Adult Development Program
Adult Learning at Zubaida Foundation
The ZF Academy is a structured Islamic studies program for adults who want more than scattered lectures. It is modular and semester-based: three focused, one-hour classes every Saturday morning, offered across two semesters each year. Study one subject — or work toward the complete Academy Core over time.
How the program works: Each Saturday offers three one-hour courses at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00. You may register for one, two, or all three. Each course has a focused, finishable scope — about twelve Saturdays — so you leave with real, concrete competence rather than a half-covered discipline.
The Program at a Glance
- Who: Men and women, ages 18+
- When: Saturdays, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM · Fall and Spring semesters
- Where: In person at Zubaida Foundation
- Format: Three one-hour courses each Saturday — take one, two, or all three
- Scope: Each course is a self-contained, ~12-session semester course with a defined, realistic outcome
- Rigor: A genuine academic course — attendance, quizzes, assignments, and a concluding assessment, with completion earned through demonstrated competency
- Credentials: Course completion → sequence certificate → the cumulative Academy Core Certificate
How the Year Is Built
Each Saturday time slot follows a simple, sustainable pattern:
- One year-long anchor sequence runs across both semesters as Part I (Fall) and Part II (Spring).
- Two rotating semester courses change each semester, keeping creed, fiqh, Qur'an, business, and other foundations in regular rotation.
The result is continuity without letting year-long courses consume the whole schedule — and a credential that builds up cumulatively rather than requiring you to enroll in everything at once.
Who Is This For?
This program is built for everyday Muslims — not future scholars. Whatever your age or stage of life, if you want to understand your faith, worship correctly, and carry yourself with confidence and clarity, there is a place for you here.
You do not need to become a scholar. This program is for those who don't have the time — or the need — to pursue years of specialized scholarship, but who still want to be confident, learned Muslims: people who know their obligations, practice their faith correctly, and can stand firm in what they believe.
College Students & Young Adults
University life challenges your faith with new ideas, doubts, and competing worldviews. Build a solid intellectual and practical foundation now — while you have the time and energy — so you step into adult life sure of what you believe and why. The Saturday schedule fits neatly around classes and study.
Working Professionals
Your week is full, and a scattered lecture here and there never adds up to real understanding. One focused morning a week gives you a clear, cumulative outcome — and the tools to run your work, money, and daily dealings in a way that is ethically sound and pleasing to Allah, without putting your career on hold.
Mothers
You are your children's first and most important teacher. Gain the confidence to answer their questions, teach them their duʿās and their deen, and model a practicing Muslim home — all while nourishing your own connection to Allah, alongside a supportive community of women on the same path.
Fathers
As the one responsible for your household, your knowledge sets the tone for your family. Learn to lead with confidence — guiding your family's worship, navigating halal and haram in finances and daily life, and passing authentic knowledge to your children rather than leaving it to chance.
New & Returning Muslims
Whether you recently embraced Islam or are reconnecting with your faith after time away, this program meets you where you are. It begins from the foundations, assumes no prior background, and gives you a clear, structured path — with a class walking it beside you.
Lifelong Learners
Perhaps you always meant to study your religion properly, and life got in the way. It is never too late. Fill the gaps in your Islamic education, deepen your worship, and invest in the knowledge that benefits you in this life and the next.
The common thread: a sincere desire to be a knowledgeable, practicing Muslim. Bring that, and this program will give you the structure, guidance, and community to grow — one Saturday at a time.
Course Offerings
Courses are offered by semester. Each is a self-contained, roughly twelve-session course with a focused, finishable scope. Register for one, two, or all three in any semester — take only what interests you, or build steadily toward the Academy Core.
Anchor sequence for 2026–2027: Shamāʾil al-Tirmidhī runs as Part I in the Fall and Part II in the Spring. The other two slots rotate each semester. Tap any course to see its full session-by-session outline.
Fall 2026
An intelligent adult foundation in belief — not technical kalām. You'll understand the beliefs you are expected to hold and learn to recognize the common modern assumptions that conflict with them.
- What is ʿaqīdah, and why does it matter?
- Knowing Allah and the meaning of tawḥīd
- Divine names and attributes
- Revelation and the need for prophethood
- The Messengers and the finality of Prophethood
- Angels, revelation, and the unseen
- Death, resurrection, judgment, Paradise, and Hell
- Divine decree, human choice, and responsibility
- Īmān, Islam, and iḥsān
- Reason, certainty, doubt, and religious authority
- Contemporary worldviews: materialism, secularism, and individualism
- Review and applied assessment
Focused and finishable: purification and prayer only — no fasting, zakāh, or ḥajj this semester. You'll leave able to perform ṭahārah and ṣalāh correctly and with confidence.
