Knowledge – Practice – Realisation

SACRED STUDY

A comprehensive curriculum crafted by our scholars to provide a robust foundation in Islamic Sciences.

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Course Description

Sacred Study

The Sacred Study program seeks to revive a profound connection with the uninterrupted scholarly Tradition of Islam. This holistic approach has traditionally steered individuals toward leading purposeful lives, striving to please their Creator and Sustainer, and empowering them to create a meaningful impact.

The course offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to provide a solid foundation in Islamic Sciences. Open to individuals aged 16 and above, this program emphasizes a holistic approach to learning that connects students to the spiritual and metaphysical truths of Islam. With Modules focusing on subjects like Quranic Exegesis, Prophetic Biography, Purification, Theology, Islamic Law, and Hadith Studies, the program is structured over three terms—Winter, Spring, and Autumn. Classes take place online and in person.

This learning process emphasises the importance of the metaphysical and spiritual truths that inform Islam’s well-known practices. Reconnecting through learning facilitates realisations in one’s faith. Making choices based on knowledge refines the soul and draws one closer to Allah and His messenger. Hence, the leitmotif,  Knowledge – Practice – Realisation , underscores the intention and thought behind the various educational programmes offered by Fountain Institute.

With Modules designed to deepen knowledge and practice, guiding learners towards spiritual realization. Membership is required for registration, and students benefit from access to a range of courses.




Fridays

7.30pm – 8.50pm

Online only

Saturdays

9.30am – 12.30pm

Online & In Person

Duration

10 Weeks per term

3 Years, 45 modules

Cost

Free for members*

£299.00 per year or £69 per module

* Become a member for just £20 a month, this will allow you to study the Sacred Study course for FREE. Click here to become a member.
** Contact us if you would like to study and have financial issues, we can help! inshallah.

Sacred Study Courses

The Sacred Study course is built on several foundational courses, each comprising multiple modules taught within the program. Below is a brief description of each course.

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Quran Exegesis
The Heart Knows
Prophetic Guidance
Prophetic Biography
Hadith Studies
Adhoc Modules
Applied Theology
Islamic Law

Last Spring term completed modules can be found here.

Spring 2025 Term Modules

Started on April 4th, 2025, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.00

Quranic Exegesis – Al Insan

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

40 Hadith Qudsi

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Condemnation of Greed and Love of Wealth

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.99

Islamic Law – Inheritance

Fridays 7.30pm
Ustadh Amaar Faiz

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£69.00

Felicitous Ascensions

Fridays 8.10pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

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Current Term – Autumn 2025

Starting on October 3rd, 2025, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.00

Quranic Exegesis 3: Surah al-Fātiḥah

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Arrogance, Self-Amazement & Delusion

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Selected Hadith Qudsi 2

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Islamic Law – Halal & Haram

Fridays 7.30pm
Ustadh Amar Faiz

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£69.00

Our Character

Fridays 8.10pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

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The Sacred Study program is structured across 9 terms, in 3 years and includes a total of 45 modules. To complete the full Sacred Study course, students are expected to study all modules. This comprehensive journey provides a strong foundation in key obligatory areas of the religion, including Theology and Islamic Law and many more.

Winter 2026 Term Modules

Starting on January 3rd, 2026, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.00

Belief in God in an Age of Doubt

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Etiquette of Qur’an

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Marvels of the Heart and Taming the Ego

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Islamic Law – Ritual Purification

Tuesdays 8.10pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

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£69.99

Islamic Law – Establishing Worship

Friday 7.30pm
Ustadh Amaar Faiz.

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Spring 2026 Term Modules

Starting on April 4th, 2026, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

Membership Required

Islamic Law – Physical Purification

Tuesdays 7.30pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

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Membership Required

Islamic Law – Perfection of the Prayer

Wednesdays 7.30pm
Ustadh Amaar Faiz

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£69.00

40 Hadith Qudsi

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.00

Breaking the Two Desires & Repentance, Patience and Gratitute

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.99

Prophetic Biography 1 – Arabia

Saturday 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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Autumn 2026 Term Modules

Starting on October 3rd, 2026, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

Membership Required

Quranic Exegesis: Surah 96 – 104

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.99

Applied Theology 2 – The prophets and the Unseen

We will explore a Muslim’s beliefs regarding prophets and the moral requirements for prophethood. Particular attention will be given to matters of faith relating to the unseen and events in the hereafter.

