Download iou press release - Islamic Online University

IOU PRESS RELEASE: Free online Islamic university attracts thousands of students
On the 1st of April, 2010, Dr Bilal Philip's Islamic Online University (IOU) launched the world’s
first tuition-free, completely online Bachelor of Arts degree in Islamic Studies in English. The IOU
represents a major advancement in assisting Muslims around the globe to fulfill the
Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) command to seek knowledge of the religion and to
correct their understanding of its tenets.
After successfully running a collection of 22 free diploma courses since 2007, in which more than
30,000 students are currently registered from more than 177 different countries, Dr Bilal has
taken the bold step of offering a BA in Islamic studies along similar lines.
This path-breaking initiative utilizes the worldwide presence of the internet and advanced opensource, online learning technology to bring tuition-free, university level Islamic education within
reach of virtually anyone on the planet that has access to a computer and the internet.
The program offers recorded audio and video lectures as well as weekly live tutorial classes in a
virtual classroom setting on the internet. Its syllabi are based on the BA in Usool ud-Deen
(Religious Foundations) curriculums of Madeenah University, Saudi Arabia; Omdurman Islamic
University, Sudan; Al-Azhar in Egypt and other similar reputable Islamic institutions. Six subjects
are offered each semester, with each semester running for 5 months. Each course has an online
mid-term exam after two and a half months and a supervised online final exam at the end of the
fifth month. Students are free to access their classes based upon what is convenient for them,
however assignments must be turned in and exams (mid-term and finals) taken at fixed times.
There are no fees for the courses. However, there is a fixed, modest registration and examination
fee each semester which is calculated on a sliding scale (from $20 to $60) depending on the
student's country of residence. Enrollment for the spring semester (March 2011 - August 2011)
has just begun at www.islamiconlineuniversity.com. For further clarification or help, the
registrar may be contacted at mobile: +974 5554 3968, office: +974 44868458 and
email: [email protected].
It is worth noting that in 2010, the Islamic University of Madeenah celebrated its 40th year of
operation during which some 30,000 students studied in its lecture halls. In contrast, that
number of students has been achieved by the IOU in three and a half years of operation. Of
course, Dr Bilal was one of the Islamic University’s graduates, so the IOU is ultimately one of its
products, al-hamdulillaah. Furthermore, study at the Islamic University of Madeenah is superior
to study in IOU from the perspective of both language and depth of courses.
It is also notable that students in IOU are required to take courses in modern fields important to
graduates when they return to their communities, such as Islamic psychology, Islamic economics
and banking, Islamic business administration, teaching methodology, information technology
(computers), etc. Students also have the option to do an additional semester of study in which
five of the core courses for these fields are taken. Thus, IOU graduates may obtain a BA in
Islamic studies degrees with minors in psychology, or economics and banking, or business
administration, etc.
The success of the Islamic Online University led to its founder, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips,
being mentioned in the media section of the first two editions (2009 & 2010) of the 500 Most
Influential Muslims in the World produced by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in
Jordan.
The benefits of studying the IOU BA course include:
1. It provides a non-sectarian, authentic, Qur'aan- and Sunnah-based understanding of Islamic
teachings.
2. It clears up the many misconceptions which have led some Muslims to espouse extreme views
promoting violence and terrorism.
3. It provides those working in various professions an Islamic perspective from which to practice
their professions while maintaining Islamic values and boundaries.
4. It empowers Muslim women who rarely have the opportunity to study the religion in depth and
to address the contemporary, contentious gender-related issues.
5. It facilitates easy access to Islamic knowledge, as all of the courses are taught in the English
medium with the exception of Arabic.
6. It offers a structured course for the study of Arabic, enabling students to master the basics of
the Arabic language and preparing them to be efficient translators in the future.
7. It focuses on a well-rounded program of study by integration of contemporary subjects, such
as management, economics, psychology, educational methodology, etc., all taught from a
comparative perspective.
8. It is geared toward producing upright, productive citizens through its focus on ethical
teachings of Islam in all spheres of life.
9. It promotes religious tolerance among its students and graduates by introducing them to the
historical foundations of multicultural societies which Muslims established around the world like
those in Spain, Baghdad, Cairo, Palestine, etc.
10. It develops multi-disciplined Imaams for working in English speaking countries where Islam is
currently spreading at the fastest rate.
11. It properly prepares Islamic Studies Teachers for the recent trend towards establishing of
modern Islamic international schools in both Muslim and non-Muslim countries.
12. It trains women to guide, teach and raise the next generation Islamically in order to provide
a solid foundation for the global Islamic awakening currently in progress.
13. It prepares students adequately for further studies in Islamic disciplines on the MA and PhD
levels.
14. It produces effective Muslim missionaries capable of conveying the message of Islam in the
contemporary context.
15. It graduates highly qualified Islamic researchers for Islamic organizations, institutions and
research centers.