Parent Guide & Prospectus

2021-2022
A Madrasah for a New Generation

THEQURANACADEMY.CO.UK
“O Yahya, take hold of the book with determination, zeal and studious effort.”
And We gave him sound judgement while yet a child.
(Tafsir of Ibn Kathir of Quran 12:19)
We only have one chance to prepare our children spiritually for life’s many challenges. Without
doubt this can only be achieved through a proper study of the Quran, within which lies our
continuation, revival and salvation.

A whole generation of madrasah students grew up finding themselves caught in social problems
and in some cases, a crisis of faith. A generation that - despite its religious “education” - was
increasingly estranged from its own religious practices and essence, disorientated by a modern
life that constantly challenged their faith at a daily, lived level. The days of memorisation without
thinking and understanding are over. We need to develop confident, resilient, and critically
engaged Muslims who learn the Quran and Sunnah as a lived experience. We need to develop a
system that is prepared to respond to a generation who ask “why?” We need a madrasah system
for a new generation of parents who have experienced the old system and know it’s time for
change.

The Quran Academy is our humble contribution at remedying what we have seen in our current
condition. We pray that this work continues to be given the support from the community,
scholars, educationalists, parents and homeschoolers. And with Allah is Tawfeeq.

- Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza & Muftiya Nasima Umm Hamza

Our communities face a challenge: Islamic knowledge is rising, yet the level of
indifference to our religion is too. This needs to be tackled. If we want our children
to love and live the deen, we need to bring them up with the correct tarbiyyah
(learning through mentoring).
At the height of Islam’s heyday during the might of the Ottoman Sultanate, every
child was evaluated for their talents and offered an individualised course of
education within the confines of the classical madrasah.
The motto of the schools was inscribed on the school walls:

“Here no fish will be forced to fly

and no bird will be forced to swim”
This captures the ethos of The Qur’an Academy’s approach to Islamic education.
Introducing
Our 4 key goals:
The Qur’an Academy
To address the crucial need that surrounds the Islamic education 1. THE CORE OF KNOWLEDGE
of our next generation, The Qur’an Academy was founded by
Teach Tajwid, Arabic, Hifdh and Islamic Studies to our
Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza and Muftiyah Nasima Umm Hamza.
children and teens in an absorbing, motivating and
An academy that mixes the best of classical Islamic
approaches to knowledge with the latest in modern
educational pedagogy, The Qur’an Academy is redefining what
the modern “madrasah” (Islamic seminary) looks like: but not like
2. METHODS OF MOTIVATION
you know it. There are three key levels at the academy:
Develop methods of motivation through creative and
QA1 - Memorisation of last ten Surahs of Quran, Tajwid through
phonics, our TQA curriculum through authentic assessment for
Islamic studies and Arabic vocabulary learning
QA2 - Memorisation of last Juz’ of Quran, Tajwid with makharij
3. BUILD LEADERS
and sifaat rules, our unique curriculum through authentic
To build Muslims with the capacity to lead and
assessment for Islamic studies and intermediate level Arabic
contribute to the next generation. Umar Al-Khattab
QA3 - Working towards memorisation of the entire Quran with (ra) would say: “Gain knowledge before taking
applied Tajwid rules, our unique curriculum through authentic leadership:.
assessment for Islamic studies and advanced level Arabic
reaching toward GCSE standards. This is our pre-Alimiyyah 4. BUILD THINKERS
standard for progressing on to our Quran Institute later in life To build critical thinkers who carry the ethos of
when they leave and join our Alimiyyah program for a licence in Ibrahim (AS): not afraid to question to reach yaqeen,
Islamic scholarship.
The Qur’an Academy is pleased to launch its unique offering,
captured in this Brochure, to parents who want the best Islamic
future for their children.
 Tarbiyah in the West:
The challenges we face
The process of Islamic development and nurturing
(tarbiyah) is a challenge at the best of times. The
classical scholars of Islam spent considerable time
devising methodologies for building and nurturing
the Islamic personality from the time of a child’s birth
to their youth. In the modern world generally, and the
West specifically, tarbiyah takes on added complexities.
These include:

1. Challenges to the Islamic aqeedah. Key trends,

thoughts and popular conceptions challenge the very
core of Islamic fundamentals. They shake the iman of
our youth before it is even properly established,
challenging Islamic beliefs that are the key to our
deen.

