Year One Foundations Program

Oct 12, 2024 – June 14, 2025 • 2 Hours Weekly • 70 Hours of Instruction • In-Person • 2 Cohorts • Ages 18 +

The Foundations Program is a structured year-long program in which students build a firm foundation in the essentials of the Islamic Sciences from qualified sources.

Curriculum

The Foundations curriculum provides students with a holistic study of the essential Islamic Sciences with 5 core modules and 2 one-day intensives in the following subjects: Adab (Etiquette), ‘Aqīdah (Creed), Fiqh (Jurisprudence), Shamā’il (Prophetic Description), Sīrah (Prophetic Biography), and Hadith (Prophetic Tradition).

Core Modules

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi
    When: October 12, 2024
    Course Description: We seek knowledge in order to get close to Allah ﷻ. We should be sincere to Him in each step we take. But there are minefields, obstacles, and tests along the path that test our sincerity. Shaytan may come to us and whisper to us a myriad of falsehoods that make us study for the wrong reasons: to be called ‘knowledgeable’, to be respected, to be honored, to make money, to feel smarter than others and other destructive intentions. In this module, students learn how to dive into the oceans of knowledge, what virtues to adopt, how to avoid pitfalls, and, most importantly, how to be sincere to Allah ﷻ.

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi
    Course Description: All beliefs require sufficient evidence, and our belief in Islam is, without doubt, the most important matter. Allah has given us all we need to know the Truth of Islam, and He has criticized those who believe something blindly, without any evidence or knowledge. The question is not whether or not Islam is true. The question is: do we see, with our own eyes, the evidence that proves the truth of Islam? In this module, students will  re-establish and  deepen their īmān in the truth of Islam by studying four rational proofs from the Qur’ān. By taking this course, you will—by the facilitating grace of Allah ﷺ—see the truth of Islam for yourself and gain the skill of presenting Islam to others in a rational, sensible and persuasive manner.

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi
    Course Description: In this module, we see the beauty of Islam by diving into the persona of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Whoever wants to know beauty, let him know our Master Muhammad ﷺ. In this module, we do not go through the dates, events, and characters of the Sīrah (biography of the Prophet ﷺ); rather, we are focused solely on the question: Who is the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ? What was he like? If I spent a normal day with him, what would I see? In this module, students will study important hadiths on the Prophet ﷺ that grant them knowledge of him ﷺ that leads to  love of him ﷺ.

  • Instructor(s): Ustadh Yamen Atassi; Imam Omar Tawil; Ustadha Ameerah Saker
    Learning Tracks: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i
    Course Description: We purify ourselves and pray every single day. And since these are obligations from the Most Merciful, it is, as Imam al-Ghazālī reminds, obligatory to learn how to perform these actions in a sound manner. In this module, students will engage in a serious study of the rulings related to the ritual bath (ghusl), ritual washing (wudū’) and prayer (salāt). You will select to study either the Hanafi, Maliki, or Shafi’ī school related to these matters. This is the second most important module of this program, after the Why Islam is True course. It is a personal obligation (fard ‘ayn) to learn this detailed knowledge well so that one worships Allah ﷻ in the best manner possible.

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi
    Course Description: The Sīrah (biography) of the Prophet is the greatest story of all time. In this module, students will wade through the early stages of the Prophet’s life and his Prophetic mission in Makkah. While you already have learned the proof for the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Sīrah goes further to give you a taste of the character and teachings of the greatest of creation ﷺ alive, in the form of the greatest story ever. The Sirah teaches us priceless jewels of wisdom that serve as guidance for us in our temporary lives in this lowly abode (dunyā), by which we hope to attain unto the true life of the Gardens of Paradise.

Intensives

  • Instructors: Ustadh Yamen; Imam Omar Tawil; Ustadha Ameerah Saker
    Course Description: In this intensive, we bring both cohorts for a middle of the program get-together. We will launch our study into Fiqh with a 5-hour intensive, where we introduce the science of Fiqh and delve into the preliminary discussions of the Fiqh module.

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen
    Course Description: This intensive serves as the capstone for the program. What better way to seal this blessed year than with the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In this intensive, we will study the first 20 hadith of Imam Nawawi's 40 Hadith.

