Mukhayyam Taleem al-Quran al-Kareem Houston (Dikrao – Boys)

On specific days throughout the week, and in a focus session on Saturday, tadrees classes are held, or sabaq, in which students learn and take barakat from the curriculum of Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiyah. This includes Islamic jurisprudence, Arabic poetry and literature, history, Quranic sciences, Arabic language, and more.

For this curriculum they take 3 major tests, Fasal 1, 2, (midterms) and Al-Imtehaan-as-Sanawi, or the final, year-end test. They also take part in an annual Hayat-Tayeba program and competition, which chronicles the history and journeys of our Duat Mutlaqeen, and work on many different projects like ma’raz exhibitions throughout the year both creatively and in a research capacity.

Students are required to sleep in Fakhri Makan every night, and this is strictly enforced. Saturday nights are a celebratory tradition in Makaan, where students stay up until late watching movies and releasing the stress of a hard week of work.

Every month, on one weekend given in advance, students are given raza to sleep elsewhere at friends houses, or if necessary, return home as well, known as Monthly Weekend. Mahad has instituted an amanat system as well, where students can keep their spending cash and request when they require.

A new sports complex was constructed as part of the new dormitory, Fakhri Makan to ensure students stay in good physical shape and keep their minds fresh. It contains a basketball court, a full-length grass field, box cricket, and a swimming pool, so students can opt to recreate however they wish.

Every student is also part of a house, named after the Jawame Al-Aimat SA, for which they compete in an annual sports tournament. Every 2 week a new sport is played, from football and soccer, to swimming and ultimate frisbee, and even foreign sports like kabbati and cricket. Throughout the year, each win in a sport adds to the point total of a house, and this goal-oriented mindset and 4-year dynasty membership encourages students to compete year after year, for dominance in Mahad Sports. The longest run of any house has been the Aqmar Broncos, winning from 2014-2017. Team Anwar is the current reigning champion of Mahad Sports!

A crucial part of our program has been the deeni tarbiyat of our students; to instill the traditional values of Thaqafat Fatimiyah, our traditional culture. Among these, respect, honor, responsibility, and chivalry are the core, and its physical manifestations in the actions of our well-groomed youth are of utmost importance. Students who enter this program, assume the identity of Mahad Al-Zahra, an institution of His Holiness TUS, of which humility and gratitude are foundational.

We teach our students to care for their own things, from even the simplest: ironing and folding their clothes with care everyday, to washing and cleaning their topis, and making their beds every morning. We look after our students, by teaching them to look after themselves, and building the habits that last a lifetime.

Adaab Al-Ta’aam, eating manners on the thaal, are also an important part of our culture, particularly to take raza to sit with teachers, how to sit, who is given deference for starting meals, when to leave the thaal, and every other soft skill that defines us as a humble, respectful people. Our students are taught from day one these manners, and teachers sit amongst the students to teach this and help them understand why this is so impactful.

Lisaan Al-Dawat is the face of our culture, the medium through which waaz is conducted, our asbaaq are held, and the bridge between our ancestral Arabic and the Gujraati of our home in India. Many students come to the program unfamiliar and unpracticed, and we make it a goal to teach them conversational Lisaan Al-Dawat, so that the day they are in front of Moula TUS, they can fluently araz their hearts desires, and continue to pass on this heritage to their children.

90% of the fortune 500 companies use Gallup’s strengths-based assessment and coaching as their learning management system (LMS). Keeping with the high standards we aspire to at Mahad we have achieved a complete migration to a certified strengths-based campus. Strengths-based coaching means; bringing forth what is best in our students with the science-based industry-standard Gallup’s Clifton's strengths assessment. With the help of

Hawra bhen Harianawala

a certified Strengths coach, we have trained to move from the prevalent and damaging weakness fixing mindset to a strengths building mindset. We will be reinforcing this empowered mindset throughout the four years of Mahad.

Our coaching initiative is aimed at ensuring that each student leaves Mahad not only Hafiz ul Quran but also the most empowered version of him/herself.

With the academic rigor that our program provides, we like to make sure students get a change of pace often, and are challenged in different ways. It’s important that as growing adolescents they are exposed to the culture, history, art, and natural beauty, that helps them understand who they are in the world around them. For this, we often plan trips called Rehlat al-Ilmiyah, in which we take students to historic and modernizing spots around us.

We also plan fun events every other week, like friday night barbeques and movie nights, to keep their minds fresh and engaged. Students themselves are quite enterprising in their recreational activities, and have planned events like paintball, beach trips, Sherullah IHOP sehori, and more.

During the Thanksgiving week of November, it has become a tradition for students to host the Shukur Jaman, in which they create specialized invites, prepare food, and decorate Fakhri Makan. The student body invites their Janabs, alumni, and other mentors who have helped them in their journeys, and present a Madeh program.