alexandria

[Stuck in Prison]

assalaamoalaikum

can anyone tell me about alexandria university and about any other institutes there and any islaamic related courses happening there esp arabic. also tajweed classes, 121 tuition, halaqahs etc etc. please post links if available inshaAllaah.

any info would be welcome

jazakAllaah khayr

wassalaamoalaikum

[Shajaa3ah]

Wa alaikum as salaam.

What do you want to know about Alexandria university in particular?

There is the Qortoba institute that has been set up in Alexandria, that AFAIK only has private classes, but this may have changed.

Depending on where a person is staying, it is worth checking out their local masjid for tajweed/fiqh/quran classes. There used to be a few, but since the government did a crackdown on Islamic activities, they lessened.

Shaykh Muhammad Isma'il is there, and also I think Shaykh Ahmad Fareed, although I heard rumours that he left. Taraweeh with Shaykh Muhammad Isma'il is . Also astoundingly beautiful taraweeh is led by Shaykh Sha'ban - very famous in Alexandria. But they differ their venues, so this you should find out when you get there by asking around.

Stay away from the big beautiful mosques, they are usually sufi and most have graves in them. The best are the poorer, run-down hidden ones, and they are usually where the classes are held.

There is a masjid in Madeenat al-Zubbaat, that used to have fiqh/quran/tajweed lessons for sisters on Fridays from after jumuah until maghrib. I heard this no longer happens, but Allaahu a3lam. Try finding out info about that.

If you ask more specific questions insha'Allaah, I can try to help with more specific answers.

Wa alaikum as salaam

[Sitt ad-Daar]

Isnt Shaikh Muhammad Isma'eel Imprisioned? or he was like 7 months ago...

[Abu Dujanah]

Shaykh Muhammad Ismaa'eel al-Muqaddam isn't in prison to the best of my knowledge, I think you might be thinking of Shaykh Muhammad 'Abdilmaqsood or Abu Ishaaq al-Huwayni - they both had trouble around that time, with both still restricted from giving lessons.

[Stuck in Prison]

jazakAllaah khayr for the replies

Originally Posted by Shajaa3ah

What do you want to know about Alexandria university in particular?

wats the student accomodation like? the institute is it like mixed classes do you know or segregated? wats the atmosphere like?do u know if anyones been there? is it like wannabe western kinda feel to it? wat are they like with women wearing niqaab there or men with beards? a norm, tolerant or a definate no u wouldnt feel comfortable there at all?

would it be more worth it going to qortoba institute or al fajr or diwan in cairo?

any information about classes outside of uni hours would be good ... anything kind of infreally for a stranger to the place. food, historical sites, masaajid, etc

sis shaaja3ah! someone recently told me who u were ... havent seen u on msn for ages... u probably dont know this nick of mine. add me if u can inshaAllaah [content removed]

[Shajaa3ah]

Re: Student accomodation.
I do not know any foreigner who has lived in the university accomodation. People who go out there to study find their own accomodation and live there.

Re: Institute.
It depends which you mean as to 'what it is like'. There are many different faculties within the large campus, and there is a small Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language Centre in the corner of the Faculty of Arts. I know a few people who went here.

There are not really women in niqab within the university, but a few bearded brothers. In general, the women come to university having spent three hours getting ready, and dressed like they are going to a party, and the men wear skin-tight flares and spice girl shoes. But there have been odd students in the past wearing niqab, and I have not heard of them having much bother. And there is an Islamic society which you may hear about when they decide to have a demonstration against something, or when they are handing out fliers or when they have a stall selling Islamic books and tapes on campus

Re: Cairo
Again, it depends where you are and what you are doing. Which part of the university exactly are you talking about? I am not too sure about the institutes though, so I will leave that for someone else to speak about .

Re: Classes outside uni hours
Best thing to do is ask the locals, whether they are your teachers, students of the I-SOC, or just pop in to your local masjid and ask anyone to find out for you if they themselves don't know.

