Alhamdulillah, last year, Allah Almighty granted me the opportunity to travel to Istanbul, Turkey to study at Fatih Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (Ma’had Al-Fatih) to study the sacred sciences of Islam. It is at this institute that I have had the opportunity to take knowledge directly from scholars of the highest caliber, both in their knowledge, as well as in their character and dedication to this Deen. It is because of this dedication and sacrifice that these righteous scholars have built this school without demanding any payment from the students despite their own current struggles and immense hardship as refugees from Syria. I truly feel that, with the Will of Allah and your generous support, Ma’had Al-Fatih will have the funds to meet its potential as one of the primary centers of traditional Islamic Studies for students from all over the world.

A Source of Light in a Dark Situation

“It is He Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is Full of Mercy to the Believers.” Surah Al-Ahzab 43

Since its founding in 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey, Fatih Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies (Ma’had Al-Fatih) has been serving students of knowledge from around the world as a non-profit educational institution which seeks to produce proficient students in Islamic and Arabic sciences.

Most of the teachers and students at Ma’had Al-Fatih came to Istanbul as refugees from Syria as a result of the tragic events and bloodshed in their home country. Instead of losing hope in the Mercy of Allah, these teachers, students, and other members of the Syrian community in Istanbul came together to build something beautiful: a school for teaching the sacred sciences of the Deen of Allah Almighty free of charge for students from all over the world. The Ma’had aims to train students of knowledge in theology (‘aqīda), jurisprudence (fiqh), and spiritual development (sulūk) as well as develop them through the teachings of the Noble Qur’ān and the pure Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم. The Ma’had also has a program for teaching children, and has plans of opening a second location for teaching sisters the Deen as well in shaa Allah.

Primary Subjects Studied:

• Qur’ān
• Exegesis of the Qur’ān (Tafsīr)
• Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم (Hadīth)
• Jurisprudence (Fiqh)
• Prophetic Biography (Sīrah)
• Grammar (Nahw) and Rhetoric (Balāghah)

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How You Can Help

“Scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets.” [Related by Tirmidhi]

Led by Shaykh Mahmud Dahla Al-Dimashqi (May Allah preserve him), the staff of Ma’had Al-Fatih have remained committed to not demanding any money from students, oftentimes at the expense of their own personal salaries. A beautiful aspect of the Syrian scholarly community is that they do not view knowledge as a means for worldly wealth. Because most of the students here are refugees, the Ma’had has taken it upon themselves to provide for their housing, their food, their books, and other needs as well as their studies. In order to preserve this incredible work of charity as well as keep this four-year program accessible to students from even the poorest of backgrounds, it is essential that the school maintain a steady supply of funds. This is where your ever-so-generous donations come into play.

At the moment, the total projected budget for keeping the institute functioning free of charge to the students is $80,000 USD. The details of this budget can be seen below : 

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In shaAllah, through your support, this ma’had will be able to benefit the entire Ummah as a school that graduates high-quality, balanced students of knowledge, scholars, du’at, and imams who will be able to spread their knowledge to Muslims throughout the world. This Ramadan, we humbly ask that you take this opportunity to support such a noble cause. Not only will your donations go toward making life easier for Syrian refugees and other students with financial need, you will be helping to strengthen an institution that I can say, personally, as a student of knowledge from the West, is one for which there is a critical need. May Allah bless you all and reward you this Ramadan.