Foundations Program (2026-27)

August 22, 2026 – June 12, 2027 • 2 Hours Weekly

80+ Hours of Instruction • In-Person • Ages 18 +

The Foundations Program is a structured 9-month program in which students build a firm foundation in the essentials of the Islamic Sciences from qualified sources.

Curriculum

The Foundations curriculum provides students with a holistic study of the essential Islamic Sciences with 5 core modules covering the following subjects: Hadīth Jibrīl, ‘Aqīdah (Theology), Fiqh (Jurisprudence), Shamā’il (Prophetic Description), and Sulūk (Spirituality).

Core Modules

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi

    Course Description: We open the program by studying the most important hadīth from the Prophet ﷺ: the hadīth of Jibrīl. We discuss the five dimensions of the religion explained in this amazing and noble tradition. To truly follow the Prophet ﷺ, one must follow him in these five dimensions. This is what ensures holistic and authentic religion.

  • Instructor(s): Ustadh Yamen Atassi (Tuesday cohort); Hafiz AbdurRahman Warsi (Saturday SMILE cohort); Imam Omar Tawil (Saturday ICC Cohort)

    Course Description: All beliefs require sufficient evidence, and our belief in Islam is, without doubt, the most important matter. Allah has given us all we need to know the Truth of Islam, and He has criticized those who believe something blindly, without any evidence or knowledge. The question is not whether or not Islam is true. The question is: do we see, with our own eyes, the evidence that proves the truth of Islam? In this module, students will  re-establish and  deepen their īmān in the truth of Islam by studying four rational proofs from the Qur’ān. By taking this course, you will—by the facilitating grace of Allah ﷺ—see the truth of Islam for yourself and gain the skill of presenting Islam to others in a rational, sensible and persuasive manner.

  • Instructor(s): Ustadh Yamen Atassi; Hafiz AbdurRahman Warsi; Imam Omar Tawil; Dr. Moutaz Kartoumah
    Learning Tracks: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i
    Intensive: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 9 am to 2 pm

    Course Description: We purify ourselves and pray every single day. And since these are obligations from the Most Merciful, it is, as Imam al-Ghazālī reminds, obligatory to learn how to perform these actions in a sound manner. In this module, students will engage in a serious study of the rulings related to the ritual bath (ghusl), ritual washing (wudū’) and prayer (salāt). You will select to study either the Hanafi, Maliki, or Shafi’ī school related to these matters. This is the second most important module of this program, after the Why Islam is True course. It is a personal obligation (fard ‘ayn) to learn this detailed knowledge well so that one worships Allah ﷻ in the best manner possible.

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi (Saturday SMILE cohort); Hafiz AbdurRahman Warsi (Tuesday SMILE cohort); Ustadh Abdulrahman Kweider (Saturday ICC cohort)

    Course Description: In this module, we see the beauty of Islam by diving into the persona of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Whoever wants to know beauty, let him know our Master Muhammad ﷺ. In this module, we do not go through the dates, events, and characters of the Sīrah (biography of the Prophet ﷺ); rather, we are focused solely on the question: Who is the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ? What was he like? If I spent a normal day with him, what would I see? In this module, students will study important hadiths on the Prophet ﷺ that grant them knowledge of him ﷺ that leads to  love of him ﷺ.

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi (Mondays and Saturdays)

    Course Description: What is the spiritual path? It is not following some guru or doing some new-age practice. It is to take the Prophet ﷺ as one’s guide. It is move gradually and consistently towards Allah through worship. This module is a practical path towards growing spiritually, filled with easy-to-follow action plans and important reminders on loving Allah and the Prophet, repentance, dua, being grateful and how to become a joyful servant of Allah. It closes out with guidance on how to improve our human relationships.

The Big Gatherings of the Foundations Program (required)

  • Instructors: Ustadh Yamen

    Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026; 11 am to 2 pm

    Course Description: We seek knowledge in order to get close to Allah ﷻ. We should be sincere to Him in each step we take. But there are minefields, obstacles, and tests along the path that test our sincerity. Shaytan may come to us and whisper to us a myriad of falsehoods that make us study for the wrong reasons: to be called ‘knowledgeable’, to be respected, to be honored, to make money, to feel smarter than others and other destructive intentions. In our orientation, students learn how to dive into the oceans of knowledge, what virtues to adopt, how to avoid pitfalls, and, most importantly, how to be sincere to Allah.