Re: Food.
KUSHARI! :D Food is good and cheap. There is a restaurant just off the main shopping street in Mahattat al-Raml called Muhammad Ahmad [which, incidentally, will also be the name of every third man you come across] that is famous for it's fool and falafel. There are small snack places everywhere, and little food carts litter the streets. It is all really good. Be adventurous and try it out. For Western comforts, they also have big shopping malls and supermarkets, so don't worry too much about that either.

Re: Historical Sites and Masajid
Alexandria is a really small place. You can do all the historical sites in a day. There is a fort of Qait Bey, which is pretty nice. Other than that, there are things like the Greco-Roman museum, the Roman Amphitheatre, and a few other places nearby. Even if you do not see them until the day before you are about to leave, don't worry, that is still time enough. Masaajid: As I said, stay away from the big elaborate ones (for praying in). There is ALOT of Sufistic belief going round, so beware.

Re: Other stuff
There is an HSBC bank branch and ATM machine close to the university, so if you are going to be there for a while, then the best thing to do for money is to either open an HSBC account before leaving, or make sure you have a cirrus/maestro/visa/mastercard so you can use the ATM. Do not worry too much about traveller's checks and all this business.

Make sure before getting a taxi, you set a price with the driver beforehand and he agrees. When he realises you are foreign, he will most likely overcharge you.

Try to adopt the accent as quickly as possible, otherwise you will constantly be asked where you are from, and it will becoming annoying. The local Alexandrians do not get the numbers of toursits that they get in Cairo, so anyone from abroad is like a new thing for them. Even if you are in niqab, if you say you are from UK, do not be surprised if someone asks you if you are Muslim, they do not mean it offensively.

The postal system is really bad.

The food is really good.

That is all I can think of. Please ask more specific questions insha'Allaah.

I will add you .

[um_habiba]

Originally Posted by Stuck in Prison

assalaamoalaikum

can anyone tell me about alexandria university and about any other institutes there and any islaamic related courses happening there esp arabic. also tajweed classes, 121 tuition, halaqahs etc etc. please post links if available inshaAllaah.

any info would be welcome

jazakAllaah khayr

wassalaamoalaikum

wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu...

I'm a student in Alexandria University, but I'm in the Faculty of Medicine so I'm not so sure if my experience is going to be all that relevant to you. And I don't really know what institute you're talking about. Is there an institute for studying Islam/Arabic for foreigners within the university?? (Also, are you Egyptian?)

In terms of housing: In first year I stayed in a private dar. In second year, I stayed in "Madeenah" - which is the public government dormitory system. This year, I'm in an apartment.

The public dorms are really only an option for you if you enroll in the university as a full time four year student and if you're Egyptian.

the disadvantages - If you're going to be coming from the West without any "third world" experience, it's going to be really difficult, i think, to deal with the public dorms. They are - Egyptian and public. (Inshallah, you'll understand.)

the advantages - Being in a full-time-Arabic environment had a huge effect on my language skills. I went speaking the most bare minimum of Arabic you could possibly imagine, and I alhamdulillah understand really well now, and my "conversational skills" are much better.

I don't know else to tell you, cause I don't really know what your background is or what your goal is.

And I don't know anything about the institutes for Arabic language.

In terms of duroos... there is a HUGE difference between Alex and Cairo. The atmosphere in Alex is 100 times more "3lm-y".

In Cairo, I've found it difficult to even locate the shuyukh, except Mahmood al-Masri (he's in zaytoon.)

In Alex., you can find a dars to sit in in every day of the week. And they are Real duroos - Not raqaa'iq. Real Duroos - like the shaykh is explaining from a book and all the sisters are sitting with books and notebooks and pencils... - 3lmy. Unlike Cairo. Shaykh Muhammad Ismail is explaining right now from Manaar as-Sabeel. Shaykh Ahmad Fareed and Ahmad SiSi and Ahmad Hutayba and Shaykh Yaasir Borhami and Shaykh Sa'eed Abdel Azeem are all there.