Academic Calendar 2024–25

Instructors

  • Ustadh Yamen Atassi

    MAIN INSTRUCTOR

    Ustadh Yamen Atassi is the founding director of Afiyah Collective. He graduated with degrees in Philosophy and Humanities and then went on to study at Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan, where he also began his formal studies with teachers privately. Yamen has continued with these studies since 2017, namely with his two primary teachers, Shaykh Hamza Karamali and Shaykh Tabraze Azam. Since moving to Phoenix, he served as the Sacred Sciences Coordinator at Arizona Cultural Academy from 2020-2023. He currently works full-time at Basira Education, is completing his MA in Islamic Chaplaincy at Hartford Seminary, and lives in Phoenix with his wife and two cats.

  • Imam Omar Tawil

    MALIKI FIQH INSTRUCTOR

    Imam Omar Tawil is a graduate of DePaul University with a Bachelor's in Religious Studies and is currently pursuing an MA in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations from Hartford Seminary. He has pursued his traditional study of the Islamic sciences with scholars in the Middle East and in the United States. He and his family moved to the Phoenix Valley over two years ago and he serves as an Imam at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe, AZ and a University Chaplain for Muslim Students at Arizona State University. Ask him about his love of bamboo, wood carving, and matters of faith.

  • Ustadha Ameerah Saker

    SHAFI'I FIQH INSTRUCTOR

    Originally from Maine, Ameerah Saker moved to Boston where she graduated from Simmons College with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language . During her time in Boston, she assisted in development and implementation of foundational Islamic Science courses taught by Shaykh Yasir Fahmy of Prophetic Living Institute. In addition to attending said courses, Ameerah taught tajwid classes and studied beginner Shafi'i fiqh under local shuyookh. After moving to Arizona, Ameerah has been involved with curriculum development at Prophetic Living Institute as well as Good Tree Institute and continues to expand her learning. She is a proud wife, mother, and aspiring student of the Qur’an.

Guest Scholars

  • Sh. Yasir Fahmy

  • Sh. Hamza Karamali

  • Sh. Tabraze Azam

Tuition

Cost of Program: $13.50 per hour of instruction | $949 total

Installment Plan: $189.80 per month for 5 months ($949 total)

Enrollment Window: August 23rd - September 28th

Refund Policy: 50% refund if done 21 days or more before the start of the program (before September 21)

Scholarships

  • We are committed to making Islamic education accessible. Aid is available to individuals who are unable to meet the full cost of tuition for the program. The number of scholarships awarded is limited to the amount of aid funds available for that year.

  • Scholarships are available for students here: Scholarship Form.

Logistics + Registration

The Foundations Program will be taught in two cohorts ongoing simultaneously. With a limited number of spots in each cohort, we are committed to offering a high-quality educational experience that we hope will be deep and transformative.

Registration is officially closed for the 2024-25 year.

Cohort One

  • Location: Arizona Cultural Academy (ACA)

  • Day: Tuesdays, Starting October 15th

  • Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Cohort Two

  • Location: Islamic Community Center of Tempe

  • Day: Saturdays, Starting October 19th

  • Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm

What Students Say

  • "WIT doesn’t engage in polemics or emotional appeals, but offers a critical look at both good and bad arguments for the existence of God and the truth of Islam. Ustadh Yamen Atassi will teach you four must-know arguments that together will leave no doubt in the mind of any sincere and intelligent seeker. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to enroll. The course and teacher went beyond my expectations with the level of critical engagement and clarity they brought to these big questions of modern life."

    Sami Omais, Why Islam Is True

  • "From the very first day, this class opened my eyes and pushed me to move beyond blind belief to understand the logic behind Islam. Ustadh Yamen is an excellent teacher who explains topics clearly and always encourages questions. My only regret is not enrolling in this class sooner."

    Student, Why Islam is True

  • "A great learning experience and a sense of accomplishment as it relates to helping to cultivate the notion of becoming a 'student of knowledge' with each such experience."

    Amir Ahmed, 40 Hadith of Imam Nawawi Intensive

  • "Ustadh Yamen teaches the course in a way that really helps you understand the material in simple terms. His teaching style of repetition, utilization of activities/discussions, and modern analogies, effectively help the students grasp the concepts. He welcomes all and any questions to make sure we fully understand the concept and don't feel like there are any gaps in what he is explaining. He answers our questions thoroughly. You can tell he is very knowledgable to teach this topic and has an answer for any concerns or contradictions to them."

    Student, Why Islam Is True

Support Student Scholarships

We are committed to making Islamic education accessible. Donations go toward sponsoring students who apply for the program and are in need of financial aid.

Donate Here.