    Bagels and coffee will be provided inshā’Allāh

  • Instructors: Ustadh Yamen; Hafiz AbdurRahman Warsi; Imam Omar Tawil; Dr. Moutaz Kartoumah

    Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026; 9 am to 2 pm

    Course Description: In this intensive, we bring both cohorts for a middle of the program get-together. We will launch our study into Fiqh with a 5-hour intensive, where we introduce the science of Fiqh and delve into the preliminary discussions of the Fiqh module.

    Lunch will be provided inshā’Allāh

  • Instructor: Ustadh Yamen Atassi

    Date: Saturday, June 12, 2027; 10 am to 2 pm

    Course Description: This intensive serves as the capstone for the program. What better way to seal this blessed year than with the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. After reading hadīth, graduating students will receive their certificates.

    Brunch will be provided inshā’Allāh

Academic Calendars 2026–27

View Here

Instructors

  • Ustadh Yamen Atassi

    Ustadh Yamen Atassi is the founding director of Afiyah Collective. He graduated with degrees in Philosophy and Humanities and then went on to study at Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan, where he also began his formal studies with teachers privately. Yamen has continued with these studies since 2017, namely with his two primary teachers, Shaykh Hamza Karamali and Shaykh Tabraze Azam. Since moving to Phoenix, he served as the Sacred Sciences Coordinator at Arizona Cultural Academy from 2020-2023. He currently works full-time at Basira Education, is completing his MA in Islamic Chaplaincy at Hartford Seminary, and lives in Phoenix with his wife, son and two cats.

    Cohort(s) Taught: SMILE Tuesday Cohort (primary instructor), SMILE Saturday Cohort (secondary instructor)

    Course(s) Taught: Hadith Jibril (Tuesday SMILE), Why Islam is True (Tuesday SMILE), Know the Prophet ﷺ, Love the Prophet ﷺ (Saturday SMILE), Hanafi Fiqh (Tuesday SMILE and Saturday SMILE), and Sacred Steps (Tuesday SMILE and Saturday SMILE)

  • Imam Omar Tawil

    Imam Omar Tawil is a graduate of DePaul University with a Bachelor's in Religious Studies and is currently pursuing an MA in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations from Hartford Seminary. He has pursued his traditional study of the Islamic sciences with scholars in the Middle East and in the United States. He and his family moved to the Phoenix Valley over two years ago and he serves as an Imam at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe, AZ and a University Chaplain for Muslim Students at Arizona State University. Ask him about his love of bamboo, wood carving, and matters of faith.

    Cohort(s) Taught: ICC Saturday Cohort (primary instructor)

    Course(s) Taught: Hadith Jibrīl (ICC Saturday), Why Islam is True (ICC Saturday), Mālikī Fiqh (ICC Saturday), Sacred Steps (ICC Saturday)

  • Hafiz Syed AbdurRahman Warsi

    Syed Abdurrahman Warsi is an Arizona native, an Engineer by profession, and a natural perfumer by trade. He memorized the Qur’an at the age of 11 and has been teaching ever since. Starting with assisting his teachers, then at various masjids and institutions, as well as privately over the past decade and a half. He was involved in several maktabs and hifz programs in the valley; including Masjid Mustafa, Masjid Noor, ICEV, and ACA. Since completing his memorization (hifz), he has led Tarawih in Australia, Arizona, California, Illinois, and Ontario. He holds a shahadah from Wifaqul Madaris Pakistan as well as an ijazah in Tajwid and Qira’at from Hafiz Yaser Ali. Currently, he is an intermediate 'alimiyyah student at Darul Qasim Seminary, with a particular interest in Maliki Fiqh and the Qur’anic Sciences.

    Cohort(s) Taught: SMILE Saturday Cohort (primary instructor), SMILE Tuesday Cohort (secondary instructor)

    Course(s) Taught: Hadith Jibrīl (SMILE Saturday), Why Islam is True (SMILE Saturday), Know the Prophet ﷺ, Love the Prophet ﷺ (SMILE Tuesday), Maliki Fiqh (SMILE Tuesday and SMILE Saturday)

  • Ustadh Abdulrahman Kweider

    Ustadh Abdulrahman Kweider is very active in the Phoenix Muslim community and is a regular khatīb and community organizer. He studied Arabic at the Bayyinah Dream Program, followed by his two-year study at Qalam Seminary, where he also served as a teacher’s assistant. For the past 15 years, he has been serving the Muslim-American community through his passion of working with youth. He serves on the local Arizona MAS Board and regularly helps run MAS youth camps. He is married with one son.