2. Dissonance between theory and practice. Often

there are times our youth are confronted with the
challenge of a seemingly theoretical deen that they
see taught in classes that they don’t see lived in society.
This creates a challenge around the livability of the
Islamic experience, creating fundamental confusion
and dissonance in our youth about the lack of
engagement between the Islam they’ve been taught
and the world that rages around them.

3. Lived discrimination: the modern Muslim

experience. Islamophobia, present at every level of
society, affects our youth the most. It shapes their lives
from a young age, and teaches them to harbour shame
or guilt for being Muslim.
 Preparedness for the Test:
Flowers that grow in Concrete
With the challenges understood, it is no wonder
that the process of nurturing Islam can be such a
challenge when it comes to young Muslims, it is
indeed like holding on to hot coals. But as Muslims,
we are taught by the timeless message of the
Quran to be a people who persists, persevere and
grow in any condition.

Tarbiya in our time is about nurturing every

Muslim child to bloom despite the harsh
environment they face. It is preparedness for the
rough terrain that is a certainty in life. And so this
is what we aim to achieve. Allah (swa) says: Verily
We have created man into toil and struggle
(90:4).

Tarbiya in our times is to face the challenge of

raising spiritually aware, connected youth in spite
of the adversity that surrounds them. The Quran
Academy will seek to build its process of tarbiyah
upon an appreciation and acceptance of these
challenges. As Shaykh Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned:
“Don’t force your children to follow your path,
they’re created for a time different than yours”.
(Al-Ighātha).

Only by embracing these challenges can we

overcome them and build a new generation of
flowers that defiantly grow and bloom in the
concrete.
 The Messenger of Allah said:
“The most excellent of you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Teaching children the Quran is a mark of religion which the people
of our faith have adopted and acted by in all countries around the
world, because of the strength of faith that becomes established
in the hearts by the verses of the Quran, and the passages of the
Prophetic traditions. The Quran has become the foundation of
learning upon which all other skills are founded thereafter.

— Ibn Khaldun
The Qur’an Institute:
The Spirit behind The Qur’an Academy
The Qur’an Academy is the latest - and most TQI delivers this mission through uniquely structured
important - project of the The Qur’an Institute (TQI), courses delivered by qualified instructors and
a fast growing and increasingly popular Islamic teachers who have made learning and living by the
institute in Whitechapel, London. In just its second Qur’an their life’s work. As a point of difference to
year of operation, the Institute has already become other offerings of knowledge in our community, TQI
renowned for its unique approach to teaching and for places a great emphasis on understanding our reality
the mentorship it offers its students alongside their as well as the Qur’anic message, and then seeking to
journey to knowledge. live these in a practical way. Through this approach,
TQI aspires to make living by the Qur’an essential to
While having focused on adult Islaimc education to
studying it, and in so doing seeks to emulate the
date, TQI is now proud to bring its vision to our
example of the Prophet’s (SAW) companions who
most important asset: the children and youth that
would act on and internalise verses rather than just
will shape the future of our communities.
learning them.
TQI’s central aim is to bring knowledge to life and to
give the practical seekers of knowledge today tools
required to be “the walking Qur’an” as our beloved
Prophet (SAW) was described by our mother Aisha
(RA). The institute aims to do this by making the
Qur’an the basis of all knowledge for the student,
starting from its recitation and attempting to scale
the heights required to unlock its deepest meanings.
Building on a Legacy:
A History of the Madrasah system
The “madrasah” system of early Islamic education has been around for

THE FIRST GENERATION THE SECOND GENERATION THE THIRD GENERATION: WHAT
Early in the British Muslim community’s life in Inarguably the evolution of this system into a COMES NEXT
its new home, the “madrasah” system was ‘second generation’, teacher to student ratios It is our belief that the next iteration of the
deployed at scale, helping migrant parents increased, Arabic started being taught in some madrasah needs to help our community - and
ensure their children could know the basics of places and newer sciences were introduced. its youth in particular - takes place here at The
Islam. At ratios of sometimes 1 teacher to 30 This iteration of the madrasah system helped Quran Academy. We have founded an
students, these madrasahs could be found bring Muslims of the upcoming generations to institution that provides a holistic Islamic
throughout the country, helping young a deeper understanding of Islam, but did not education, helping pupils grasp the very
Muslims gain the ability to read the Qur’an always inculcate the ability to deal with the essence of Islam and its intellectual heritage.
and know the basics of their deen. The focus crucial issues of the day, some of which Not only do we need to teach the core sciences
was on key fundamentals, not critical thinking, - of which Arabic is one - we need to teach
but this system was fit for its time: filling a pupils the ethos of critical inquiry and
crucial void as parents focused on making a engagement with their world that has been at
living and helping set life up in new the heart of the Islamic sciences from the
earliest moments of Islam.
In summary, we offer traditional islamic
sciences with a revivalist perspective in
accordance with modern pedagogical
standards and assessment models.
Our Ethos
What sets TQA apart
As the previous page shows, the concept of seminaries is not new to Muslims
in the United Kingdom. But The Qur’an Academy will seek to set itself apart by

