In 1974, the Planning Committee of the Muslim Students' Association of the
U. S. and Canada sparked the idea of designing a comprehensive curriculum
for American Muslims who have recently embraced Islam. Such curriculum is
greatly needed by a large population of Muslims in North America to help
them understand Islam as a complete way of life, practice it and live up to its
ideals. To satisfy this need, the task of producing the curriculum and its
supportive material was entrusted to the Department of Education,
Publication and Information. Through the efforts of that Department and the
Islamic Teaching Center, Dr. Mohammad Moinuddin Siddiqui undertook to
work out" A Program of Studies for New Muslims." His deep commitment to
Islam and conviction of the significance of education as a crucial vehicle for
social change prompted him to devote his time and finish the first stage of
this tremendous and challenging work. The second stage is the writing of text
books which are specifically tailored to the sequential level series of this
program of studies.
The rapid growth of Islam among the people of North America is encouraging
and, at the same time, challenging. The challenge lies with Muslims who
must measure up to their responsibility of increasing the momentum of
propagating Islam and effectively consolidating and strengthening their
ranks. Only through developing the true Islamic personality, knowledgeable
and committed, capable of taking initiative and broad-minded, can we meet
the challenge. Education is the most effective process to accelerate the
development of such an Islamic personality and to strengthen and
consolidate the ranks of the Muslims. It is an activating force which will
enable them to substitute actions based on truth and reality for actions
rooted in imitation and outmoded traditions. Education is a central tool to
bring about Islamic social change we want to see among Muslims in North
America. This change can come only from the actions of the Muslims
themselves. To act correctly, a Muslim must first acquire authentic
knowledge, change his mode of thought and improve his practical ability.
These changes must result from the Muslims' own decisions and efforts if
they are to be educationally enduring, religiously sound, socially important
and physically permanent. It is with this aim and intention that the Islamic
Teaching Center has prepared "A Program of Studies for New Muslims" It is
an attempt to enable the New Muslim to respond to his environment in North
America equipped with an Islamic framework reflecting his beliefs, values,
attitudes and behavior which characterize him as a new breed of men
enjoining right, eradicating evil, forbidding wrong and believing in Allah.
We pray to Allah Ta' ala that this program may prove beneficial to our
brothers and sisters who have recently embraced Islam. Yet it is also a good
idea for all of us to use this program to increase our knowledge.
May Allah Ta' ala grant us success and keep us firm on His path.
Your brother in Islam
EITigani A. Abugideiri, Ph.D.
Director General
Islamic Teaching Center

Objectives and Methodology
1. Objectives
The main objective of this program of studies is to provide a concise yet
broad framework for the study of Islam primarily by Americans who have
recently embraced it. To attain the main objective it is necessary that, in
addition to the knowledge of Islamic beliefs and practices, the new Muslim
should have some academic knowledge of the Qur'an and the Hadith, the
life of the Prophet, the political and cultural history of Islam, the lives and
works of the Companions and the scholars of Islam. On a practical level he
should learn how to perform Salat and Hajj, observe Siyam and give
Zakat, read and understand Qur'anic Arabic, memorize short surahs and
establish a Muslim community.
The program is divided into three levels which are progressively detailed:
100 series, 200 series and 300 series. The first level is the most basic and
should be mastered by every Muslim. The second and third levels are also
important because they provide more detailed and specific information of the
materials and concepts introduced in the first level.
2. Methodology
The program is designed in such a way that a new Muslim can use any or all
of the following methods, depending on his situation:
1. Self-study
2. Study circles (Halaqah)
3. Group discussions
4. Lectures
5. Individual projects.
The 100-level courses are most suitable for self-study and study circles. The
200- and 300-series courses are academic in nature, the 300-level courses
being rather specialized. These courses should be taught by a competent
teacher in a classroom or in a group discussion set-up.
If this program is structured as a formal class-type instruction, it will require
that each instructor undertakes the selection of supportive materials and
texts (the eighth part of the program is a listing of available reference
materials and texts). However, the performance expected of each student is
stated in general terms in the sequentially numbered items of the syllabii.
This program
of studies, therefore, may be used with students of various ages and
educational backgrounds by critically selecting the appropriate materials and
texts.
The following example is presented in order to assist instructors in writing
performance (or behavioral) objectives.
Each performance objective must include these four areas:
1. Who will be performing?
2. The specific performance expected.

3. The conditions under which the performance will take place and,
4. The measurement of the students' mastery of the performance.
Each of the sequentially numbered items in the syllabii of this program is a
concept easily restated as a performance. The following example from Part I,
course 100- "Introduction to
Islam," should make this point clear.
1.1 Explanation of the Concept of Islam
Performance objective:
Given selected chapters from Islam in Focus and class discussion of what is
Islam, the student will define (in writing or orally) what Islam is
distinguishing it from Muhammadanism, Christianity or Judaism completely
and accurately.
1. Who will be performing?
The student
2. What is the performance?
Defining (in writing or orally) what is Islam distinguished from
Muhammadanism, Christianity or Judaism.
3. What are the conditions?
Given selected chapters from Islam in Focus and class discussion of what is
Islam.
4. What is the measurement?
Completely and accurately (mastery)
Each of the preceding questions should be raised about each sequentially
numbered item in the syllabii. If the instructor is diligent in this regard, the
process of instruction is quite manageable and each student's progress is
measurable.
Each instructor should select supportive materials which are visually
attractive. Films, slides and other instructional aids should be used:
Individual projects may be assigned to students, for example:
Write research papers on (1) The attributes of Allah, (2) The Life Hereafter,
(3) The Islamic concept of brotherhood and its application, (4) The
methodology of Da'wah in America.
For teaching cultural history it will be extremely useful to make use of
films and slides of mosques, buildings and cities of the Muslim world. Also art
objects, samples of calligraphy, dresses, carpets, etc., may be shown to the
class.

 To act correctly, a Muslim must first acquire authentic knowledge, change his mode of thought and improve his practical ability. These changes must result from the Muslims’ own decisions and efforts if they are to be educationally enduring, religiously sound, socially important and physically permanent. It is with this aim and intention that the Islamic Teaching Center has prepared ”” It is an attempt to enable the New Muslim to respond to his environment in North America equipped with an Islamic framework reflecting his beliefs, values, attitudes and behavior which characterize him as a new breed of men enjoining right, eradicating evil, forbidding wrong and believing in Allah.