The fall Ribaat semester is here—courses began on September 7, 2025! Whether you’re a new student or returning for another term, one of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to have a time management plan in place before classes begin.
The truth is, no single method works for everyone. You may find that a mix of techniques is most effective. Here are a few approaches you might try:
Time Management Techniques Read More »
Over the past two decades, I have inhabited many roles in relation to Arabic—learner, teacher, researcher, and curriculum developer. The question “Why is it important to study Arabic?” has been a recurrent one during my journey. The simple response is that the answer depends on the questioner. For some, the value lies in religious goals; for others, it lies in heritage, academic ambitions, or even politicized motivations. In reality, there is an answer—and an Arabic—for everyone.
Why Is It Important to Learn Arabic? A New Answer to an Old Question Read More »
Born in Bangladesh and now a longtime resident of Florida, Panjeton Noor has built a life centered on learning, teaching, and family. She completed her bachelor’s in psychology from UCF, graduating summa cum laude, and went on to earn her master’s in education from USF. During her graduate studies, she worked for four years at the Department of Children and Families, and after graduating, she taught at Universal Academy of Florida until her retirement.
Student of the Month – September Read More »
From the dawn of Islam until today, there have been magnanimous men who shaped Islamic history. These scholars lived and passed, but their legacy lives on. This essay will examine some of the common traits of the great Muslim scholars in the Islamic tradition.
Timeless Traits of Muslim Scholars: Lessons for Today Read More »
Dear Imam Muhammad ibn Sawrah ibn Musa ibn al-Dhahhak al-Tirmidhi
It is my great pleasure to address you in a letter. May Allah ﷻ elevate your rank in the hereafter. I am currently taking a course on traditional Muslim scholars through the Ribaat Academic Institute. We have learned about so many amazing scholars, but your name and your story stayed in my mind. This is mostly because we share the same last name. It is said that one of your descendants left Tirmidh to give dawah in India. In South Asia, the dha (ذ) sound became transformed to za (ز), hence the last name Tirmizi among those who came after him.
A Letter to Imam al-Tirmidhi Read More »
Bobo jaan was a tall, sangeen (dignified, respectfully polished) woman who wore long dresses, crisp white pants, and soft chiffon hijabs. Her friends called her Bibi Shireen. She had this quiet confidence about her that came with being the matriarch of our family. Her husband, my grandfather, passed away from a heart attack in Afghanistan when she was still very young, and her youngest son, my father, was only four years old. She never remarried. Growing up, Bobo jaan would babysit us when our parents were at work. She lived in the same apartment complex as we did.
Toward the Almonds of Jannah Read More »
Life abroad in West Africa has certainly taught me that, in the West, we are spoiled. We take things for granted. I was forced to learn the true meaning of needs versus wants—to truly know what is a blessing.
“And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them.” (Quran 14:34)
A Reflection on Blessings Read More »
“When I first read about how you developed usul al-fiqh—laying the foundation of legal principles that helped organize Islamic jurisprudence—I realized that scholarship isn’t about winning arguments; it’s about guiding people closer to Allah through clarity, justice, and compassion. You didn’t aim to simply refute or correct; you sought to understand, to elevate, and to unite.”
In Their Company, I Found My Way: A Letter to Imam Ash-Shafi’i Read More »
From the travels you did to acquire knowledge to the thought you put in to recording it in your books, you dedicated your life for the sake of Allah and left us treasures! This day and age, most of us have so much knowledge, and it is at our fingertips, but we do not know what to do with it. Some do not know how to learn, it seems, and some are just occupied in worldly things so much so that it scares me for them.
In Their Company, I Found My Way: A Letter to Imam al-Bukhari Read More »
Our Ribaat Student of the Month for July 2025 is Kaha Osman. She is a Somali Canadian currently based in Ottawa, Canada. Although trained as a teacher, she is now supporting her family as a stay-at-home mother to her three children.
Student of the Month – July Read More »
