Department of the Qur'an and Sunnah

The Department of the Qur'an and Sunnah was inaugurated in 1395/1396 as a branch of Shari`ah (Islamic Law) at the College of Shari`ah (Islamic Law). Though it offered multiple courses, they could not fulfill the aspired objectives of students; since courses tended to handle general sciences, with no consideration for details.

Establishment:

Under the patronage of the Department of Shari`ah, curricula were reconsidered, developed and modified in order to promote the scientific level in the field of the Qur'an and Sunnah. For this purpose, the Department exerted serious efforts to add subjects that are related to the history of Sunnah, books on Ilm Al-Rijal (reporters of Hadith), narration, chains of narration, objective interpretation. The courses also focused on providing students with set of traditions in terms of the principles of faith and noble manners. In this stage and for the first time, curricula were detailed. However, they did not handle the objectives sought by studying them and no data on syllabus were available at that time.    

After the branch of Makkah affiliated to King Abdulaziz University had been moved to an independent university, i.e. Umm Al-Qura University, and the decision of establishing the college of Da'wa and Usul-ud-Din (Call to Islam and Religion's Fundamentals) issued, the foundation of the Qur'an and Sunnah Department was approved under decision No. 30/4/16/6827/1, made on 22 Rajab 1404 according to the decision of university's high council during its second session held on 1404 A.H. in 25 Jumada II 1404, and then it was transmitted from Shari`ah department to the college of Da'wa and Usul-ud-Din (Call to Islam and Religion's Fundamentals). It included two branches during that phase:

1- Interpretation and its sciences;

2- Hadith and its sciences.

The department intended to prepare new methodologies that stated by the council of department and college.

Study objectives in the department:

1-      Acquainting of  the student with the principles of faith through understanding the meanings of Qur'anic verses, the way of deducing rulings, morals and their aims;

2-      Developing the student rhetorically by defining the aspects of Qur'an miracles through studying the characteristics of Qur'anic Suras revealed in both Makka and Medina;

3-      Training students to study the Glorious Qur'an objectively through collecting relevant verses with understanding their meanings in objective and inclusive method;

4-      Promoting the academic development of student by acquainting knowledge and types of Qur'anic sciences that help him understand the Glorious Qur'an correctly;

5-      Explaining to the student a methodology pursued by the companions and followers in terms of understanding the Glorious Qur'an, besides knowing the methods of mufassirin (interpreters of the Glorious Qur'an), the characteristics of each method, the most popular books in interpretation and their scientific value;

6-      Cultivating the student with wide Qur'anic culture that enables him to defend against Islam and refute claims attributed to it;

7-      Clarifying the significance of Hadith sciences to the student with mentioning their roles in protecting Sunnah against fabrication and distortion;

8-      Pointing out the efforts of Muhaditheen (scholars of Hadith) to develop Hadith sciences and serve Sunnah, mentioning their superior scientific honesty and stating their accurate scientific methodology to affirm and purify Sunnah from fabrication by their approved perfect rules and accurate standards;

9-      Acquainting of  the student with basic rules stated in Hadith sciences that enable him to test what can be accepted and rejected from Hadith;

10-  Mentioning the morals of persons having this knowledge, the ultimate aim for which the knowledge sought associating with sincerity in both deeds and sayings, as well as referring to the position of companions through mentioning proofs that state so and refute allegations intended to them;

11-  Encouraging a student to have the faculty of research which helps him to be an efficient researcher capable of investigating narrations, status of reporters and narrated texts in the light of principles of Hadith; and identifying the methods of Muhaditheen in compiling and bringing together what may apparently be considered as contradiction or paradox between traditions;

12-  Developing students' ability for memorization and their mental talents to deduce rulings from their memorized traditions and study them objectively and analytically. In addition, planting perfect manners and exalted morals in their souls;

13-  Student should know the prophet's eloquence and the sublimity of Islamic legislation and its way in education and tackling doubts and illusions that face some people during their life;

14-  Refuting the claims and allegations fabricated by atheists on some traditions; and

15-  Qualifying the student scientifically and educationally to teach religious sciences in general and educate interpretation, Hadith and their sciences in particular, besides preparing him to employ in the field of Da'wa, guidance, scientific researches and other practical fields.                        

Following are the admission prerequisites for newly-enrolled students:

1.  An applicant shall obtain general secondary school certificate from inside or outside the Kingdom provided that it is not less than 80%;

2.  The period elapsed from that date of his/her obtaining general secondary school and equivalent shall not exceed 5 years, while the council of university may make an exception if reasonable reasons are given;

3.  He/she shall be well-behaved and well-mannered;

4.  Passing any test or interview held by the university council;

5.  He/she shall be medical fit;

6.  Approving his/her employed body if he/she worked in any governmental or private entity as per the study schedule stated in the department;

7.  Meeting other conditions identified by the university council and declared at the time of submitting;

8.  He/she shall not be dismissed academically or disciplinary from university;

9.  He/she shall not be dismissed disciplinary from any other university;

10.  Comparing between the approved applicants takes place on the basis of their marks in the test of general secondary school, interview and admission tests (if any). 

