The Compact Advanced Qur’an Study and Tafsir Programme offers ʿĀlimiyyah graduates an opportunity to deepen their engagement with the Qur’an and the classical tradition of tafsir through a focused programme of advanced study.

At the heart of the programme is a detailed study of carefully selected passages from a range of major works of tafsir. Students will engage directly with the approaches of different scholars, developing a greater appreciation of their methods, and distinctive contributions to the interpretation of the Qur’an.

Alongside this, students will consolidate and advance their understanding of ʿUlūm al-Qur’an (the Sciences of the Qur’an), exploring important discussions relating to the revelation, transmission, interpretation and study of the Qur’an. A further component will focus on the language, style and rhetorical features of the Qur’an, helping students develop a deeper appreciation of the precision, eloquence and structure of Qur’anic expression.

The Compact Programme has been developed as a more accessible alternative to our original Advanced Qur’an Study and Tafsir Programme, particularly for those whose work, teaching or other commitments make daytime study difficult. Delivered during the UK evenings, it seeks to facilitate continued advanced study by providing a more concentrated route through some of the programme’s core areas.

While the original programme offers a broader range of study, the Compact Programme focuses on three key areas: Tafsir Selections, ʿUlūm al-Qur’an, and Qur’anic language and rhetoric. Tafsir Selections remains the central component, with two hours of study dedicated to it, while ʿUlūm al-Qur’an and Qur’anic language and rhetoric are each studied for one hour.

The Compact Programme is therefore not simply the original programme transferred to an evening timetable. Rather, it has been carefully structured around the time available, retaining key areas of advanced Qur’anic study while adapting their scope and delivery to a more focused format.

For ʿĀlimiyyah graduates, imams, teachers and other students of knowledge seeking to strengthen their engagement with the Qur’an and the tafsir tradition alongside their existing commitments, the Compact Programme provides a focused and accessible pathway to further study.

  • Dates

    The course starts September 2027

  • Course Fee

    £849.00
    10% Discount - £764.10

What our students say about the program

“…The institute is built around a developed level of study, it broadens your mind to a new way of living. The style of teaching is very well adapted to the times we live in which is essential for any British Muslim seeking out Islam. I recommend the institute to all seekers of Islam and pray Allah makes it easy for you.”

Shirin Sheth, UK

“Alhamdulillah very pleased to have joined this course. A must take for grads of Dars e Nizami courses. The lessons create confidence for those serving their communities as imams, teachers etc. and make up for the deficiencies/laziness from the days of studying in madrassah. Masha’allah I can only describe the teachers as Gems, full of knowledge and also ready to help. Taking this course has opened up to me just how much more there is to learn!”

Zayd Mehtar, UK

“The Advanced Jurisprudence course has been a very beneficial experience for me. Not only are the instructors demonstrably knowledgeable in their respective fields, but they are great teachers. Students are encouraged to ask questions in class and instructors make themselves available through discussion forums.”

Umm Abdillah

“Despite being an online student and not being in-person at the Institute, I have found that the course has helped me to make the jump from simply sufficing with the text I am studying to regularly referring to other texts and resources to verify my understanding and to gain more depth, both because of the teachers and other students. It has also enabled me to understand the abwab of Fiqh much better than I had before, which in turn has increased my confidence when needing to convey masa’il to others.”

Imran Ahmed

“Immensely beneficial and completely interactive course, gave me the right understanding and confidence of even the most complex masa’il. In buyu’ (trade), it gave good insight in dealings with contracts of sharikah, mudarabah, waqf, hiba, wakalah, Kafalah, etc…… This course taught me to be responsible, liable, scrupulous and accountable in my everyday actions, dealings and speech. My personal message to Alims and Alimas is … take up these courses and develop yourselves in a short span of time, and become a source of guidance and spread the noor of this ilm in your community …. No words can do justice for what this course gave me. Alhamdulillah.”

Nassuha Ebrahim, Saudi Arabia

Language, Style and Structure of the Qur’an

This module focuses on the rhetorical aspect of Qur’anic verses. Students learn to recognise and highlight rhetorical aspects in verses particularly and in surahs holistically. The art of Qur’anic translation is also studied in this module. Besides practical proficiency in understanding the rhetoric and eloquence of the Qur’an, topics related directly to the Arabic language are covered, such as:

- Reasoning in the Qur’an

- Qur’anic oaths

- Miraculous nature of the Qur’anic language

- Themes of the Qur’an

Tafsir Selections

This module covers carefully chosen selections of more than two dozen tafsirs from the earliest to the recent such as the tafsirs of Muqatil ibn Sulayman, Ibn ‘Atiyya, Abu Ja‘far al-Tabari, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi, Zamakhshari, Baydawi, and Alusi. 

