of society. Finally, the collegial relationship between the students and the scholars lead to informative discussions and opportunities for reflection outside of the classroom. The opportunity to live away from life’s ephemeral realities allows students the privilege of learning through direct observation and interaction with their teachers in formal and informal settings.
The students also learn much from each other as they create ties of brotherhood and sisterhood that span the nation and globe. ALIM students keep in touch through e-mail networks, social media and other means to continuously cultivate their ideas through collaboration.
The Summer Program has been the cornerstone of ALIM since its inception in 1998.
Highlights of the ALIM Summer Program:
- Focus on critical thinking skills intertwined with true Muslim character. The curriculum and instruction is interactive, stimulating, and thought-provoking while maintaining a true dedication to moral character
- Our core instructors are trained classically while also holding Ph.Ds. All our full-time teachers and researchers while continuing to be integral part of their communities
- Low student/teacher ratio – 50 students max. Scholars often reside with students, are readily available for questions and discussion, eat meals with students, and interact with students outside of the classroom
- Organized and intensive curriculum: instructors have distinct objectives for each course and they follow these objectives to ensure maximum benefit for each student
- Opportunities to contribute to the scholars’ research and work. Scholars will often bring unfinished manuscripts to class and teach from them. As a result of the ideas stemming from classroom discussions at the summer program, past ALIM students have been credited in books by ALIM scholars
- Many opportunities for collective Ibadah and brotherhood/sisterhood building
- Students may ask ANY question— the classroom is considered to be a safe space and everyay issues are always discussed.
- Friday activities: Each Friday, students will partake in a variety of additional activities ranging from tours of the diverse communities of the Greater Chicago Metropolitan area, visiting Downtown Chicago, enjoying BBQ’s at different parks, visiting museums, and more! Students may also visit different Masjids in the Chicago area for Jumu’ah
- Student diversity: Students attend from all over the nation and world (previous students have originated from Malaysia, France, Turkey, Poland, UK, and other countries), representing numerous backgrounds and all levels of education (undergrads, graduates, and professionals). Students will strengthen the bonds of brotherhood/sisterhood while networking with Muslims from across the world
- Excellent food and clean/safe accommodations