Updated 13 April 2010

The Muballigheen Training Programme is a unique course that combines traditional Hawza studies with an MA degree in Islamic Education that is validated by the University of Winchester.

In the first and second terms of the current academic year, the students at the Islamic Institute for Postgraduate Studies in Damascus completed three MA modules:

1. ‘Authority in Shia Islam’
2. ‘Teaching Religion’
3. ‘Moral, Spiritual and Religious Education’

The ‘Teaching Religion’ module deals with the subjct of the module at different levels – Madressa, School, University, and community levels.

Students were given academic papers critical of Islam and were required to respond from their faith perspective. The emphasis in this module and in ‘Moral, Spiritual and Religious Education’ was on critical thinking, critical analysis and pedagogy. One student remarked: “Both modules tied up very well in how to teach religion effectively”. Both modules also addressed the challenges the muballigheen will be facing in the Western environment.

Students being lectured by Dr Bahmanpour on Authority in Shia Islam from London via video-conferencing

In the third and last term of the academic year the students will be completing the ‘Research Methods’ module. On completing this, the finalist students will be in a position of presenting their proposal for writing their dissertation, which is a major component in the completion of their MA in Islamic Education.

At the start of the final term, Dr. Mahmood Abdulla, the IIPS Executive Dean, addressed the students saying: “Time is of the essence, whether you are planning your studies or sitting the exams.” He emphasised the importance of time management, without which, the students may discover at their detriment that they are falling behind.

This academic year will insha’Allah be ending on 16 June 2010. The next academic year will be starting after the Eid al-Fitr holidays.

For more information email IIPS@world-federation.org  or visit www.wfiips.org