Students also present their own choice of Tafsirs for certain verses and study their chosen selections as a class, so that a total of approximately 30 tafsirs are covered over the year. The study of each tafsir includes the author’s biography and introduction, as well as their approach, methodology and principles in exegesis. 

Upon completion of this module, students will gain proficiency in studying and understanding a wide spectrum of tafsir books, which they will be able to refer to for self-study and within their teaching practices.

‘Ulum al-Qur'an (Sciences of the Qur’an)

This module covers a study of the important sciences of the Qur’an through Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti’s Al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Juday’s Al-Muqaddimat al-Asasiyyah fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, Mufti Taqi Usmani’s An Approach to the Qur’anic Sciences and others. 

The main topics covered through these books include extensive discussions on:

- The Principles of tafsir

- The Revelation of the Quran

- Makki and Madani surahs

- The Seven Recitals

- The Preservation of the Quran

- Abrogation within the Quran

- The Method of Exegesis

- The Recitation of the Quran

Upon completion of this module, students will gain a proficient understanding of the principles of many sciences of tafsir, thereby being able to conduct their own research on the Quran and exegesis for themselves and for their teaching.

Instructor

 Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera
Ml Sofwan Ahmed
Ml Ahmad

Duration

 September 2027 - July 2028

Course Start Date

 September 2027

Sessions

 Online Only (Recordings of the live sessions are only available for one week for this course)

Timings

 Thursday & Friday, 7:30pm to 9:30pm British Standard Time

Exams & Assignments

 Mid-Term Exams: 2 Exam
End of Year Exams: 2 Exam

Course Fee

 £849.00
10% Discount - £764.10
Certificate
 No

*Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this course is correct at the time of publication. Courses are subject to ongoing development, which could necessitate cancellation of, or alteration to, the advertised courses.

Instructor(s)

Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera

Dean, Course Instructor

Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera is a British Muslim scholar educated in both the Islamic and Western traditions. He memorised the Qur’an by heart and graduated from the Darul Uloom seminary Bury, UK, and later earned a specialised licence to issue fatwa (legal responses) at Mazahir ‘Ulum Saharanpur, India. He earned his BA from the University of Johannesburg and completed his MA and PhD in Islamic Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He holds an honorary fellowship at The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Amman, Jordan. Shaykh Abdur-Rahman has the unique experience of serving as an imam in Muslim communities on both sides of the Atlantic, eight years in Southern California and over five in the great city of London—and his continued work as an international speaker and lecturer enables him to address and offer pertinent advice on current challenges that face Muslims in the West. He is the founder of Whitethread Institute, a post-graduate insititute for Islamic scholars. He is an avid traveller and continues to teach hadith and work on scholarly publications through White Thread Press. Many of his lectures are available on Zamzam Academy and his courses through Rayyan Courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are there any live sessions?

    All the sessions are live and available on-site and online.

  • Are we allowed to share the course with our partners or siblings?

    We expect all students who pay for the course to have explicit use of the content and should not be shared, therefore if your partner or spouse wants to take the whole course, then we would advise purchasing the course, if you want to make them aware of some snippets or questions which are relevant to them, then that is fine, everything in the resources section are available for free and can be shared.

  • Do we have lifetime access to the recordings?

    Unfortunately, all our sessions are copyright of Whitethread Institute, therefore students are not allowed to save, record or recreate the content of the sessions as the content is constantly updated. We do provide resources that are free to download or share.

  • Are there any funding opportunities for this course?

    Students can apply for zakat or sponsorship opportunities, for further details, please contact [email protected]

Why Study at Whitethread Institute?

  • Great studying environment

  • Interactive discussions between students and teachers

  • High level discussions where teachers are open to questions and do not shy away from sensitive or controversial issues

  • Comfortable studying environment

  • In depth coverage of topics

  • Deep understanding of the nuances of the subject matter

  • All lessons taught in a practical manner relevant to current times