The advanced Specialisation in Fiqh and Ifta’ Program is a rigorous two-year course for which only a dozen places are available each year. The course is now available online for the 2023-24 Academic year to students who can show a high level of competence in the field of fiqh and can rigorously maintain a long-distant online studying schedule full time.

If you are interested, please apply today!

This is a post-graduate course focused on developing the ability of ‘alimiyya graduates to proficiently research and formulate legal responses (fatwa) to both complex and everyday issues (nawazil).

The course comprises the study of important texts on usul al-fiqh (legal theory), qawa’id al-fiqh (legal maxims), usul al-ifta’ (principles of fatwa giving), and juz’iat and furu’ al-fiqh (derivative rulings).

Students study research methodology and the ifta’ process in depth to attain proficiency in research and answering questions according to classical and traditional methods, but while taking into consideration contemporary demands and sensitivities. Over the full-time course period of two years, students practice answering over a thousand questions on a variety of essential topics required to guide people towards an honest and righteous Islamic life in the fast-changing world we find ourselves in.

  • Dates

    From September 2023

  • On-site and Online

    Full-Time and Part-Time available

  • Course Fee

    Full-Time: £2,499.00 per year Part-Time: £1,299.00 per year

Instructor

 Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel
Guest Instructors

Duration

 Full Time: 2 Years
Part-Time: 3 to 4 years

Course Start Date

 September 2023

Sessions

 Live Sessions (Available online for exceptional students not living in London)

Timings


 Monday to Friday
Full-Time: 8.30am to 1pm
Part-Time: Subject to modules taken

Course Fee

 Full-Time: £2,499.00 per year
Part-Time: £1,299.00 per year

What our students say about the course

“My experience at Whitethread Institute as an Ifta’ student was exhilarating (and exhausting!). I’ve always believed in real learning instead of just getting a certificate and this course was exactly as I expected, comprehensive and intensive. I have also taken another online Ifta program and have had a brief experience with yet a third program and I’m convinced that everything from the comprehensiveness and depth of this course to teachers’ competency to their teaching style, there is currently no better alternative for women who want to study the ‘authentic’ ifta methodology online. If I were to pick THE most distinguishing feature of this course, I’d pick the fatwa writing training. Students are required to research and write 3-5 fatwas daily which are then individually checked and corrected live in class through screen share. Around 500+ fatwas are written in the first year alone. Another distinguishing feature is the methodology of ifta itself and the characteristics and strengths of Hanafi fiqh. Just 6 months into the course and I was not only able to decipher the language and trace the trajectory of the evolutionary development of any fiqhi issue, but also assess the quality and credibility of any fatwa (and muftis). I never dreamed that I’d ever be able to discuss a fiqhi issue with any … mufti but the course gave me the confidence and ability to communicate professionally in terms of both theoretical foundations as well as the nuts and bolts of it. I no longer hesitate and have since then engaged in quite a few fiqhi discussions with experienced muftis and professionals … alike.”

Habiba Afridi, Pakistan

“Principally, the Ifta programme taught us that balance is the essence of good work. We were told to be critical and use the primary sources for our comprehension of an issue. At the same time, our contributions are not to be foolhardy by isolating ourselves from the majority with ‘quirky’ views. We were taught to balance; balance our independent academic research with the needs of the community and the scrutiny of our peers. The spirit of Ifta and fatwa is in this middle ground of representing “orthodoxy” while balancing out these different variables.”

Ikramul Hoque, UK

“This course has helped develop my critical thinking and analytical skills. The course has given me an opportunity as a woman to voice my opinions. The course instructors and students are all very respectful and there is a healthy environment where we are able to have open discussions and come to an agreement without anyone’s opinion being forced upon us. If we are unable to come to an agreement then we agree to disagree at times or carry out further research until we are able to come to a conclusion. Otherwise we refer these unresolved questions to other ‘ulama. I have found these discussions in particular extremely valuable, as it is an opportunity to learn the art of debating, and also a great opportunity to hear the opinion and ideas of others.”

Ameena Dustagheer, UK

Course Content

The second year of the course includes a specialisation in at least one of a number of important areas:

  • Islamic Bioethics (Medical Ethics and Medicine)
  • Islamic Family and Marital Law
  • Islamic Food and Dietary Law
  • Islamic Inheritance Law
  • Citizenship, Integration, and Political Issues
  • Islamic Trade, Commerce and Finance
  • Fiqh of Women
  • Menstruation, Post-Natal Bleeding, Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
  • Astronomy and Prayer Times

Regular Teachers include Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera and Mufti Zubair Patel

Guest teachers: Dr Shaykh Zeeshan Chaudri (Whitethread Institute), Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari (Darul Iftaa, Leicester), Mufti Zubair Butt (Al-Qalam), and Mufti Sarfraz Ahmad (Birmingham Fiqh Council Birmingham), who have promised short seminars as and when possible.

Please note that this is an intense post-graduate course open to graduates of the dars nizami or equivalent system, who are juridically inclined, can demonstrate an adequate grasp of fiqh (Marghinani’s Hidaya), and possess an advanced level of Arabic text analysing skills.

Due to the interactive nature of the course and the intense individual one-to-one mentoring required, only limited spaces are available.

Open to ‘alims and ‘alimas

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.

Mufti Zubair Patel

Course Instructor

Mufti Zubair Patel graduated from the Alimiyya and Ifta’ at Jamiatul Ilm Wal Huda Blackburn in 2005. He subsequently was selected to teach at the same institute for 3 years. Since leaving Blackburn, He has been teaching at Imam Zakaria Academy, Forest Gate, London where he holds a senior post and is well loved by both students and teachers alike, along with teaching at Jamia Al Rawda nearby.

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 courses@whitethread.org

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 fiqh

  • Experienced and knowledgeable teachers

  • Students guided throughout their studies

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