Riverstead: Quran

For women seeking to read the Quran with fluency, beauty, and understanding, Ribāṭ Riverstead offers step-by-step support through every stage of the journey—from recognizing Arabic letters to reciting with tajwīd.

Enrollment Periods

No admissions process. Join during our Spring, Summer, or Fall registration windows.

Program Objectives

Apply Tajwīd Rules

  • Demonstrate consistent application of tajwīd rules in both memorization and recitation

Strengthen Retention

  • Maintain and strengthen memorization through regular review and correction with a qualified teacher

Connected to the Sanad

  • Learn from teachers within a chain of transmission
  • Understand the weight and honor of the sanad

Before You Apply

  • New students to Ribāṭ Tajwīd must begin with an assessment. Applicants who have not previously taken a Ribāṭ Tajwīd class are required to complete a Tajwīd and Arabic assessment. Based on the results, students are placed into one of three levels and begin working toward the prerequisites needed to apply for the Ijāza program.
  • External Tajwīd coursework does not transfer. We do not currently accept transfer credit or waive Tajwīd requirements based on courses completed outside of the Ribāṭ program.

  • A prior Ijāza does not automatically waive prerequisites. Students who hold an Ijāza from another institute must still complete the initial Tajwīd assessment. Any consideration of prior credentials will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis after assessment.

  • Recent Ribāṭ students may apply directly. Students who have completed all required prerequisites do not need to submit another assessment and are encouraged to proceed with the application.

  • Placement results are valid for one year. Arabic and Tajwīd placement results expire after one year. Students who do not enroll in a Tajwīd course within that timeframe will be asked to complete the assessment again.

  • Returning students do not need to retake the assessment. Students who previously completed a Tajwīd course with Ribāṭ do not need to submit a new assessment, even if more than a year has passed. Prior coursework will be used to determine appropriate placement.

  • Incomplete Juzʾ 30 requirements must be fulfilled before applying. Students who did not complete the Juzʾ 30 prerequisite while enrolled in TAJ 401 must be rematched with a teacher for review and testing. Re-enrollment in TAJ 401 is recommended before applying to an Ijāza program.

Admissions Requirements

Prerequisites required for applying to the Ribāṭ Tajwīd 5 Ajza’ Certification, Ribāṭ Tajwīd Ijāza Certification – Memorizing and Ribāṭ Tajwīd Ijāza Certification – Reading, are to have completed with Ribaat Academic Institute, Ribāṭ University, or tested out of:

  • Quran Fluency Part 1
  • Quran Fluency Part 2
  • Tajwīd Part 1: Letters and Phonics
  • Tajwīd Part 2: Rules and Rhythm of Recitation
  • Quran Khitma Project
  • Recitation of Juz’ 30 from memory to a certified Ribāt tajwid teacher as part a Ribāt course
  • Successful testing on Juz’ 30 by the Ribāt Tajwīd Committee

* some requirements may be waived based on the Tajwid & Arabic Assessment  

The general application process includes, but is not limited to:

  • A non-refundable fee of $35 submitted with the application 
  • Official transcripts from all prior academic institutions attended
  • A completed application 
  • A personal essay
  • Declaration of ijāza of interest on the application 
  • An Arabic language exam may be requested
  • A tajwīd assessment may be requested
  • An interview may be requested 
  • International applicants, where English is a second language, must submit all of the above, plus submit proof of compliance with English Language Proficiency Requirement. The English Language Proficiency Requirement can be official results from the TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test results. 

Please contact admissions@rabata.org for any questions regarding eligibility before applying to the Ijāza Certification Programs.

How to Enroll

If you’re a new student to the Ribāṭ Quran program, follow these steps to get enrolled. If you have questions about the program, please email quran@rabata.org.

01. Register for and complete the Tajwid & Arabic Assessment
  • Register and pay for the assessment
  • Confirm and sign in to your new Classter student account
  • Access Canvas for the Tajwid & Arabic Assessment course
  • Complete tasks and wait for your submission for review (up to 2 weeks when registration is closed, weekly when registration is open)

You will be placed into one of 3 levels based on your recitation as follows:

  • Level 1: TAJ 101
  • Level 2a: TAJ 201
  • Level 2b: TAJ 203

Check the academic calendar for registration dates.

In the meantime, access Canvas, read the syllabus, order your textbook, and join the course WhatsApp thread.

Quran Courses

Ribāṭ Quran courses focus on correct pronunciation, rhythm, and flow, while nurturing spiritual presence and love for the Quran. Taught by qualified female instructors, classes are paced with compassion and designed for real life—inviting students to approach the Book of Allah ﷻ with peace, reverence, and joy. 

Once you have your placement results, you will need to take the following courses based on your initial placement. These courses do not require any other application.

This is a practical course providing students the opportunity to:

  1. Practice reading the Holy Quran
  2. Master the skill of decoding Quranic text
  3. Learn the types of Arabic sounds and how to pronounce them correctly
  4. Be introduced to the science of tajwīd


These skills will be put into practice in class with the instructor, and students will gain strategies to practice at home. By the end of this course, students should be able to recognize all of the Arabic letters and vowel sounds, to connect words, and to stop on them, all while improving their general reading speed and fluency. Students will meet 3 times a week, 75% of which will be reading practice from the primer or from short
suras (chapters) of the Quran. The other 25% will be learning new concepts.

This is a practical course for students to continue working on fluency. Students will be matched with a teacher one-on-one, meeting 3 times a week to continue reading from Juz’ 30 to achieve fluency in recitation. Students will also have daily reading assignments that will support them in increasing reading speed and achieving fluency and accuracy in recitation.