(Shaykh Abi Ishaaq is out now, he was in ma3taqal for almost 40 days around this time last year.
Shaykh Sha'ban prays taraweeh in Masjid al-Hosary in 6 October in Cairo (my family lives here))

In terms of Tajweed.... There's a million places, but the best places (high standard of tajweed and serious organization in hifz) are dar at-tawheed (sidi bishr) and dar iqra' (smouha.)

I would seriously avoid wandering into any masjid or dar and listening to just anyone speak. There are way too many reliable well-known shuyukh and even the two dars that i mentioned above are mashallah run by reliable accountable sisters.

In terms of niqaabs/beards... Right now, the abaayah/large tarha look is actually in fashion, which has meant more acceptance for niqaab. There are tons and tons of niqaabis in the university (at least in my faculty), and i think the ratio of niqaabi to non-niqaabis is much higher in alex than in cairo in general - just a feeling... The beard is another story, i guess mostly because it's more "dangerous" in terms of the government. (But this course is for Egyptians, not foreigners.) A girl that wears a niqaab is just that - "a girl that wears a niqaab." But a brother with a beard is inevitably something else... part of some underground, part of some group. All of my friends husbands have been picked up at one time or another on the basis of their appearance (beard, short thawb/pants.) But alhamdulillah, it usually doesn't go beyond that. A few questions, long enough to realize that they are "good-old-fashioned-salafis" and not takfeer or ht, and they send them home.

This post was really long, I just hope it was helpful to you.

In general, if you're intention in coming is to learn Arabic, then I don't really have anything to say. But if your Arabic is fairly good, and your intention is more to study deen, then I would have to say - go to Cairo or to Mansoorah and enroll in one of the two year institutes that are usually coined with the name "ansaar as-sunnah" to differentiate them from the government ones.

If I could help at all, let me know.

[Stuck in Prison]

jazakAllaah khayr for all the replies....its very much appreciated

Re: Institute.
It depends which you mean as to 'what it is like'. There are many different faculties within the large campus, and there is a small Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language Centre in the corner of the Faculty of Arts. I know a few people who went here

.

what did they think of it? how was the teaching there? did they pick up the arabic quick? whats the typical timetable for a student there? full time study 9-5 ? i havent been out of the uk much so not sure what the norm there would be. how much arabic would u expect a foreigner to learn in a year there? what standard would they be expected to be at? i no it comes to the motivation and quickness of the individual but from ure experience what has it been in the past to the layman.

There are not really women in niqab within the university, but a few bearded brothers. In general, the women come to university having spent three hours getting ready, and dressed like they are going to a party, and the men wear skin-tight flares and spice girl shoes. But there have been odd students in the past wearing niqab, and I have not heard of them having much bother. And there is an Islamic society which you may hear about when they decide to have a demonstration against something, or when they are handing out fliers or when they have a stall selling Islamic books and tapes on campus

wow, interesting stuff jazakAllaah khayr...i just wanna know what to expect really...its a bit daunting not knowing.

Re: Classes outside uni hours
Best thing to do is ask the locals, whether they are your teachers, students of the I-SOC, or just pop in to your local masjid and ask anyone to find out for you if they themselves don't know.

inshaAllaah.

Re: Food.
KUSHARI! :D Food is good and cheap. There is a restaurant just off the main shopping street in Mahattat al-Raml called Muhammad Ahmad [which, incidentally, will also be the name of every third man you come across] that is famous for it's fool and falafel. There are small snack places everywhere, and little food carts litter the streets. It is all really good. Be adventurous and try it out. For Western comforts, they also have big shopping malls and supermarkets, so don't worry too much about that either.

cool, food yum yum yum :D

Re: Historical Sites and Masajid
Alexandria is a really small place. You can do all the historical sites in a day. There is a fort of Qait Bey, which is pretty nice. Other than that, there are things like the Greco-Roman museum, the Roman Amphitheatre, and a few other places nearby. Even if you do not see them until the day before you are about to leave, don't worry, that is still time enough. Masaajid: As I said, stay away from the big elaborate ones (for praying in). There is ALOT of Sufistic belief going round, so beware.

coolio, ive heard theres a lot of history to it and checked some stuff out on the net....interesting stuff jazakAllaah khayr

Make sure before getting a taxi, you set a price with the driver beforehand and he agrees. When he realises you are foreign, he will most likely overcharge you.

what prices would i set lol, i guess itll come with experience knwoing how much to say and accept inshaAllaah. whats the currency rate approximately to the english pound?

