Respect Graduate School

The Young Seekers

Registration is closed.

Course dates: September 14, 2022 – October 19, 2022 / November 2, 2022 – December 7, 2022 / January 18, 2023 – February 22, 2023

Respect Graduate School presents The Young Seekers as a compass to the perplexed minds. Designed specifially for the needs of immigrant Muslim youth, the Young Seekers courses provide answers to the most challenging questions this postmodern era puts to Islam, strategies of self-learning in a time of information bombardment and deep-fake, respect for the 15 hundreds years of Islamic history and a courage to say “I am a proud Muslim!“

Respect Graduate School

The Young Seekers

Registration is closed.

Course dates:

September 14, 2022 – October 19, 2022 / November 2, 2022 – December 7, 2022 / January 18, 2023 – February 22, 2023

In its 2022-2023 education year, enrolment in The Young Seekers program is done for three terms combined. The year is composed of three terms, each composed of six weeks of learning. We name the terms after the three companions of the Prophet who are known for their youth energy: Ali b. Abu Talib, Fatima al-Zahra and Mus’ab b. Umayr. The Ali Term extends from September 14 to October 19; the Fatima Term from November 2 to December 7, and the Mus’ab Term from January 18 to February 22 in 2023. Below you will find a list of courses that are oferred in each term.

Do you know?

The Young Seekers is run conjointly with the Anne-Baba Akademisi (Parents Academy) program. If you are interested in enrolling both, you will be entitled to a discount in the Anne-Baba Akademisi.

Anne-Baba Akademisi

Designed specifically for the needs of the immigrant Muslim youth

Delivered by lecturers with proven teaching abilities

36 hours of course on various aspects of religious experience

Full refund of course fees to students who have attended 32 or more of the 36 courses live and in full

Kahoot challenges at the end of each day of the courses and a final annual Kahoot

Ability to watch missed classes from recorded videos

Fully online courses supported with Google Classroom, Zoom and Kahoot

Further gifts to students who have attended to all 36 courses live and in full and to students who perform exceptionally well in the final annual Kahoot

Objectives of the Program

Discussing challenges of the post-modern era to the faith and identity of younger generations

Finding answers to existential problems from the treasures of the Quran

Responding to the alternative narratives of non-Islamic ideas and ideologies

Equipping the young participants with abilities to analyze and respond to future challenges

Nurturing a love and passion for truth in the hearts and minds of the new generation

The courses take place on Wednesday evenings, between 7.30pm and 9.30pm EST, with each lectures lasting 50 minutes. The courses are supported with Kahoot games and a final Kahoot Challenge crowns the courses on the day of the graduation ceremony at the end of the three terms.

Student Learning Outcomes

Encouraging students to write a summary of the discussion before and/or after each class

Interactive and motivating discussion sections for the students

A positive and constructive attitude to help students to be motivational and have creative engagement with the class

To improve writing skills

Course Schedule 2022-2023

Ali Term

Date: 14 September 2022 – 19 October 2022

Course 1: TENETS OF ISLAM AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR DAILY LIVES

Instructor: Dr Ruslan Yusupov

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

An abstract belief in God with no thought given on how such a belief should have implications for our daily lives is easily shaken. This course will look at the practical aspect of faith and will question the embodiment of faith principles in our acts and deeds.

Course 2: A COMMENTARY ON SURAH YUSUF: LESSONS FOR THE MILLENNIALS

Instructor: Gökhan Özkan

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Surah Yusuf contains the story of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) and the story is told by the Qur’an as one of the “Best of Stories”. With scenes of jealosy and conspiracy, fall and rise, betrayel and imprisonment, salvation and reconciliation the Chapter has a lot to tell to the postmodern generation.

Fatima Term

Date: 2 November 2022 – 7 December 2022

Course 1: GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE RISALE-I NUR

Instructor: Dr Albert Frolov

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed on Ali Unal’s seminal book General Principles in the Risale-i Nur Collection for a True Understanding of Islam. The course concentrates on six pillars of faith and presents the general principles of faith relating to these pillars.

Course 2: CORE CONCEPTS OF ISLAM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE RISALE-I NUR

Instructor: Dr Ihsan Colak

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to introduce six core consepts of Islam embodied in daily lives of Muslims: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Belief in One God, Belief in the Hereafter, Meaning of Islam, Shukr: Thankfulness, and finally Vijdan and nafs, the Consciousness and the evil-ordaining self.

Musab Term

Date: 18 January 2023 – 22 February 2023

Course 1: READING THE BOOK OF UNIVERSE FROM THE WINDOWS OF AL-ASMA AL-HUSNA, THE BEAUTIFUL NAMES OF ALLAH

Instructor: Dr Islam Bedir

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Imam Gazzali underlines that the essence of all being is the Beautiful Names of Allah. Just as the written book of Allah, the Qur’an, can and has been read by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi from the windows of the Beautiful Names, the created book, the Book of Universe can be read from the same perspective. Participants will learn how to look at beautiful flower and see al-Jameel, at the waves of Tsunami and see al-Jaleel, at the purr of cats and hear al-Raheem.

Course 2: SIX GREAT MUSLIMS: ABDALLAH IBN UMAR, RABIA AL-ADWIYYA, IMAM GAZZALI, IMAM RABBANI, MAWLANA JALALUDDIN RUMI, BEDIUZZAMAN SAID NURSI

Instructor: Dr Ahmet Muharrem Atlığ

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The quality of a tree is manifest in the quality of its fruits. Islam produced some of the greatest minds of human history. We will surf through the pages of history and see how at times of spiritual crises these minds shed light to the path of humanity. This course is aimed at replicating the examples of these great Muslims in this postmodern era.

Do you have interest for other courses at Respect GS?

Risale-i Nur Academy, Respect Qur’an School, Qur’anic Arabic and more.

Enroll Now

Registrations for this program will be open throughout the term the program is run.

The Young Seekers

$150

For all Six Courses
Total min. 36h
Virtual Classroom Support
Certification of Attendance
Full Refund to 32h or more of live participation to courses
Further gifts to 36h of live participation