Postgraduate Studies in the Department

Curricula and Objectives:

As postgraduate studies in both master's degree and PhD have a great deal of change and modification to keep up with age developments. In fact, these curricula in their new method were a result of hard and continuous efforts exerted by the council of the Qur'an and Sunnah department, its sub-committees, and audit of university council and postgraduate studies council, its sub-committees.  

The following points were taken in consideration in the preparation of curricula:

1.      Achieving the general objectives of postgraduate studies in the Saudi Arabia Kingdom generally and Umm Al-Qura University particularly, especially the college of Da'wa and Usul-ud-Din (Call to Islam and Religion's Fundamentals) and the Qur'an and Sunnah department;

2.      employing the log-term experience of department in the field of postgraduate studies, which were established on 1392 A.H. when it was a department in the faculty of Shari`ah and Islamic Studies, and then it was transmitted to the college of Da'wa and Usul-ud-Din (Call to Islam and Religion's Fundamentals) on 1408 A.H;

3.      Keeping fundamentals, principles and positive points arising from the former curricula, and avoiding negative results;

4.      Connecting studied courses and curricula with the reality that the student lives to produce righteous, positive and specialized generation contributing to develop his/her community and country; and

5.      In the program of PhD, it must be focused in contemporary issues, newly accidents that are among the elements of this age. Furthermore, developing the analytical and critical faculty of the student, training to do so and preferring one of proof over others, to be familiar with surrounding contemporary issues and accidents and have the ability to deal with them according to the rules stated in the Glorious Qur'an, Sunnah and pure methodology of Salaf, provided keeping fundamentals and principles, refuting the claims and allegations fabricated by the orientalists on the above-mentioned issues. Consequently, course at this stage were given in seminars, symposia and discussions about the contents of academic curricula.  

First: Master's degree:

It includes the specializations in interpretation, Hadith and their sciences. The study in master's degree is conducted according to article (33) of unified regulation for postgraduate studies in universities; it is (courses and thesis), while the overall of credit hours is 50, known as the methodological year. In addition, the way of study is two terms, and the number of credited hours 32 distributed to two terms, as the number of credited hours for thesis is 18. The study is conducted in the following two specializations:

A-    Specialization in interpretation and the sciences of the Glorious Qur'an; and

B-     Specialization in Hadith and its science.

Admission Prerequisites for master's degree in the Department of the Qur'an and Sunnah with its two specializations:

1-      An applicant shall be Saudi or have a formal scholarship for non-Saudi applicants;

2-      He/she shall obtain a bachelor degree from any Saudi university or any other approved university;

3-      He/she shall be well-behaved and well-mannered;

4-      He/she shall submit two recommendation letters from his/her previous professors;

5-      He/she shall obtain at least a "very good" degree during the university stage;

6-      He/she shall obtain an approval of study, if he/she is an employee, as stated in article (13).

Second: PhD stage:

It includes two specializations; interpretation, Hadith and their sciences. The study in PhD is conducted according to the article (34) of unified regulation on postgraduate studies in universities; known as (thesis and some courses), while the overall of credit hours is 70 hours. Moreover, in this stage, courses are given in the form of seminars and symposia as stated in (34-2); therefore the study of research subjects is performed through one of the following two ways:

A-    The way of collective seminars, in which professors and students put set points for a research, then each researcher is responsible for some of them to be discussed collectively. Consequently, these points are issued and distributed to the students following discussion under the supervision of professor, or

B-     Each researcher is responsible for a research to be prepared, discussed collectively. After the discussion, the research is edited under the supervision of the professor and distributed among students.

A- Specialization in interpretation and the sciences of the Glorious Qur'an; and

B- Specialization in Hadith and its science.

Admission Prerequisites for Master's Degree in the Department of the Qur'an and Sunnah with two specializations:

1- An applicant shall be Saudi or have a formal postgraduate studies scholarship for non-Saudi applicants;

2- He/she shall obtain a master's degree with very good at least from any Saudi university or any other approved university;

3- He/she shall be well-behaved, well-mannered and medically fit;

4- He/she shall submit two recommendation letters written by his/her previous professors;

5- Full engagement with study in PhD stage; and

6- Approval of his/her working body if he/she employs.

Chairmen of the Department:

Many proficient scholars and eminent professors assumed the chairmanship of the department. They are:

Prof. Mansour Bin O'wn Al-a'bdli, the first head, from 1403-1409 A.H.

Prof. Usama Bin Abdullah Khyat from 1409-1414 A.H.

Prof. Muhammad Said Muhammad Hassan Bukhari from 1414-1416 A.H.

Prof. Abdullah Ali Al-ghamdi from 1416-1418 A.H.

Prof. Hasanein Muhammad Husein Flmban from 1418-1422 A.H.

Prof. Matar Ahmad Al Nasir Al-zhrani from 1422-1426 A.H.

Prof. Ghalab Bin Muhammad Al-handti from 1428 up to now

Contact the Department:

02/550 1000, ext. 6360 or 6361

02/5505017/ ext. 18 & 19

Fax: 02/5583888