PROFESSIONAL A NEW APPROACH CREATED BY TRACKING STUDENT RECOGNISING

TEACHERS TO EDUCATION EXPERTS PROGRESS INDIVIDUALITY
To ensure the best The Academy will seek to The Academy’s The Academy will have a best-in- This tracking and grading
delivery of tarbiyyah develop thinkers who curriculum has been class approach to grading and methodology will be used to
(development) and ‘ilm engage with Islamic built by educators, student progress-tracking, produce a “Deen Revivers”
(knowledge), our knowledge at a young homeschooling experts blending traditional and profile, assessing the
teachers will be paid. age and at a deeper and Islamic scholars, authentic assessment methods. personality and learning
Relying on volunteers to level, not just rote bringing together the Our texts will offer differentiated type of each individual
teach out of the memorise knowledge. best of various teaching activities using Bloom’s student and help them set
goodness of their time While memorisation has methods to fashion a taxonomy and will feed into our individual goals for learning
and heart has restricted its place, it does so new way of teaching the Pathfinder system, measuring and Islamic effort, based on
the effectiveness of within a broader core foundations of progress in memorisation their individual
previous models. framework that develops Islamic knowledge to (hifdh), Islamic studies and characteristics.
Islamic personalities, not our children. Arabic against known “learner
just huffadh of the types” in children.
Qur’an.
Teaching children
perspective,
not just truth
The truth of Islam is easy to teach. The perspective
it should teach us as regards to the world around
us is far harder to do so in a world that pulls our
youth away from the akhirah.

We often cite the hadith about keeping good

company to our children, in the way the blacksmith
will leave you dirtied with soot and the perfume
merchant will leave you smelling of perfume. The
question is, how is it that we only see ourselves as
the passive receiver of good and bad company?
Why do we not see our children as the perfume
merchant?

With such pressure on our youth, should our

children not be taught to create a positive
environment, to feel like they deserve the space
they take in this world, whether it be at work, on
the train, or in public life? We need our children to
take ownership of their Islam in the public sphere.
Allah says:

“And who is better in speech than one who invites

to”Allah and does righteousness and says,“Indeed,
I am of the Muslims.” (Quran 41:33)
Our Assessment Philosophy
One of the key elements of any institute is its approach to assessment. For TQA, this is an even more
pressing question. How do we judge “progression” in divine knowledge? Should we elevate sometimes
arbitrary goals (number of ajza’ memorised, number of ahadith learnt) over the essence of knowledge?
TQA is developing a sophisticated approach to assessment to answer these dilemmas.