This is a study of the science of tajwīd accompanied by an instructor-led recitation of Juzʾ ʿAmmā. This is a two-part course:

  1. Students will gain an understanding of introductory tajwīd concepts (including points of articulation–makhārij–and letter attributes–ṣifāt) during weekly online sessions with the instructor.
  2. Students will work with a recitation teacher in small groups during two additional weekly sessions in which they will practice the theory learned in class. By the end of the course, students will read through Juzʾ ʿAmma, applying the rules of tajwīd they have learned and pronouncing each letter correctly.

Building upon concepts taken in Tajwīd Part 1, students will complete the study of the rules of tajwīd, accompanied by an instructor-led recitation of Juzʾ Tabārak. This is a two-part course:

1. Students will gain an understanding of the rules of tajwīd (proper pronunciation of the Holy Quran) during weekly online sessions with the instructor.

2. Students will work with a recitation teacher in small groups during two additional weekly sessions in which they will practice the theory learned in class. By the end of the course, students will read through Juzʾ Tabārak, applying the rules of tajwīd and pronouncing each letter correctly.

An accelerated study of the science of tajwīd. In this course, students will gain an understanding of all tajwīd concepts (proper pronunciation of the Holy Quran, including points of articulation–makhārij–and letter attributes–ṣifāt) during weekly online sessions with the instructor. This course is a fast-paced review of tajwīd rules for those who have mastered the practice of recitation and need to learn or relearn the theory.

Students will also join a bi-weekly ḥalaqa in which they will work with a recitation teacher. Students will recite madrasa style in small groups, preparing about a juzʾ per week starting from the beginning of the Quran.

In the Quran Khitma Project, students will recite the Holy Quran from Surat al-Fātiḥa to Surat al-Nās to their assigned tajwīd instructors, as a preparation and foundation for beginning with memorization. This is a two-part course:
1. Students will attend a weekly online session with the instructor to follow up on their progress, work together to achieve consistent Quran reading habits, and receive inspiration about the Holy Quran.
2. Each student will be paired with a certified tajwīd teacher, either online or locally, with whom she will work one-on-one. This part of the course will be complete when the student has read through the Holy Quran from start to finish with her assigned tajwīd teacher, having demonstrated the ability to apply the rules of tajwīd to the standardized and acceptable level.

Under the loving and uplifting guidance of a certified tajwīd teacher, students will work together toward a complete reading of the Quran with correct tajwīd in this ḥalaqa-style course. Reciting half to one page at a time, students will build up fluency, receive real-time feedback, and feel confident in their ability to recite the Quran. With an emphasis on the practical application and refinement of tajwīd rules, this course is ideal for those seeking consistent practice, continued progress, and a supportive, blessed sisterhood dedicated to learning.

This is a self-paced memorization course; students will set a personal memorization target each term and recite to a tajwīd teacher. This is a two-part course:
1. Students will attend a weekly online session with the instructor to follow up on their progress and receive inspiration and tips on memorizing the Holy Quran, achieving effective memorization, and overcoming hurdles.
2. Each student will be paired with a certified tajwīd teacher online, with whom she will work one-on-one. This part of the course will be complete when the student has recited the amount agreed upon at the start of the term, having demonstrated the ability to apply the rules of tajwīd to the standardized and acceptable level.
3. Optional biweekly meeting times will be available for students for extra memorization practice and encouragement.

Over the span of two terms, students will work with the instructor to memorize the last juz’ of the Holy Quran in a small-group setting. Class time will provide active support from the instructor in the memorization process, including group and individual activities, tajwīd practice, memorization review, and memorization quizzes. Students will gain memorization strategies and tools, and daily homework assignments will help them to solidify and retain what they have memorized. Students will memorize at the pace of about one page each week, with the goal of completing all of Juz’ 30 by the end of the second term. Live attendance is required to ensure full benefit.

Over the span of two terms, students will work with the instructor to memorize the 29th juz’ of the Holy Quran in a small-group setting. Class time will provide active support from the instructor in the memorization process, including group and individual activities, tajwīd practice, memorization review, and memorization quizzes. Students will gain memorization strategies and tools, and daily homework assignments will help them to solidify and retain what they have memorized. Students will memorize at the pace of about one page each week, with the goal of completing all of Juz’ 29 by the end of the second term. Live attendance is required to ensure full benefit.

Over the span of two terms, students will work with the instructor to memorize the 28th juz’ of the Holy Quran in a small-group setting. Class time will provide active support from the instructor in the memorization process, including group and individual activities, tajwīd practice, memorization review, and memorization quizzes. Students will gain memorization strategies and tools, and daily homework assignments will help them to solidify and retain what they have memorized. Students will memorize at the pace of about one page each week, with the goal of completing all of Juz’ 28 by the end of the second term. Live attendance is required to ensure full benefit.

About

Founded in 2013, Ribāṭ Riverstead (previously Ribaat Academic Institute) is an online space of lifelong learning for Muslim women around the globe that has reached more than 10,000 students across 90 countries. The program is designed to nurture and empower Muslim women through a structured curriculum that balances deep scholarship with practical application. Taught by qualified female scholars, these comprehensive courses guide students through the foundational and advanced fields of Islamic knowledge in 9 tracks of learning: ʿAqīda, Fiqh, Hadith, History, Quran: Tafsīr, Tajwīd, Tazkiya, Sīra, and Social Sciences. The curriculum provides a rich and well-rounded education that aligns with traditional Islamic scholarship utilizing modern methodologies. Understanding the Muslim woman’s needs, Ribāṭ Riverstead aims to make learning flexible, affordable, and attainable. Some Riverstead credits will transfer to degree programs. Students may connect with the admissions department to determine eligibility.

Have questions?

For more information or assistance, applicants may contact the Admissions Office at