More Info
Membership Required

Shamail 1 – The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as beheld by his companions

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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£69.99

Islamic Law – Inheritance

Fridays 7.30pm
Ustadh Amaar Faiz

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Winter 2027 Term Modules

Starting on January 2nd, 2027, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.99

Quranic Exegesis 2: Surah 105 – 114

The short surahs of the Quran are often committed to memory by many Muslims and recited in their daily prayers. This is performed by most without an understanding of the surahs they are reading. This module will cover 105 – 114 & Surah Fatiha.

More info
Membership Required

Defects of the Tongue, Hope & Fear, Impoverishment and Abstinence

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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Membership Required

40 Teaching Techniques of The Prophet

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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Spring 2027 Term Modules

Starting on April 3rd, 2027, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.99

Prophetic Biography 2 – Meccan Dawn

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

More info
Membership Required

Shamail 2 – The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as beheld by his companions

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now
£69.00

Felicitous Ascensions

Fridays 8.10pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

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Autumn 2027 Term Modules

Starting on October 2nd, 2027, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.99

Quranic Exegesis 3: Surah Fatiha

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

More info
£69.00

The Divine Names: Oneness of Majesty and Beauty 1

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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Membership Required

Islamic Law – Fasting & Ritual slaughter

Fridays 8.10pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

Enroll Now
Membership Required

Islamic Law – The Greater Pilgrimage

Fridays 7.30pm
Ustadh Amaar Faiz

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£69.00

Diseases of Anger, Malice and Envy, & Warning against the world

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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Winter 2028 Term Modules

Starting on January 8th, 2028, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

Membership Required

al-Qistās al-Mustaqīm The Just Scales

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

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Membership Required

Coherency between the closing and opening of Surahs

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now
£69.00

Condemnation of Greed and Love of Wealth

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now
Membership Required

Islamic Law – Trade

Fridays 7.30pm
Ustadh Ammar Faiz

Enroll Now
Membership Required

Islamic Law – Marriage

Fridays 8.10pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

Enroll Now

Spring 2028 Term Modules

Starting on April 8th, 2028, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.99

Prophetic Biography 3 – Madinah, the fountain of enlightenment

Saturdays 12.30pm
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

More info
Membership Required

The Divine Names: Oneness of Majesty and Beauty 2

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now
£69.00

Quranic Exegesis – Al Insan

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now

Autumn 2028 Term Modules

Starting on October 7th, 2028, classes will be held on Fridays (PM) online and Saturdays (AM) both online and in-person.

£69.00

Quranic Exegesis 3: Surah al-Fātiḥah

Saturdays 9.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now
£69.00

Selected Hadith Qudsi 2

Saturdays 10.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now
£69.00

Arrogance, Self-Amazement & Delusion

Saturdays 11.30am
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Enroll Now
£69.00

Islamic Law – Halal & Haram

Fridays 7.30pm
Ustadh Amar Faiz

Enroll Now
£69.00

Our Character

Fridays 8.10pm
Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

Enroll Now

Sacred Study Registration

Sacred Study is available for FREE to all members! To take advantage of this offer, you’ll need to become a member. Membership is affordable, with a monthly payment option of just £20, allowing you to spread the cost throughout the year. To join, simply use the donation form below. Please note that membership requires a minimum commitment of one year. Once you’re a member, we’ll register you for the course.