1. DISTINGUISHING 2. TESTING CRITICAL 3. FORMING LEARNER The Prophet s said:

MILESTONES FROM THINKING PROFILES
TRUE OUTCOMES TQA’s Authentic Assessments As mentioned on the last page, TQA
“Strive to do good
TQA will distinguish (necessary) method will aim to test - from a will embrace individuality, even at deeds, for each of
milestones from the ultimate young age - children’s critical the assessment level. Instead of a you was created
outcomes that children should interaction with the knowledge they one-size-fits-all approach to for what he is good
aspire to. Too often, incorrectly, the receive to ensure they deeply assessment, the Academy will tailor at”
two are conflated. Memorising the internalise key teachings. By assessments for various learner
Qur’an and basic grading metrics bringing to life the teachings of the streams called The Learner, The [Agreed upon]
are important milestones that were Qur’an through hypotheticals and Thinker, & The Enthusiast which
given great emphasis in traditional real life scenarios. will then help us formulate Deen
Islamic teaching. But it was never Reviver Profiles. Once these profiles
The aim of this will be to make the
“the end in itself”. Hifdh have been developed for each
knowledge learnt real and relevant,
(memorisation) is little use if not student, the madrasah is able to
something which is often neglected
acted upon; indeed, Allah (SWT) inform parents of potential skills and
today, thereby harming our youth’s
says the first in hell with be a qari vision that each child can be
abilities to tie their deen to often
(reciter) who was insincere! encouraged to fulfil. How is it that
puzzling modern realities.
we have a worldly vision for our
children as future workers only while
leaving out a vision for them as
Muslims?
The 4 Core Principles
of The Qur’an
Academy
THE QUR’AN AS A UNDERSTANDING THE KNOWLEDGE AS VALUING KNOWLEDGE,
BASIS WORLD WE LIVE IN SERVICE (KHIDMAH) REMOVING BARRIERS
The Qu’ran Academy The Qur’an Academy will not seek Combining the Qur’anic worldview Our Academy curriculum will be paid
approaches its youth with a to shield our children and youth with an understanding of our world, because delivering quality knowledge
simple philosophy: that the from the evils of the world. While it the Academy will aim to equip every requires commitment as well as
Qur’an is the wellspring is tempting to cocoon children in pupil with an ethos of “knowledge as money. Our teachers and staff aim for
from which all Islamic the hope of decreasing their service”. We believe knowledge the highest level of teaching and
knowledge and action exposure to the fitnah and fasad of should unlock energy and activism delivery quality, but we will never
should be based. It lays today’s world, the Academy’s in the seeker of it, especially in the deprive anyone - especially our
down the foundation of the mission will be to help them young, on whose back Islam was children - from being able to access
Sunnah, together with understand their world and come to carried to the world. Our students knowledge of difficult family
which it becomes a fortress terms with it. To learn to position will be encouraged to live and circumstances. Thus, The Qur’an
for the young Muslim to right and wrong relative to the breathe servitude to their Academy will offer financially
Qur’anic basis they are taught, and community, and our teachers will disadvantaged students subsidised
demonstrate this through their rates and scholarships to assist in
example. This ethos will flow
through our teaching, which aims to
Introducing our
Founders
The Academy’s two co-founders are scholars and MUFTI MOINUL
trained teachers who specialise in teaching the ABU HAMZA
Qur’an, Islam and its essence to our youth and
• Founder and Teacher
children.
• Qualified Alim and Islamic Sciences Teacher
Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza and Muftiyah Nasima Umm
Hamza are trained alims, trainee muftis and do • Long-term community activist and wide-ranging speaker
pastoral work for the Muslim community in the UK. • Numerous ijazaat from ‘ulema in Morocco, Hijaz and the West
They are active in marriage mediation, domestic
violence victim support and eager community MUFTIYAH NASIMA
activists alongside their teaching commitments at The UMM HAMZA
Qur’an Institute.
• Founder and Headteacher
They lead a growing team of teachers and educators
• Homeschooler, Qualified Teacher, Alimah
at the Academy who will be introduced to the
community in the coming months via our website and • Numerous ijazaat from ‘ulema in Morocco, Hijaz and the West
• Completed ‘Alimiyyah in Britain, currently training for Muftiyyah
Our classrooms were designed for Tarbiya
Enrolling new
students
The Qur’an Academy is actively accepting students
and fielding expressions of submission from parents.
Our Curriculum is available for parents’ review and we
are happy to share it with them to ensure comfort
around the program their children will enrol into.
To enrol your children, head to our website to view
enrolment details and follow the relevant prompts. W WWW.THEQURANACADEMY.CO.UK
Inquiries can be made on the email indicated below.
E [email protected]
We look forward to welcoming you children to this
burgeoning Academy and a new direction in the T 0207 112 9352 / 07947 496 250
 Sincere Advice To Parents

We often spare no expence on private tuition, clothing, food and holidays in aid of the Dunya life, but what about investing

in your child’s share in the Akhirah life? So our advice to parents is, don’t cut back on proper tarbiyah (nurturing) and Ta’leem

(education) for the sake of worldly things, invest in the Deen of our youth and the Deen will direct our children to seek their

share in the Dunya in a way that carries barakah (blessings). Shaykh Ibn Al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah said in his Tuhfat al-Maw-

dood bi Ahkam al-Mawlood: “How many people have caused misery to their own children, the apples of their eyes, in this

world and in the Hereafter, by neglecting them, not disciplining them, encouraging them to follow their whims and desires,

thinking that they were honouring them when they were in fact humiliating them, that they were being merciful to them

when in fact they were wronging them. They have not benefited from having a child, and they have made the child lose his

share in this world and in the Hereafter. If you think about the corruption of children you will see that in most cases it is be-

cause of the parents.”

THEQURANACADEMY.CO.UK | ENQUIRIES: 0207 112 9352 / 07947 496 250