ALIM Potential Future Initiatives

ALIM is dedicated to growing in a gradual and progressive manner in order to meet its goals and objectives related to Islamic Literacy and Muslim Empowerment. Its strategic plan is constantly evolving and all new programs or initiatives pass through a rigorous feasibility study and approval process. The following is a roadmap of future endeavors that ALIM is seriously exploring:

Advanced Islamic Studies Summer Program

An advanced exploration of the Islamic Sciences with more focus on contemporary issues. This program would be open to Summer Program alumni and other students showing equivalence. The strict selection process will ensure a high quality student composition, which by itself advances the level of the program. But this program will attempt to tackle difficult contemporary issues and present the many facets of these issues to the students. Experts will be brought in on specialized topics such as Finance, Politics, or Art and Literature. Then the scholars and students will discuss issues related to those topics. The purpose is exposure to the complexity of these issues.

Intensive Arabic Immersion Course

A comprehensive course instilling the fundamentals of Arabic through immersion and other cutting-edge linguistic education tools. The highest caliber of Arabic scholars and instructors will be utilized. While other programs exist for Arabic, this program will be focused on developing critical thinking skills and Muslim character while grounding the student with a solid foundation of Arabic. Other existing programs, especially in the United States, have a distinctly amoral and oftentimes-immoral environment that comes packaged with the instruction of Arabic. Unfortunately, the student gains proficiency in Arabic at the expense of a decrease in his/her faith and practice of Islam because he/she is ill-prepared for the persistent exposure to an immoral environment and the constant attacks on his/her faith made by many of the program coordinators. ALIM's Arabic program would not only provide better and more relevant instruction on Arabic but it would also provide an Islamically positive environment that would, by the grace of Allah, increase the students faith and devotion to Allah and being a better person with good Muslim Character. These goals are achieved, first, by providing instructors, assistants and supervisors who are believers and who teach and supervise from a basis of faith. Furthermore, the substance of the materials themselves will focus on subjects relevant to Islam as opposed to generic, amoral, or immoral subject matter. The students will analyze the texts they translate and discuss these in Arabic as well as English. Students will pray in congregation for all prayers, be given time to read Qur'an, and encouraged to engage in other acts of worship. ALIM's Arabic program will therefore strive to achieve both goals of increasing knowledge and faith.

Weekend Mini-Courses

Mini-courses on specialized topics. Possible topics include Islamic Finance, Women in Islam, and Literature and Art of the Islamic World. These programs would be rotated throughout the nation in order to expose ALIM to many different communities and people.

Weekend Retreats

Learning Retreats that are integrated with recreational, brotherhood/sisterhood, and family activities. These will be ideally located at a recreational resort. These programs open ALIM's doors to busy families and professionals because they can truly integrate their vacation with learning and personal development.

Specialized Publications

ALIM envisions these to be essays and publications on pertinent contemporary topics by ALIM scholars. These publications will focus on encouraging critical analysis of issues, imbibing Muslim character and also on relating Islam to the contemporary Muslim and reconnecting that Muslim with the Islamic tradition and culture.

Weekly Classes

These are class series focused on one particular theme. These classes would take place throughout the year and follow ALIM's teaching principles and philosophy. It is possible that these classes will be offered in locations other than Michigan. The ALIM scholars would then be flown in each week to the particular location.