More Info

Our Teachers

Abu Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The scholars are the successors of the prophets. Verily, the prophets do not pass on gold and silver coins, but rather they only impart knowledge.” Source: Musnad al-Bazzār 10/68

Ustadh Tariq Mahmood

Has travelled and spent over 10 years studying the sacred sciences at the feet of some the leading scholars in the muslim world. Shaykh Tariq Mahmood

Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood’s educational journey in the Islamic disciplines comprises a rich tapestry of experiences from the late 90s to 2007. Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Ustadh Ammar Faiz

He studied a broad curriculum focusing on the various Islamic sciences at the Darul Funun Institute with esteemed traditional Syrian scholars. Ustadh Ammar Faiz

Location

Challney High School for Boys, Stoneygate Rd, Luton LU4 9TJ.
Zoom: links will be provided via email once registered

Date/Time

Starting – 3rd October 2025 for 10 weeks
Fridays – 7.30pm – 8.50pm – Online
Saturdays – 9.30am to 12.30pm – Inperson & Online

Sacred Study Videos

Testimonials

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah.” Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4811

“Not only been an incredible experience, but a backbone in my life. I am not a studious person but Sacred Study has been a foundation of much good for me in many more ways than just knowledge. I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.”​

Sacred Study Student

“Thank you for facilitating my weekly dose of much, much good which further extends to eternal goodness I hope InshaAllah. Thank you for facilitating for me a different way of thinking and approaching life, influenced by our beautiful, blessed teachers. “​

Sacred Study Student

“May He please your hearts a million times more for the pleasure you facilitated for my heart. May He increase and preserve your good works for the Ummah and accept them from you .”

Sacred Study Student

“May forgive you, love you, protect you and have mercy on you eternally. I pray He gives you all the beautiful things in His dominion! May you be with Allah and His Messenger s, Ameen.”​

Sacred Study Student

“This is my first year of Sacred Study and Alhamdulilah I have to say that I absolutely love it! Our wonderful teachers are a blessing. The way they teach and how they talk to students, you enjoy the classes and learn from them as much as possible.  I look forward to Sacred Study every week! Everyone is so welcoming and kind Alhamdulilah. “​

Sacred Study Student

“May He please your hearts a million times more for the pleasure you facilitated for my heart. May He increase and preserve your good works for the Ummah and accept them from you .”

Sacred Study Student

“A beautiful class with  teachers so full of knowledge yet humble… Each of them with their own unique method of teaching keeping everyone awake on a Saturday morning 🙂  All the subjects brilliant and necessary for us to learn about, enabling us to really understand our deen…. Jazakallah to Fountain Institute and all those who put time and effort in to providing us with these learning opportunities…Even after a busy week always look forward to Sacred Study.”​

Sacred Study Student

“Allhamdhulillah, the Sacred Study course is doing so well. My words wouldn’t do justice to the teachers, so I will stop here and just say that I am absolutely blessed to be in the presence of such teachers and to be able to learn sacred knowledge directly from them. May Allah increase this course in numbers and strength. Ameen.”​

Sacred Study Student

“I just wanted to say jazaakumullahu Khairun for your continued commitment to providing the Sacred course year on year, and persevering in your goals to lift and navigate our community towards God. May Allah (swt) be well pleased with you all and grant you abundant khair in this world and the next, aameen.”

Sacred Study Student

Knowledge

Knowledge is understanding that every choice and view one forms is framed in the guidance presented in the Quran and the Prophetic way as understood by Ahle Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.

Practice

Practice seeks to implement that knowledge in all aspects of our lives. Sincerely applying knowledge facilitates the soul to acquire virtuous characteristics and move beyond its vices and capricious element

Realisation

The soul becomes receptive to realisations concerning God’s oneness, majesty, beauty, and how creation is an ongoing sign of Divine favour. This witnessing is highlighted in the Prophetic statement,‘Excellence is to worship Allah as though you see Him. If you do not see Him, He sees you.

What do we mean by the term ‘traditional’?

