I joined AIC in 2013 as a freshman in the undergraduate program. When I look back, I am pleased with my decision to join AIC; when I first heard about it from a friend of mine, I felt butterflies in my stomach. Studying Islamic studies in Chicago was beyond my imagination. From the beginning, I knew that it was going to be a challenging path for me; I hadn’t been in school for several years, I had 4 little children, and I had many miles to drive. I never forgot the support and dedication of my professors to make me feel that I am a good addition to this school.
Over the years, AIC broadened my perspective on Islam. When I graduated, I was aware of the various motifs in the Muslim community and the richness that faith provided me.
Dr. Awass’ exceptional classes introduced me to the types of topics in Islam that I had no prior knowledge of before, for example, Islamic Finance. In one semester, students were able to identify Islamic finance terms and analyze conflict finance situations from an Islamic Perspective.
I truly enjoyed taking classes from Dr. Mir for many reasons. In my view, Dr. Mir brought the excitement of getting true Islamic knowledge (‘Ilm) to AIC. Even the design of her syllabus relayed to me how committed she is teaching. Even in small ways, she was encouraging and made sure that we comprehended the importance of education. Dr. Mir. expanded our horizon and connected us with many contemporary scholars and authors and created engaging conversations for us. Dr. Mir’s classes provided me with insight to examine my role as a 21st-century Muslim woman in America and helped me to traverse difficult situations.
The education that AIC provided to me was incomparable in many ways. I deepened the understanding of my religion through the use of traditional and modern tools from experts in the field with small class sizes in an environment that was familial. These are only but a few of the reasons why I enjoyed my time at AIC.
Since the quest for knowledge is a part of the tradition of our beloved Prophet, AIC provides seekers to follow this path by offering classes deeply rooted in the tradition and creates an environment for art and science.