- How fiqh works: farḍ, wājib, sunnah, makrūh, and invalidators
- Water, purity, and impurities
- Wuḍūʾ
- Ghusl and personal purity
- Menstruation and related household literacy
- Tayammum, wiping, and common accommodations
- Prayer times, conditions, and preparation
- Structure of the prayer
- Wājib elements, sunnahs, and common mistakes
- Congregational prayer, the imam, and the latecomer
- Jumuʿah, travel, illness, and missed prayers
- Practical workshop and assessment
A sustained study of the person and daily life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — his appearance, dress, manners, and habits — through Imām al-Tirmidhī's classic collection.
- Introduction to Imām al-Tirmidhī and the Shamāʾil genre
- Why the Companions preserved the Prophet's ﷺ description
- General physical appearance
- Blessed face and features
- Hair and grooming
- Seal of Prophethood and fragrance
- Clothing and personal simplicity
- Sandals, ring, and belongings
- Walking, sitting, and physical presence
- Eating
- Drinking and hospitality
- Speech, silence, and review
Spring 2027
How to approach the Qur'an responsibly through selected passages — not a comprehensive "Sciences of Tafsīr" course. You'll finish knowing how to read, understand, and reflect on the Qur'an soundly.
- What the Qur'an is and how it was revealed
- Preservation, compilation, and arrangement
- What tafsīr is — and what it is not
- Qur'an explaining Qur'an
- The role of Sunnah and the early generations
- Makkan and Madinan context
- Causes of revelation
- Language, translation, and the limits of English renderings
- Applied study of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah
- Applied study of selected short sūrahs
- Applied study of a social or ethical passage
- Building a sustainable relationship with the Qur'an
A foundational course in halal earning, transactions, and workplace ethics — not a comprehensive Islamic-finance program. Individual modern cases may still require a separate fatwā and professional advice.
- Wealth, earning, intention, and accountability
- Foundations of Islamic transactions
- Elements of a valid sale
- Ownership, possession, price, and delivery
- Honesty, defects, advertising, and disclosure
- Ribā: essential principles and common forms
- Gharar, ambiguity, speculation, and hidden terms
- Employment, wages, contracts, and workplace ethics
- Debt, loans, late payment, and financial responsibility
- Partnerships, agency, and investing
- Contemporary questions: credit cards, retirement plans, stocks, e-commerce, and subscriptions
- Applied business case studies
The inward character, worship, and relationships of the Prophet ﷺ — and the practical work of loving, following, and carrying the Sunnah forward.
- Smile, laughter, and humor
- Emotional balance and principled anger
- Humility and service
- Generosity and hospitality
- Worship and prayer
- Night prayer and private devotion
- Fasting, duʿāʾ, and remembrance
- Family life
- Mercy toward children, servants, and the weak
- Leadership and public conduct
- Final illness, passing, and the Companions' love
- Loving, following, and carrying the Sunnah forward
Looking ahead — 2027–2028 (tentative): Once the first year is established, the anchor sequence rotates to Hadith and Prophetic Practice. Offerings are subject to faculty and enrollment.
Fall 2027: Fiqh of Fasting, Zakāh, and Ḥajj · Sīrah: The Makkan Period · Hadith and Prophetic Practice, Part I
Spring 2028: Tazkiyah and Islamic Character · Sīrah: The Madinan Period · Hadith and Prophetic Practice, Part II
Saturday Schedule
Three one-hour courses run back-to-back every Saturday morning, with short breaks between. You attend the one, two, or three courses you're enrolled in.
| Time | Slot |
|---|---|
| 10:00 – 10:55 AM | First course |
| 11:00 – 11:55 AM | Second course |
| 12:00 – 12:55 PM | Third course |
The Semester at a Glance
Each course meets for approximately twelve Saturdays per semester:
| Sessions | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1 | Orientation and introduction |
| 9 | Substantive teaching sessions |
| 1 | Review or applied workshop |
| 1 | Assessment, presentation, or concluding session |
An occasional makeup session may be added, but no course depends on having fifteen or twenty uninterrupted weeks. Courses are offered across two semesters — Fall and Spring — for six semester courses each academic year.
Academics & Assessment
The ZF Academy is a rigorous academic program — not a casual lecture series. Every course is taught to standards comparable to a college or university class: attendance is tracked, learning is reinforced through regular quizzes, and mastery is measured through graded assignments and a concluding assessment. Completion is earned through demonstrated competency, not simply by showing up.
This is a commitment. Beyond the hour of Saturday instruction, students should expect assigned reading and preparation between sessions for each course they take. Please enroll ready to study.
What to Expect in Each Course
- Assigned readings and worksheets between sessions
- Regular quizzes to reinforce and check understanding
- A short midsemester assessment
- Graded written assignments and reflections
- A final assessment, project, or reflection
- Practical demonstrations where relevant to the course (e.g., wuḍūʾ and prayer)
- Active, graded class participation
- A syllabus for each course outlining objectives, readings, and deadlines
Grading
Each course is graded independently using the following breakdown:
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Attendance & Participation | 20% |
| Quizzes & Midsemester Assessment | 25% |
| Assignments | 25% |
| Final Assessment / Project | 30% |
Attendance
- Attendance is recorded at every session.