Karim Lahham (2021). The Anatomy of Knowledge and The Ontological Necessity of First Principles. Tabah.‌

‘The term ‘tradition’ (and ‘traditional) is used throughout this paper not as a mere term of historiography, and thus of diachronic or even synchronic significance alone. It is admitted that tradition is a clumsy word, much abused, and over-prescriptive in the historical and even Roman Catholic context. By its use, nevertheless, the aim is to signify the understanding of an intellectual and social order founded on Islamic cosmological and ontological principles, an order that necessarily premises itself on the foundations of an agreed-upon aqida established from the Revelation by the scholars of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jamaa. By ontological and cosmological is meant the understanding that this world is a mirror of the macrocosmos, and that existence and existents are hierarchically and divinely posited in the created world in accordance with the Divine Knowledge, and thus inscribed with divine meaning. When something is said to be traditional, that is to say, recognizing and acting upon this signification, its effects might be observed and analysed both diachronically and synchronically.

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Modules

The modules serve to act in two ways.

1. It allows learners to study a complete area of a given course. In this way, the modules function as short courses that enable learners to choose areas of interest.

2. Equally, the modules are part of a course. This means by studying all the modules under a given course, a learner covers the whole subject and not only a specific area.

Quran Exegesis Course

The short surahs of the Quran are often committed to memory by many Muslims and recited in their daily prayers. This is performed by most without an understanding of the surahs they are reading. The tasfīr of surahs 96 to 114 are to be covered over two modules. In explaining each surah focus will be on the following areas. This module will cover 96 – 104.

I. Each surah’s period and chronology of revelation
II. The Prophetic statements and scholarly explanations that inform the broader context at the time of revelation.
III. The interrelationship of themes and concepts elsewhere in the Quran. And how a concept gets elaborated upon throughout the Quran.
IV. A closer look at the linguistical features of word order and the overall rhetorical effect of the Quran. Considered by many scholars the proof of the Quran’s inimitability.

Modules as part of this course:

Quranic Exegesis 1: Surah 96 – 104
Quranic Exegesis 2: Surah 105 – 114
Quran Exegesis 3: Surah Fatihah
Coherency between the closing and opening of Surah’s
Quran Tbc
Quran Tbc

The Heart Knows

This course is centred around Imam al-Ghazali’s insightful abridgement of his masterwork, ‘Revival of the Religious Sciences’, by Shaykh Salih Ahmad al-Shāmī.

Muslim scholars have consistently focused on spirituality, particularly on the purification of the heart. This is not surprising given that the Quran and the Sunnah emphasize the importance of maintaining a pure spiritual heart. When the heart is in the right condition, it becomes the place where believers can attain Divine realizations and understand the higher aspects of existence. Rectifying the heart leads to both success in this world and in the afterlife. Achieving this goal involves learning from the Quran, the teachings of the Prophet, and the strategies suggested by knowledgeable scholars. Applying this knowledge means being open to understanding reality as intended by the Almighty.

Based on the abridgement, half of Imam al-Ghazali’s Ihyā’ ‘ulum al-din, “Revival of the Religious Sciences,” is covered over seven modules. The Ihyā is comprised of four sections.

  1. The acts of worship
  2. The norms of daily life
    – The qualities leading to perdition.
  1. The qualities leading to salvation.

Each section is composed of 10 books, each with chapters. The complete course covers sections iii and iv of Ihyā’, namely, the qualities leading to perdition and the qualities leading to salvation, over seven modules.

Modules as part of this course:

1.) Purification – Marvels of the Heart and Taming the Ego
2.) Purification – Breaking the Two Desires
3.) Defects of the Tongue
4.) Diseases of Anger, Malice and Envy & .Warning against the world
5.) Warning against the love of wealth and miserliness & The love of status and fame
6.) Warning against arrogance self-amazement & Caution against delusion

Prophetic Guidance

It cannot be said of any other prophet or messenger that their words, actions, and tacit affirmations received such accurate preservation and provided such forthcoming details about their lives as that of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad ﷺ.

The sources of the Messenger of Allah’s ﷺ descriptions are none other than his contemporaries, most of whom not only came to believe in his message but were deeply enamoured of him. For he was the beloved of God ﷺ and all that issued from him carried Divine approval. Therefore, they were willing to sacrifice everything at his behest, knowing it was for the truth.

