Islamic Online University

Student Guide

Student Guide
(Written by a student of the IOU for the benefit of fellow students)
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Let me extend my enthusiastic welcome to all the students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Islaamic Studies program. Below you will find some guidelines to assist you as you pursue your path of seeking knowledge, inshaaAllaah. Purify your Intentions This is not a place to write about the virtues of seeking knowledge; however it is important, as we explore the words of our Lord and the pearls of our Prophet SallaAllaahu alaihi wa sallam, that we are reminded of the virtues of seeking knowledge for a constant self-motivation and purification of our intentions. Please remember, my dear fellow brothers and sisters, the path that you have chosen is one that will inshaaAllaah take you closer to your Lord, for verily the life of the heart depends on the true knowledge of the Lord. In order to reach high stations and attain this closeness, you must remove any impurities or worldly ambitions from your intentions. You must ensure that not only your primary concern, but your sole concern, is to please Allaah alone. Even Imam Sufyaan ath-Thawree had been advised by his mother in this regard. She advised him that if he read a text and it did not increase his eemaan, then he must check himself. We too must check ourselves if we dont feel the closeness to Allaah through the acquisition of knowledge. Patience my Dear, Patience This beautiful path of knowledge that you have chosen requires your patience. If we look back upon the actions of our pious predecessors, we cannot help but be amazed by their patience and perseverance, SubhaanAllaah. They understood, as we should too, that with blessings come tests. Remember, implementing the knowledge you gain will increase its value inshaaAllaah. Try to focus on your sincere intentions and show patience when frustrations inevitably arise. Your electricity might go out just before your live online class, your internet service might stop working just as you are trying to submit your paper, or your child may decide that she needs your attention at the time you need to study for a test. Remember, the more that you persist in patience, the closer you will be drawn to Allaah, for verily Allaah loves those who are patient. When you face difficulties, try to remember that nothing worth having comes easily. Fighting for such a worthwhile goal will only benefit the believer. Take One Step at a Time Okay, follow along with me now. We will review the steps you need to take to get things rolling InshaaAllaah. Use your username and password to log in. You will see a list of all of your courses right there in front of you. Take a minute to look at the course names and think bais.islamiconlineuniversity.com 2

 Islamic Online University

Student Guide

about all the knowledge you will be acquiring, and how that will enrich your life InshaaAllaah. Now you need to make sure you keep things organized. Go to your My Documents folder and make a new folder with a name that represents this semester; BAIS Sem 1 for example. Then go inside that folder and make folders for each of your classes, (Aqeeda 1, Fiqh 1 for example). So when you are done, you should have a folder that is for this semester and inside of it are individual folders for each one of your courses. Now it is time to explore the actual class material. Go back to your web browser and click on the first course on your list. Here you will find all of the details of the course and the materials you will need to review before your class sessions. Download the materials for your current session, the first when you are just beginning, and put it in the folder that you have created for that class so that you can have access to the material anytime, even if you are not online. To keep yourself on track, do not jump ahead to material that will be presented in future lessons. You should download the material according to the lessons as you cover them in class. Consider Where and How You Will Study Take a moment to think about where, in your home, you will be working on your lessons. It is a good idea to have a desk or at least a quiet area that will allow you to work without interruption or distraction. Although you may have been reading books or listening to lectures independently to increase your knowledge in the past, you need to have more focus with this course material. You will be asked about the content and application of all of the material so you will have to read it and listen to the audio files more than once to ensure that you have absorbed all of its meaning. You may find it most convenient to print the material and have it bound at a copy shop so that you keep it well organized and highlight important parts on paper. Alternatively, you could read it on screen if that is more convenient. In any case, as you make efforts to take notes and remind yourself of the most critical points; be sure to ask Allaah to grant you ease and success in your efforts to increase your knowledge. Develop a System As we mentioned, because you are working toward a bachelors degree in Islamic Studies InshaaAllaah, you need to be very diligent about your study habits. Here are a few pointers that may help you InshaaAllaah: Read the text carefully Make sure that you have sufficient time and a minimal chance of distractions. Read the text the first time just for information. You can go back through it a second time and make note of parts you find important. Remember once is not enough.

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 Islamic Online University

Student Guide

Listen to the lecture While reading is effective, the emphasis the speaker puts on certain points and explanations will help you gain a better understanding of the text. Make sure that you take notes. It might help to combine your listening and reading notes for the most comprehensive coverage. Memorize Even though you may remember the gist of the points covered in the lesson material, chances are you will not remember all of the details. This could be the difference between success and failure in your study program. Take some time to memorize the key points, not only for the test, but for your own enrichment. If you are unsure about which facts are most important, just ask. When we share knowledge with others, it is always best to relay the actual words of our pious predecessors instead of using our own paraphrasing. This extra effort will add substantial value to your learning experience InshaaAllaah. Ready, Set, Go All of the preparation that you do will pay off when it is time to take the test InshaaAllaah. It is always best to read through the material one last time before you start the exam. Once you have finished, it is a good idea to hold down Ctrl+A which will highlight all of the text. While the text is highlighted, hold down Ctrl+C and then open a new Word document (or other word processing program). Paste the text (by pressing Ctrl V) into your document and save the file with a name that indicates the course name and test number. For example, your first test for Fiqh 1 could be called Fiqh 1 Test 1. This will allow you to document any mistakes you may have made and sharpen your skills for the future. Final Message We sincerely hope that this guide will help you have a successful learning experience through your BAIS program. If you have any questions about the details of these instructions or you have questions that are specific the texts, keep a separate list aside so that you can ask your instructor during the live sessions, via email or phone as indicated in your individual course descriptions. May Allaah grant all of us a successful path of seeking knowledge, give us beneficial knowledge and ability to act accordingly, and draw us closer to Him until we depart this Earth to meet Him. Ameen ya Rabb!

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