About us

Excellence in Inquiry means disciplined, God‑conscious investigation: students learn to ask precise, courageous questions of revelation, tradition, and the contemporary world, combining intellectual rigor with spiritual humility.

It rejects both shallow doubt and unexamined certainty, cultivating scholars who can interrogate assumptions, weigh evidences, and offer principled guidance in complex, real‑world contexts.

Textual fidelity, sincere intention, and methodological rigor

Inquiry is anchored in the Qurʾān, Sunnah, and the inherited methods of the scholars, pursued with ikhlāṣ (sincerity of intention) and disciplined use of appropriate tools from law, philosophy, and the social sciences. Sincerity here means that seeking, teaching, and applying knowledge are done as acts of worship, not as instruments of ego, status, or factional gain.

Truthful knowledge and intellectual integrity

The College treats ṣidq (truthfulness) as a condition of knowledge: students are trained to be accurate in transmission, honest in citation, transparent in method, and willing to revise conclusions when evidence demands it. Truthfulness is required in speech, research, and representation of opposing views, reflecting the Islamic understanding that honesty is a non‑negotiable virtue in faith and scholarship.

Intellectual courage and ethical responsibility

Students are formed to pursue difficult questions on power, justice, technology, and pluralism with courage, while remaining bound by divine limits and communal trust. Excellence in Inquiry thus includes the courage to name uncomfortable truths, the restraint to avoid speculation without evidence, and the responsibility to ensure that knowledge serves the good of creation and the pleasure of Allah.

Frequently Asked

What is the core vision of the College?

The College of Jurisprudence and Theology exists to form scholars and leaders who unite rigorous theological and legal training with deep spiritual refinement and public relevance. Its vision is to cultivate minds capable of engaging the most complex questions of law, ethics, and belief while hearts are disciplined through tazkiya in a manner reminiscent of a traditional spiritual lodge.

How does the College approach theology and jurisprudence?

The College treats theology and jurisprudence as living sciences that must be mastered at the highest global standard while remaining directly responsive to contemporary realities. Students are trained to read foundational texts in their original language, reconstruct classical arguments, and then apply those methods to modern problems in governance, economics, bioethics, technology, and social life.

What is distinctive about your approach to tazkiya?

Tazkiya is not an optional add‑on but a structural pillar of formation, integrated into the timetable, pedagogy, and evaluation of both programs. Students participate in guided spiritual exercises, adab‑focused training, and accountability practices that mirror the disciplined environment of a traditional spiritual retreat, ensuring that intellectual growth is constantly checked by character purification.

How does the College balance tradition and critical inquiry?

The College begins from deference to revelation and the inherited methods of recognized scholarship, then invites disciplined, structured questioning within that framework. Students learn to map questions back to usul, weigh lines of evidence, and articulate reasoned disagreement without arrogance or relativism, so that “excellence in inquiry” never becomes an excuse for cynicism or spectacle.

Who is an ideal candidate for each track?

The Apprenticeship is a multi‑year formation track for students who need systematic grounding in language, texts, and methods. Apprentices move through a carefully sequenced curriculum in Qur’an, creed, fiqh, legal theory, and ethics, supported by intensive mentoring, language labs, and case‑based seminars that train them to think like jurists and theologians in real situations.

The Fellowship is designed for advanced students and practitioners who already possess a substantial foundation and are ready to generate original work. Fellows are appointed for a defined term to pursue research, curriculum, or field projects, while also contributing to seminars, mentoring Apprentices, and translating their work into accessible outputs for communities, institutions, and the broader public.

What is the Fellowship program?

What is the Apprenticeship program?

An ideal Apprentice is someone with strong motivation, basic preparation, and a willingness to submit to a demanding program that reshapes both thought and habits. An ideal Fellow is someone already active in scholarship, professional life, or community leadership who seeks an environment that will refine their methods, deepen their spiritual discipline, and give their work a more coherent theological and juristic foundation.