- Students must attend at least 75% of a course's sessions — at least nine of twelve classes — to earn completion credit and sit for the final assessment.
- Absences should be communicated to the instructor in advance whenever possible.
- Excessive absence may forfeit completion, even where individual grades are passing.
Earning Course Completion
To receive completion recognition for a course, a student must:
- Attend at least 75% of sessions (9 of 12);
- Complete the required readings, worksheets, and major assignments;
- Complete the midsemester assessment and any practical demonstrations; and
- Pass the final assessment with a minimum grade of 70%.
A student may take a course purely for personal benefit without pursuing the wider certificate — but course completion credit still requires meeting these same requirements for that individual course.
Auditors are welcome in most courses but are not graded and do not receive completion recognition. We hold the completion standard so that each credential genuinely reflects knowledge and competency.
Tuition
ZF Academy tuition reflects what the program is: a serious community academy with real instruction, materials, and assessment — priced within the normal range of structured, community-based Islamic education, and well below national premium institutes.
| Enrollment | Semester Tuition |
|---|---|
| One Course (12 sessions) | $225 |
| Two Courses | $375 |
| Full Saturday Schedule (all three courses) | $475 — Best Value |
The full Saturday schedule comes to roughly $40 per Saturday for three hours of in-person instruction — about $13 per instructional hour.
Seat Deposit & Registration
- Registration requires a $25 seat deposit, which counts toward tuition.
- The deposit is nonrefundable if the student withdraws or stops attending — seats are not held on interest alone.
- Late enrollment closes after the second class of the semester, unless the instructor approves an exception. Each course is cumulative, not a drop-in lecture.
Scholarships
Need-based scholarships are available so that cost is never the reason a serious student cannot study — while keeping the same commitment expected of every enrolled student.
- Half scholarship: the student pays 50% of tuition.
- Full scholarship: the student pays a $25 commitment deposit.
The $25 commitment deposit is returned — or converted into credit for the next semester — when the student attends at least 75% of classes, completes the required assessments, and finishes the course in good standing. If the student repeatedly misses class or withdraws without cause, the deposit is retained.
Household Discount
When both spouses enroll in two or more courses, the second spouse receives 10% off tuition.
Refund Policy
| When | Refund |
|---|---|
| Before the first class | Full refund, less the $25 deposit |
| Through the second class | 50% tuition refund |
| After the second class | No refund |
- Transfers to another course are permitted only where space and scheduling allow.
- Refunds are not prorated based on later attendance.
To register, or to inquire about scholarships, please email academy@zubaidafoundation.com.
Certification & the Academy Core
Recognition builds up in three levels, at your own pace. Take a single course for its own sake, or accumulate courses over time toward the full Academy Core Certificate.
1. Course Completion
Earn completion recognition for each standalone course you finish, by meeting its attendance and assessment requirements.
2. Sequence Certificate
Complete both parts of a two-part sequence — such as Shamāʾil al-Tirmidhī I & II, or Hadith and Prophetic Practice I & II — to earn a sequence certificate.
3. Academy Core Certificate
Complete the eight-course Academy Core, at your own pace, over roughly two years. This is the Academy's flagship credential.
The Academy Core — 8 Courses
- Foundations of Faith
- Fiqh of Purification and Prayer
- Fiqh of Fasting, Zakāh, and Ḥajj
- Living with the Qur'an
- Hadith and Prophetic Practice, Part I
- Hadith and Prophetic Practice, Part II
- One Sīrah course
- One Islamic Living course (e.g., Business Ethics or Tazkiyah)
Move at your own pace. Taking two courses per semester finishes the Core in about two years; taking all three whenever available finishes it faster. And if you only ever want selected subjects, you never have to pursue the certificate at all.
Enrollment
Registration is by semester. Choose the courses you want — one, two, or all three — each Fall and Spring.
Course Enrollment (for credit)
Full academic standing: attendance, quizzes, assignments, and the final assessment. Earns course completion that counts toward sequence and Academy Core certificates.
Audit Enrollment
Attend a course for personal benefit without graded work. Auditors are not graded and do not receive completion recognition. Two-part sequences and capacity-limited courses may restrict auditing.
Register on time. A $25 seat deposit (applied toward tuition) reserves your place, and late enrollment closes after the second class of the semester unless the instructor approves an exception. Courses build week by week — joining mid-semester defeats the purpose.
There is no all-or-nothing. Take a single course that interests you, or build steadily toward the Academy Core — one semester at a time.
Need-based half and full scholarships are available — see the Tuition tab for details. To enroll or to inquire about financial aid, please email academy@zubaidafoundation.com.