ABOUT ISLAH SEMINARY
Classical Islamic Learning for Contemporary Muslim Life
Islah Seminary is an institution of higher learning dedicated to cultivating scholars, leaders, and lifelong learners through a rigorous study of the Islamic tradition.
Through Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degree pathways in Integrated Islamic Studies, students receive a comprehensive foundation in the classical Islamic sciences while developing the tools needed to engage thoughtfully with the complexities of modern life.
The curriculum is grounded in Qur'anic Studies, Hadith, Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Aqidah, Arabic Language, Spirituality, and Islamic History, while placing these disciplines in meaningful conversation with history, sociology, psychology, education, philosophy, and cultural studies.
This interdisciplinary approach allows students to examine enduring questions about faith, identity, community, justice, and human flourishing through both the lens of revelation and the insights of the social sciences.
Rather than viewing these fields as competing sources of knowledge, Islah Seminary encourages students to critically integrate them in a manner that remains faithful to the Islamic tradition.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Integrated Islamic Studies Degree Programs
Islah Seminary offers a structured course of study designed to help students inherit the Islamic tradition with knowledge, humility, and purpose.
The program combines classical texts, spiritual development, Arabic-centered learning, and contemporary application. Students are prepared to serve their families, communities, institutions, and broader society with wisdom, integrity, and faithfulness to the Islamic tradition.
Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Islamic Studies
An advanced pathway for students seeking deeper engagement with Islamic scholarship, leadership, education, and service.
Associate of Arts in Islamic Integrated Studies
A foundational two-year program focused on Islamic knowledge, spiritual refinement, intellectual development, and community leadership.
Al-'Aqabah Certificate (Year 1) in Islamic Integrated Studies
An introduction to Sunni Islamic theology covering the attributes of Allah, prophethood, revealed books, angels, the afterlife, and foundational matters of faith according to orthodox Islamic belief.
What Makes Islah Seminary Unique?
Classically Grounded
Interdisciplinary
Relevant and Applied
Arabic-Centered
Transformative Education
Associate of Arts in Islamic Integrated Studies
The Associate of Arts in Islamic Integrated Studies is a foundational two-year program designed to cultivate sound Islamic knowledge, spiritual refinement, intellectual development, and community leadership. The curriculum integrates classical Islamic sciences with contemporary social concerns relevant to modern Muslim life.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of Islah Seminary will be prepared to:
Demonstrate foundational competency in core Islamic sciences.
Read and engage introductory classical Islamic texts.
Apply Islamic ethical principles to contemporary social issues.
Develop spiritual self-awareness and character refinement.
Articulate an integrated Islamic worldview.
Serve their families and communities with knowledge, wisdom, and compassion.
Engage contemporary challenges facing Muslims in America through an Islamically grounded framework.
SHAYKH DR. JIHAD SAAFIR BIO
Learn with Shaykh Dr. Jihad Saafir
Shaykh Dr. Jihad Saafir has studied with several renowned scholars and has earned multiple religious licenses (ijāzāt) in the core Islamic sciences. In addition to his formal religious training, he has spent more than two decades serving the Muslim community as an imam, educator, professor, and community leader. He is a longtime student of his father, Imam Saadiq Saafir, whose mentorship profoundly shaped his intellectual, spiritual, and communal development.
Dr. Saafir earned a Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Studies and a Master of Arts in Islamic Studies and Leadership from Bayan Islamic Graduate School. He later completed his Ph.D. in Practical Theology at the Claremont School of Theology, where his research explored the intersection of Islamic theology, history, social psychology, and identity formation, with a particular focus on contemporary Muslim communities.
He currently serves as the Resident Imam and Founding Executive Director of Islah LA, as well as the Founding Executive Director of Islah Academy, a K–8 Islamic school in Los Angeles dedicated to cultivating academic excellence, spiritual growth, civic engagement, and leadership development. Previously, he served as a chaplain at the California Institution for Women and as the Imam of Masjid At-Taqwa in Altadena, California.
At Bayan Islamic Graduate School, Dr. Saafir teaches courses on Muslim adolescent identity formation, leadership development, Islamic education, and the relationship between Islamic theology and contemporary social issues. He has also served as a researcher, contributor, and educator with the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, contributing to scholarly and educational initiatives, including appearances in the widely acclaimed 30 for 30 series.
Dr. Saafir is the author of five books and numerous articles addressing Islamic education, identity formation, leadership, spirituality, and community development. His writing reflects a commitment to bringing the rich legacy of the Islamic intellectual tradition into meaningful conversation with contemporary social and educational challenges.
A nationally recognized speaker, educator, researcher, and community leader, Dr. Saafir's scholarship and public engagement focus on Islamic education, identity development, restorative justice, youth leadership, race and religion, and the cultivation of healthy, resilient Muslim institutions.
Register for Islah Seminary
Please complete the form below to begin the registration process. A member of the Islah Seminary team will follow up with next steps regarding enrollment, scheduling, and program details.