    Course(s) Taught: Know the Prophet ﷺ, Love the Prophet ﷺ (ICC Saturday)

Guest Scholars

  • Shaykh Yasir Fahmy

  • Shaykh Hamza Karamali

  • Shaykh Tabraze Azam

Tuition

Tuition: $16.25 per hour of instruction | $1300 total

Installment Plan:‍ ‍$108.33 per month for 12 months ($1300 total)

Enrollment Window: June 1- Aug 4

Refund Policy: 50% refund of initial payment if requested by July 5

NOTE #1: 10% of your tuition will be donated to United Hands Relief (UHR) to go towards Gaza aid and relief.

NOTE #2: Partial scholarships are available. See application for more information.

Logistics + Registration

The Foundations Program will be taught in three cohorts ongoing simultaneously. You are to attend only one cohort’s classes.

With a limited number of spots in each cohort, we are committed to offering a high-quality educational experience that we strive to make deep and transformative.

IMPORTANT: To graduate, a student cannot have more than 10 official absences.

Cohort One (Tuesday @ SMILE)

Location: SMILE Center (7606 S 41st St, Phoenix, AZ 85042)

Class Sessions: Tuesdays, August 25, 2026 to June 1, 2027

Time: 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Cohort Two (Saturdays @ SMILE)

Location: SMILE Center (7606 S 41st St, Phoenix, AZ 85042)

Class Sessions: Saturdays, August 29, 2026 to June 5, 2027

Time: 9:00 am-11:15 am

Cohort Three (Saturdays @ ICC Tempe)

Location: ICC Tempe (131 E 6th St., Tempe, AZ 85281)

Class Sessions: Saturdays, August 29, 2026 to June 5, 2027

Time: 9:00 am-11:15 am

For all cohorts, orientation is on Saturday, August 22, 2026 from 11 am - 2 pm at the SMILE Center.

Apply for Foundations:

What Students Say

  • "This program helped me build a strong, logical, and reaffirming foundation to my Islamic beliefs that aren't typically taught in traditional western Islamic Sunday schools. I am grounded on why I am Muslim, how to be an upstanding Muslim, and the general teachings of what Muslims should follow."

    - Maher Osman, Foundations Student, 2024-2025

  • "Afiyah Collective has truly changed my life. Over the past year, I’ve gained so much valuable Islamic knowledge, and more importantly, my iman has grown stronger. It gave me a sense of purpose knowing that every week, I had a session to reconnect with my faith and deepen my understanding of the deen."

    - Hafsa Abdirahman, Foundations Student, 2024-2025

  • "Afiyah Foundations is something our community in Arizona has needed for a long time. We’ve never had an Islamic structured academic experience tailored for adults and young professionals. This program fills that gap, offering an end-to-end Islamic learning journey while allowing flexibility for our dunya responsibilities. What stood out most is how accessible it felt. Islam didn’t feel out of reach, the way it was taught made it clear that, with the right intention, mindset and gradual application, everything we learned can be lived. We need our community to not just attend, but truly support and invest in this initiative, it has the potential to transform lives."

    - Foundations Student, 2024-2025

  • "I would 100% recommend this to others. This small 2 hours a week by far has been one of the most impactful hours in the past year. Why Islam is True gave me certainty, Shama’il gave me love and desire to follow the Sunnah, Fiqh taught me the outer taqwa that applies to my daily life, and Sacred Steps gave me a blueprint on how to purify my heart beyond the course."

    - Beder Rifai, Foundations Student, 2024-2025

  • "Ustadh Yamen teaches the course in a way that really helps you understand the material in simple terms. His teaching style of repetition, utilization of activities/discussions, and modern analogies, effectively help the students grasp the concepts. He welcomes all and any questions to make sure we fully understand the concept and don't feel like there are any gaps in what he is explaining. He answers our questions thoroughly. You can tell he is very knowledgable to teach this topic and has an answer for any concerns or contradictions to them."

    Student, Why Islam Is True

  • "WIT doesn’t engage in polemics or emotional appeals, but offers a critical look at both good and bad arguments for the existence of God and the truth of Islam. Ustadh Yamen Atassi will teach you four must-know arguments that together will leave no doubt in the mind of any sincere and intelligent seeker. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to enroll. The course and teacher went beyond my expectations with the level of critical engagement and clarity they brought to these big questions of modern life."

    Sami Omais, Why Islam Is True

  • "This program changed my life for the better. I feel so blessed to have come across this program as I have been looking for something like this for years. I wish we had multiple classes a week! I recommend this program to anyone who wants to get closer to Allah in a slow and paced manner."

    - Shayan, Foundations Student, 2024-2025

Support Student Scholarships

We are committed to making Islamic education accessible. Donations go toward sponsoring students who apply for the program and are in need of financial aid.

Donate Here.