Scholarly generations arose through Divine Providence, after his companions, to safeguard these Prophetic descriptions. They were unmatched as a second generation of followers following a prophet. They were driven by love and concern, which saw them forgo the allure of this world to provide the subsequent generations with works that would act as a portal back in time. These works came to form a genre called shamāil (noble characteristics). Hence, giving our attention to such texts, born out of a labour of love involving many righteous hearts and hands, allows us today to experience the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as if living alongside him. Imam al-Tirmidhi wrote a seminal work in this area, forming the basis of this course.

Modules as part of this course:

1.) Shamail 1 – The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as beheld by his companions
2.) Shamail 2 – The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as beheld by his companions
3.) Khasais TBC

Prophetic Biography

The life of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is a cornerstone for the full understanding of Islam. Every other Islamic discipline serves to elucidate how the tradition (sunnah) of the Prophet was embodied in his noble life.

In this course divided into three modules each comprising of 10 weeks, the Prophetic life is studied in a chronological order following the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم age at the time of events. Particular attention will be given to those Prophetic events that express virtuous character in the face of adversity. In addition, a sign posting of how other Islamic disciplines use prophetic events to inform their respective disciplines and were in the Quran these are mentioned. This is to cultivate in students an awareness and desire to further their learning of Islam’s integrated scholarly tradition.

Prophetic Biography modules:

1.) Prophetic Biography 1 – Arabia
2.) Prophetic Biography 2 – Meccan Dawn
3.) Prophetic Biography 3 – Madinah, the fountain of enlightenment

Hadith Studies

Hadith Studies

Modules as part of this course:
1.) 40 Teaching Techniques
2.) 40 Hadith Qudsi
3.) 40 Mutawatir Hadith

Adhoc Modules

Modules as part of this course:

1.) Logic – al-Qistās al-Mustaqīm The Just Scales

Applied Theology

Adhoc Modules

Modules as part of this course:

1.) Applied Theology 1 – Belief in God in an Age of Doubt
2.) Applied Theology 2 – The prophets and the Unseen
3.) The Unicity of Majesty and Beauty 1
4.) The Unicity of Majesty and Beauty 2

Islamic Law

Fiqh is often described as the style of human understanding and practices of the sharia; that is, human understanding of the divine Islamic law as revealed in the Quran and the sunnah (the teachings and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions).

Modules as part of this Course:
1.) Islamic Law – Ritual Purification
2.) Islamic Law – Establishing Worship
3.) Islamic Law – Perfection of the Prayer
4.) Islamic Law – Physical Purification
5.) Islamic Law – The Greater Pilgrimage
6.) Islamic Law – Fasting & Ritual slaughter
7.) Islamic Law – Wills & Inheritance
8.) Islamic Law – Food, Animal Slaughter And Hunting
9.) Islamic Law – Marriage
10.) Islamic Law – Trading
11.) Islamic Law – Oaths And Pledges
12.) Islamic Law – Judging Disputes And Testimonies

Tariq Mahmood

Has travelled and spent over 10 years studying the sacred sciences at the feet of some the leading scholars in the muslim world, which began by attending the Dowra in Tarim, Yemen in 2005 at the age of 16 and before then at the hands of his righteous grandfather, Muhammad Fadl.

His studies initially took him to Cairo where he studied with scholars such as: Shaykh Abdul Salam Shannar, Shaykh Mahmood Dahla, Shaykh Ali Jumm’ah, Shaykh Fath Hijazi and the great gnostic Shaykh Muhammad Awad. He also received ijaza in the recitation of Quran by Shaykh Ali. His travels also took him to Mauritania where he read Shamail Tirmidhi in the presence of the great gnostic Murabit al-Haaj as well as various other texts to Murabit Ahmed Fa’al, Shaykh Muhammad Haddamin and Shaykh Abdullah.

In Istanbul he met the great gnostic Shaykh Mahmood Effendi who granted him ijaza in Dalail al-Khayrat as well as studying with: Shaykh Muwaffaq, Shaykh Khalid Kharsa, Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Mahmood Masree and Shaykh Abdul Rahman Argaan.

