Mohammed bin Zayed University for Human Sciences / Creating renewed religious awareness with a moderate approach

Abu Dhabi, April 29 / WAM / The College of Islamic Studies at the Mohammed bin Zayed University of Human Sciences is emerging as a space for creating a renewed religious mind, combining the strength of national reference, boldness of thinking, and broad horizons, and keeping pace with the world’s rapid transformations, armed with its national identity, tolerant vision, and realistic flexibility.

In this context, the university announced the opening of admission to Islamic studies programs at its three levels: bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate, within the framework of an integrated academic path that is considered one of the basic pillars of the university, and aims to graduate religious cadres capable of presenting a moderate religious discourse committed to the national identity of the Emirati religious discourse, and adhered to the official authority approved by the state, and in a way that serves the Emirati society and takes into account its cultural and value specificity.

The college’s programs aim to empower students with the tools of scientific research in Islamic jurisprudence and to qualify them as experts in legal opinions in accordance with the scientific rules and standards approved in the country, while developing their abilities in deriving legal rulings and dealing with jurisprudential developments, within a scientific framework that combines depth of rooting and flexibility of understanding.

The college also works to develop twenty-first century skills, in a way that enhances the readiness of its graduates to contribute to supporting intellectual security, establishing a culture of dialogue, and contributing positively to national and community initiatives, in addition to promoting and elevating a culture of tolerance, consolidating the values ​​of coexistence, and rejecting hate speech.

The college is keen to integrate its students into effective research environments, through their participation in international conferences, scientific seminars, and specialized research programs.

Since the launch of these programs, the university has been able to graduate 317 graduates in this track, including 261 in the bachelor’s degree, distributed among pivotal national institutions, where 14 of them joined the General Authority for Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat, 87 in state schools, and 7 in the Emirates Council for Sharia Fatwa, in a clear indication of the reliability of the outputs and their impact in the field.

The number of postgraduate graduates reached 56, including 41 master’s degrees and 15 doctorate degrees, in precise specializations that include jurisprudence, the Maliki school of thought, and societal issues, which reflects an advanced scientific presence in addressing jurisprudential developments with a solid methodology.

The “Islamic Studies Scholarships” are provided in cooperation with the General Authority for Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat, within the framework of the “Project to Prepare the National Sharia Cadre for Religious Discourse,” to attract an elite group of high school graduates and qualify them to occupy religious positions and settle them, in a way that promotes a balanced religious discourse and consolidates the values ​​of citizenship and tolerance.

These grants embody the features of one of the most prominent paths of qualitative applied qualification, which translates knowledge into effective performance and produces qualified religious cadres capable of effective presence and influence in the field.

The “Islamic Studies Scholarships” provide a comprehensive package that includes a complete exemption from tuition fees, housing and transportation, a monthly stipend, in addition to a clear career path that guarantees employment after graduation.

Nomination is required to obtain 90% in high school, pass the university’s Arabic language test, pass a personal interview, and adhere to the requirements of Sharia qualification during the study period.

In the context of highlighting the scientific and research movement within the university, qualitative contributions are evident from its students and faculty members that reflect the depth of the proposal and its close connection to issues of reality, including a book produced by one of the university’s students and titled “The Theory of Mercy in the Qur’an,” in a scientific proposal that reflects intellectual maturity and the ability to reread Qur’anic concepts with a contemporary analytical vision.

These contributions are also accompanied by distinguished scientific productions by faculty members, including the book “Moral Values ​​and Their Applications in Financial Transactions,” which provides a solid scientific treatment of the presence of values ​​in the economic system from a contemporary legal perspective. The book “Rationalizing Consumption in the Islamic Economy” comes to reinforce this trend, by discussing the challenges of consumer behavior in light of modern changes, while proposing practical solutions based on Islamic values ​​and keeping pace with the requirements of sustainable development.

His Excellency Dr. Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri, Chancellor of the University, said in a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the College of Islamic Studies at Mohammed bin Zayed University for the Humanities is considered one of the modern colleges that combines scientific depth with openness to modern sciences and developments in reality.

He pointed out that the real challenge is no longer in teaching Sharia sciences in their traditional form, but rather in presenting them as a science capable of interpreting reality and influencing it, which is what the college embodies in its various programs through a renewed cognitive model that links the text to its context and balances the solidity of the foundations and the breadth of the vision.

His Excellency stressed that the college’s academic programs are based on building a balanced academic personality, combining solid legal knowledge and analytical and communication skills, in addition to the ability to interact positively with developments in reality, which enhances the readiness of graduates for effective integration into various work environments.

He pointed out that this academic model does not only aim to graduate specialists, but rather to build minds capable of understanding and renewal, and to provide a balanced religious discourse that keeps pace with developments, and contributes to enhancing the stability and cohesion of societies.

He added that the college, with the distinguished teaching and research competencies it attracts, has established its position as a leading scientific destination, providing a supportive academic environment that enhances the quality of outputs and raises its competitiveness at the local, regional and international levels.

He stressed that Islamic studies programs meet growing needs in the Emirati and Gulf labor market, in light of the increasing demand for competencies that combine legal qualifications with an understanding of reality, expressing his happiness at the distinguished level that the college’s graduates have reached and their occupying influential positions in a number of institutions.

For her part, Her Excellency Dr. Najla Al-Naqbi, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, explained that Islamic studies programs are witnessing increasing competitiveness, with precise admission criteria aimed at attracting the most distinguished students, ensuring the quality of outcomes and the sustainability of academic excellence.

She stressed the university’s keenness to integrate its students into live research environments, through international conferences, scientific seminars, and research programs, in a way that enhances their scientific presence and opens up horizons for them to interact with various schools of thought.

The university offers an integrated scholarship system that enhances enrollment opportunities, and includes 4 main tracks, the first of which is the scholarship for citizens and children of female citizens, which is one of the basic pillars of supporting students, as it provides a complete exemption from tuition fees for the duration of study, in addition to regular monthly stipends, enabling them to complete their higher education without financial burdens.

The second track includes the scholarship for non-citizen students, which provides flexible support ranging from partial or total exemption from tuition fees, according to competitive admission mechanisms, in addition to other approved benefits, which contributes to attracting distinguished students of different nationalities.

As for the talent scholarship track, it aims to attract creative students in non-academic fields, such as the arts, sports, and performing arts, by providing an integrated package of incentives that includes study exemptions, incentive bonuses, and continuous support to develop their abilities, allowing them to develop their talents in parallel with their academic path.

The system is complemented by the partnership grants track, which are provided in cooperation with local and international bodies, and include specific programs such as Islamic studies grants and grants for imams and their children, which reflects institutional integration in supporting education, enhancing its outcomes, and expanding the scope of benefit from academic programs.

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