Seeking knowledge is required of all Muslims. This is emphasized not only in the Qur'an, when Allah instructed Muhammad (peace be upon him)* to ask: ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge” (Qur'an 20:114), but also in a well-known hadith, “Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make a path to Paradise easy for him.” (al-Bukhaari)
Although seeking knowledge includes both secular and religious studies, Muslims are, first and foremost, obligated to learn about the religion of Islam. Muslims interested in pursuing Islamic studies from home will find a number of options for studying Islam online. The Islamic websites listed below offer a variety of classes, credit-earning courses, and degree or diploma programs in Islamic studies.
Online Islamic Degrees and Courses
These online universities and academies provide accredited academic programs which lead to associates and bachelors degrees in Islamic studies, as well as individual courses which may be taken for spiritual enrichment and advancing one's knowledge.
- American Open University (AOU.edu) – English-speaking students can take distance courses in Arabic, Qur'an, hadith, fiqh, history and more as part of a Bachelors Program in Islamic Studies. Students who are fluent in Arabic can earn diplomas in Islamic education, a bachelors degree in Islamic studies, and masters degrees in Arabic language, Islamic education, fiqh, shariah, and usul al-din. A doctoral program is also available to Arabic-speaking students.
- Islamic Online University (IslamicOnlineUniversity.com) – Founded by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Islamic Online University offers online Islamic study leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies from the Islamic Studies Academy in Qatar.
- SunniPath - The Online Islamic Academy (SunniPath.com) – Muslim students can take individual online courses on such topics as Arabic, hadith, Qur'an, Islamic history and Islamic law, or follow a curriculum towards earning a number of SunniPath degrees and diplomas. Students can also enroll in a program to earn an Associates Degree in Islamic Studies from WISE University in Jordan.
- Al Baseerah Online Intensive Courses (StudyIslaam.org/oic/) – A limited number of online courses in tafseer, aqeedah and fiqh are available through Al Baseerah's Online Intensive Courses (OIC) program.
- Iqra Academy (IqraAcademyOnline.com) – Iqra Academy offers online Arabic syllabuses which emphasize Arabic for Qur'an study, Arabic for Islamic studies or Arabic for business and travel. Islamic classes are available in tafseer, hadith, fiqh and seerah.
- Ilm Essentials (IlmEssentials.com) – Muslim students can select a three- or four-year part-time distance learning program depending on their desire to learn Islamic studies with or without Arabic language study.
- Arees Institute (Arees.org) – Arees offers a three-year online program to earn an internationally recognized Bachelors in Islamic Studies. Students who wish to pursue Islamic knowledge but can't commit to the accredited three-year program can take online classes through Arees' E-Institute.
Free Online Islamic Courses
While the programs above are fee-based, some Islamic websites and Islamic academies do offer free online Islamic classes. Muslims looking to learn more about Islam or increase their faith can look into the courses available at the following sites.
The Studying Islam website (Studying-Islam.org) is affiliated with Al- Mawrid - A Foundation for Islamic Research and Education in Pakistan. Its offering of free online courses are based on Qur'an, Hadith and Sunnah and include such topics as family and marriage, Islamic beliefs, fasting, prayer, hajj, and more.
Islamic Online University (IslamicOnlineUniversity.com) offers more than a dozen free online Islamic courses are available at Islamic Online University, which also offers a course of study leading to a Bachelors degree in Islamic studies.
Taking a free online class or enrolling in an accredited course is just is just one way a Muslim can increase his faith and knowledge of Islam. Muslims should also read books by respected scholars and authors, attend lessons at their mosques, and make every effort to apply what they learn to their daily lives.
* Muslims invoke Allah to bless the Prophet Muhammad whenever his name is mentioned.
Christine Benlafquih - Christine (Amina) Benlafquih is a Morocco-based writer. She covers varied topics including religion, food, health and culture.