For the last 8 years he has been living, studying and teaching in Tarim, Yemen under the guidance of the great caller to Allah, al-Habib Umar, where he is a official teacher in Dar al-Mustafa and Dar al-Zahra primarily teaching Hanafi Fiqh and the Prophetic Biography (Sira)

Sacred Study Teacher
Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood

Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood’s educational journey in the Islamic disciplines comprises a rich tapestry of experiences from the late 90s to 2007. He sought knowledge in many locations, benefiting from and receiving licenses in general and specific areas from scholars in Yemen, Syria, Morocco, Turkey, Mauritania, Makkah and Madinah.

The central place of studying abroad unfolded in Damascus, where Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood immersed himself in a traditional curriculum. He received one-on-one tutoring for particular subjects or was part of a small group of students. Over time, he studied various subjects to their advanced levels with various scholars. This led to a comprehensive study of the well-known and established scholarly works, showcasing the depth of arguments and positions representing the mainstream understandings of this Ummah.

Since his return to the UK in the last 17 years, Shaykh Thaqib Mahmood has been actively involved in teaching a broad spectrum of Islamic disciplines, from Sirah to Tafsir. In addition developing educational programmes at the various institutions he’s been serving. His significant contributions include a 9-year tenure as a Quranic Arabic tutor at the University of Oxford, where he designed and developed the Quranic Arabic programme, which was previously neglected, bringing it up to par with the other languages taught at the Faculty of Theology and Religion. He also played a crucial role in creating the first approved BSL (British Sign Language) Adhan, providing essential knowledge of the Arabic phrases that BSL can best capture. His academic achievements include a PGDip in teaching communicative Arabic and an MA in linguistics; he completed both postgraduate programmes at SOAS, which have further enriched his understanding and teaching of Islamic disciplines.

The following are the names of some of the scholars he studied under, each of whom played a meaningful role during his time away studying.

In Yemen: Habib Umar b. Hafidh In Damascus: Shaykh Abdulah Siraj ud-Din, Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafī, Shaykh Ramadhan al-Buṭī, Shaykh Muhammad Darwish, Shaykh Abdul Wahaab, Shaykh Muhammad al Yaqoubi, Shaykh Adnan al Majd, Shaykh Maree al Rashid and Shaykh Khalil al Sabbagh, In Mauritania: Murabit al-Hajj, Murabit Ahmad Fāl and Murabit Hadamīn. In Turkey: Shaykh Mahmud Effendi, Shaykh Muhammed Ameen Siraj, Shaykh Ehsaan Hojah. In Makkah: Shaykh Khalid, Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Dhabwān, Shaykh Ahmad al-Ruqaymi, Shaykh Ahmad al-Kāf, and Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Maliki In Madinah: Shaykh Abdur Rahman And in the UK: Shaykh Siraj and Shaykh Muhammad Ba Shuayb.

May Allah preserve those who are alive and grant them the best in this world and the hereafter. And may Allah shower His mercy on those who have returned to their creator and, forgive their shortcomings, and raise their ranks. He continues his learning under both local and international scholars. Shaykh Thaqib has been part of the Fountain for over 25 years.

Sacred Study Teacher
Ustadh Ammar Faiz

Ammar Faiz graduated with a Master’s in Engineering (MEng) and qualified as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). He worked as an engineer for five years before leaving his professional career in 2018 to pursue full-time Islamic studies, beginning in Cairo and continuing in Istanbul.

There, he studied a broad curriculum in the Islamic sciences under senior scholars from Syria and Turkey. He completed the five-year intensive programme at the Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari Institute, becoming the first British graduate of the Maʿhad. He was awarded a certificate of distinction and received teaching licences (ijazat) in the Islamic sciences.

His teachers include prominent Syrian scholars such as Shaykh Mujir al-Khatib, Shaykh Khalid al-Kharsa, Shaykh Ahmed al-Fadhil, Shaykh Faiz Awad, and Shaykh Nadir Abu-Umar, as well as Turkish scholars including Shaykh Muhammad Arjaan.

He is now based in the UK, where he teaches various Islamic disciplines and Arabic across masajid and institutes.

Sacred Study Teacher
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