Madinah Islamic hosts over 20,000 students of 170 nationalities
Saudi Gazette report
A university where the sun never sets — this is how people around the world describe the Islamic University of Madinah.
The university, where students of more than 170 nationalities are enrolled, is a gift from Saudi Arabia to generations of Muslims around the world. It is an international Islamic institution in terms of purpose but Saudi in terms of support.
The university was founded in 1961 with the goal of spreading the timeless message of Islam around the world through advocacy and education.
The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in several disciplines of Islamic sciences with the aim of imbibing the true Islamic spirit among students and bringing development in the life of the individual as well as society in line with the teachings of Islam.
Though distinguished for its specialization in Islamic studies, the university recently added engineering, science and computer technology to its curriculum. It also seeks to increase diversity in the disciplines that serve the modern labor market.
Students from more than 170 countries from all corners of the world could be seen in the university’s numerous lecture halls and research libraries.
The university has an independent deanship for its alumni, which is unique for any Saudi university. The deanship is fully devoted to the alumni affairs. It follows up with the university’s alumni spread all over the world with the aim of strengthening cooperation between them and their alma mater.
The deanship also monitors the efforts of the university’s students around the world in the service of Islam and Muslims.
Many of the alumni have assumed prestigious positions and hold significant influence in their respective communities. Some of them are imams and muezzins in the two holy mosques and among them are university professors and diplomats, including those who have risen to become Saudi Arabia’s ambassadors abroad.
The Islamic University in Madinah has taken a qualitative leap in the decades since its establishment, reflecting the concern and support of the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its keenness to serve the causes of Muslims around the world for generations to come.
This support comes from an understanding that teaching Muslim children the true Islamic religion will help spread Islam’s message of tolerance and correct many misconceptions about the religion. No doubt, the graduates of the Islamic University of Madinah would also become the best ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, defending its interests and advocating its causes all over the world.
Currently more than 20,000 students of different nationalities are enrolled in the university. They study Shariah and other branches of religious studies in a curriculum deeply rooted in the Islamic principles of moderation, fairness, tolerance and dialogue.
The university is keen to accept the large numbers of applicants from all countries of the world based on certain criteria that take into account academic competence and cultural diversity.
