Rabata recognizes the needs of women wanting to pursue education. Women’s stories are unique and therefore, Ribaat University has been developed with that in mind. By women, for women, Ribaat University aims to educate women globally by making education attainable and affordable.
For Muslims, education is not just a worldly pursuit; it is a spiritual duty, to seek knowledge as a lifelong journey. The very first revelation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was in one word: Iqra, Read!
“Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (Quran 96:1)
In this one revelation, education becomes sacred. Allah emphasizes the importance of education, being literate, and seeking knowledge. Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 224)
Islam has a long history of women in education, and not only advocating for it, but setting the model for others. At the time of the Prophet ﷺ, female sahabi (Companions) (ra) were active members in learning the Quran and raising children with Islamic knowledge. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his wives and daughters to seek education. The women in his ﷺ family were not only educated in Islam but pursued education in other fields such as medicine and poetry and became leaders within the community.
Mohammad Akram Nadwi, author of Al-Muhaddithat: The Women Scholars in Islam, unveiled that there are over eight thousand women scholars of hadith! These Muslim women scholars significantly contributed to preserving Islamic knowledge and history. Women being literate and learned was not an anomaly but an obligation and human right.
History of Muslim Women and Education
By 859 CE, Fatima al-Fihri founded the first university, the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco. She established a mosque and madrasa but then expanded it to be the first to award formal degrees.[1] At Ribaat, we continue the legacy of these noble women.
Education Benefits a Society
The Prophetic model showcases the pedagogy of educating an entire ummah, one that embraces the knowledge of faith along with the knowledge of the world. We learn from his ﷺ blessed example that an educated ummah (community) is a strong and united ummah.
Education is not solely about achieving grades, degrees, or careers; pursuing education with sincerity, rooted in Islamic foundations, transforms our educational environments into learning spaces where secular intersects with sacred.
This is what makes Ribaat University so unique: you are able to pursue secular studies within the framework of Islamic principles, and through it, we can transform the world.
Ribaat University Application Process: A Holistic Approach to Education
Ribaat University is offering a holistic approach to the application process that not only focuses on academic transcripts and recommendations but should also feel like an invitation for you to share your personal narrative and reflections to several essay questions that demonstrate your academic contributions.
Applications consist of the following, but not limited to:
- $35 non-refundable application fee
- Proof of identification
- Transcripts from all educational institutions, including Ribaat Academic Institute (Unofficialcan be uploaded first, however, official transcripts will be needed upon admission)
- Certificates, professional development, and awards of achievement
- Three to four letters of recommendation, consisting of professional, personal, academic, and religious leadership references
- A personal narrative essay
- Written short essay responses
- Applicants for the graduate programs (MTS and ThD) need to provide a research paper sample and respond to a writing prompt
- Applicants for the graduate programs (MTS and ThD) will have an interview after submitting the application
Please be sure to check our website for the most up-to-date information regarding Degree programs, the application, and more. As we approach the application opening dates, we look forward to receiving your submissions and embarking on this monumental milestone for Rabata and Muslim women, opening the online doors of Ribaat University, with you.
[1] Fatima al-Fihri: Founder of the world’s first university – Manchester University Press
Anse Heather Elsayed, MA, Admissions Officer of Ribaat University