Enrolment Notice: Seminary Study Course at Al-Mortada School

Al-Mortada School in Najaf is announced the launch of its Shia Seminary Study Course from 15 Jul to 10 Aug 2018 for males only ages 16+. Lecturers from Howza of Najaf will deliver lectures in Quran, Jurisprudence, Theology, Ethics and Issues related to youths.

What follows is Enrolment Notice to study Islamic sciences in the Holy city of Najaf at the School of the devout scholar the late Sayyid Murtadha Al-Kashmiri (died 1323 A.H):

In the Name of Allah the Compassionate the Merciful

All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings upon the Master of Messengers, Muhammad and his pure and chaste household, and a permanent curse be upon all their enemies till the Day of Judgment.
The need for students of religious sciences in Europe, America, Canada and other countries of the East and West has become urgent indeed. This is due to the lack of qualified people who can fulfill the spiritual needs of those societies – in responding to their questions and educating them in the best principles of Islam and strengthening their pride in their Islamic identity.
Since several years ago, the Imam Ali (a.s) Foundation has been following the Islamic activities of the centers and institutions in these countries. The reluctance of young people to attend their activities, lectures and seminars has been noticeable.

A study of the causes found that:
A- The pattern of these activities may not satisfy the aspirations of this category of society.
B- Lack of means to attract them.
C- The language spoken by the lecturer, scholar or the orator is of utmost importance – especially since many young people can only speak the language of the country and environment they grew up in.

Therefore, it was incumbent upon the administrators of the Imam Ali (a.s.) Foundation to find the means to deal with these issues. They developed plans to address the aforementioned causes and decided to establish a school, to house those students who wish to study in the holy city of Najaf and to create a favourable environment for them, including the training of lecturers and orators who are able to meet the needs of the community in these countries. This school, like others, was established under the directives of the leading Marja’iyah in Najaf Al-Ashraf.

Outline of the Al-Murtadha School system
The main task of this school is to graduate an elite group of students in order to perform specific religious functions based on specialized scientific knowledge of the Hawza in the Holy city of Najaf. The syllabus was designed with a view to shorten the time required to finish the course. In addition to the Hawza curriculum, there are several subjects related to psychology, education and sociology as well as units to strengthen the language frequently used in those countries.

Provisions are also made to ensure:
a- Cultural diversity
b- Access to the heritage of the school Ahlul-Bayt (a.s)
c- Recognizing prominent scholars and using their advice and guidance and take advantage of their biography and history.
The duration of the course will be five years.
Thus preparing students to meet the needs for which this school was established.

The school year will commence from mid-Shawwal 1439 A. H. (beginning of July 2018) and end in mid-Sha’ban of each Hijri year – as is the case of the Hawza – including the following holidays:
1- Thursdays and Fridays of each week.
2- General commemorations of the deaths of Imams (a.s) and certain Eid celebrations.
3- From the 1st of Muharram to the 15th.

The school administration does not allow public activities, including Tabligh until completion of studies.

The school administration’s task will be to:
1 – Determine the number of students the school may house and test those arriving from inside and outside Iraq to verify their eligibility for the course.
2 – Organize their residency status in the country and their affiliation to the Hawza in Najaf Al- Ashraf.
3 – Provide the means for the students’ livelihood such as housing, food and security, in addition to the monthly salary granted to students by the offices of the Maraji’ (may Allah protect them).
4- Identify the textbooks and the length of time required to study them and provide qualified teaching staff.
5 – Follow-up students’ affairs and studies and monitor their progress and report this to their families, via an annual or a bi-annual report.
6 – Grant students, who completed their studies a certificate to confirm passing their studied.

Entry qualifications required to join Al-Murtada School:
1- Students must be over the age of 18 years old.
2- Students must have completed and attained a good level at high school. It is preferable to have finished university.
3- Students must have a clear judicial record.
4- Students are required to provide a written reference of good conduct and eligibility for the Hawza from their Islamic Center or establishment.
5- Students are required to pass the School’s entry test and interview.
6- Students need to sign the undertakings required upon entry to the school.

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.w) said: Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim. (Al-Kafi c: 1 p: 30).
Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) also said said: “The scholars are the heirs of the prophets, and that the prophets did not inherit a dirham or dinar. Rather, their legacy was Ahaadith from their Ahaadith. Those who benefited from them were very fortunate. Be careful where you obtain your knowledge from because in every generation we, the Ahlul-Bayt, have those who will deny the injustice, misrepresentation and interpretations of the ignorant (Al-Kafi c:1, p: 32) Therefore, young people who satisfy the School’s entry requirements should register their names and send a copy of their original papers and I.D. to Imam Ali Foundation in London .

Address:
Imam Ali Foundation
65 Brondesbury Park
London NW6 7AX
UK