Try to adopt the accent as quickly as possible, otherwise you will constantly be asked where you are from, and it will becoming annoying.

lol gayyid giddan :P inshaAllaah

The postal system is really bad.

lol i think ill stick to email then !

jazakAllaah khayr sis

[Stuck in Prison]

Originally Posted by um_habiba

I'm a student in Alexandria University, but I'm in the Faculty of Medicine so I'm not so sure if my experience is going to be all that relevant to you. And I don't really know what institute you're talking about. Is there an institute for studying Islam/Arabic for foreigners within the university?? (Also, are you Egyptian?)

yes theres an arabic faculty within the university. and nope i aint egyptian are you sis?

In terms of housing: In first year I stayed in a private dar. In second year, I stayed in "Madeenah" - which is the public government dormitory system. This year, I'm in an apartment.

The public dorms are really only an option for you if you enroll in the university as a full time four year student and if you're Egyptian.

the disadvantages - If you're going to be coming from the West without any "third world" experience, it's going to be really difficult, i think, to deal with the public dorms. They are - Egyptian and public. (Inshallah, you'll understand.)

lol i think own apartment would be best inshaAllaah

the advantages - Being in a full-time-Arabic environment had a huge effect on my language skills. I went speaking the most bare minimum of Arabic you could possibly imagine, and I alhamdulillah understand really well now, and my "conversational skills" are much better.

excellent mashaAllaah hearing it everyday and using the vocab 24/7 must help a lot, inshaAllaah hoping it becomes second nature after that n can speak without thinking about every single word!

I don't know else to tell you, cause I don't really know what your background is or what your goal is.

to study arabic, never been there, just wanna know the safest options of housing etc and information about the locality and any tips and info from those who have been there.

In terms of duroos... there is a HUGE difference between Alex and Cairo. The atmosphere in Alex is 100 times more "3lm-y".

excellent alhumdulilaah

In Alex., you can find a dars to sit in in every day of the week. And they are Real duroos - Not raqaa'iq. Real Duroos - like the shaykh is explaining from a book and all the sisters are sitting with books and notebooks and pencils... - 3lmy. Unlike Cairo. Shaykh Muhammad Ismail is explaining right now from Manaar as-Sabeel. Shaykh Ahmad Fareed and Ahmad SiSi and Ahmad Hutayba and Shaykh Yaasir Borhami and Shaykh Sa'eed Abdel Azeem are all there.

great alhumdulilaah i assume the duroos are all in arabic? which means i gotto brush up quickly! inshaAllaah

In terms of Tajweed.... There's a million places, but the best places (high standard of tajweed and serious organization in hifz) are dar at-tawheed (sidi bishr) and dar iqra' (smouha.)

ill check them out inshaAllaah... qortoba has opened a branch in alexandria too so im assuming a personal quran and or arabic tutor can be available form there as well?

In terms of niqaabs/beards... Right now, the abaayah/large tarha look is actually in fashion, which has meant more acceptance for niqaab. There are tons and tons of niqaabis in the university (at least in my faculty), and i think the ratio of niqaabi to non-niqaabis is much higher in alex than in cairo in general - just a feeling...

ok alhumdulilaah i wasnt sure whether egypt was as bad as turkey becuse there theyre not used to women covering much at all from what ive heard of.

This post was really long, I just hope it was helpful to you.

definately helpful. may Allaah reward you all for ure help aameen

jazakAllaah khayr

In general, if you're intention in coming is to learn Arabic, then I don't really have anything to say.

mostly for the arabic

jazakAllaah khayr ill post up more questions when they come to mind. apart from that any info u give me about the place will be appreciated immensely



add me to ure msn if u can inshaAllaah, would b nice to be in touch with a local [content removed]

[Prof]

Stuck_in_prison, I am emailing your address to the sister rather than have it up in public.