2025 IQOU Theological College Graduation Highlights the Light of Learning through Spiritual Tradition and Scholarly Rigor
- IQOU Theological College Press
- Jun 3
- 3 min read
(Charlotte Court House, Virginia, USA – May 25, 2025) – IQOU Theological College, a pioneering institution of Islamic higher education, celebrated the 2025 Graduation & Convocation on May 25 at its scenic campus in Charlotte Court House, Virginia. The event reverberated with warmth and emotion as renowned guest speakers Syed Israr ul Hassan of the UK and Dr. Oludamini Ogunnaike, Associate Professor of African Religious Thought and Democracy at the University of Virginia, delivered impactful addresses to the graduates and their families.
The ceremony commenced with a recitation of Surah Al-Hadeed by Hafidh Shafiq Abdus-Sabur. The depth and significance of its messages resonated throughout the event as each speaker took to the podium. Dean of Academic Affairs, Nafisah Salaam, welcomed the audience on behalf of IQOU College President, Sheikha Syeda Zainab Gillani. Referencing Suratul Hadeed, verse 9 wherein it states “He Allah is One who sends down clear revelations to His servant, Nabi Muhammad, to bring you out of darkness and into light…”, Mrs Salaam reflected, “Light (Noor) is ilm and ilm is Noor. Deen and knowledge is the mission of IQOU Theological College and this is to bring out of darkness into the light of Al-Islam.”
Students were honored to hear from Barrister Syed Israrul Hassan, a highly sought-after speaker at prominent institutions in the UK, USA, and Pakistan. Syed Israr spoke on the inseparability of tasawwuf and Islam: “Tasawwuf is not a sect, a robe, or a chant. It is a science of Islam… It is not an addition. It is the interior of Islam. Like the soul to the body…it gives light to our knowledge and gives life to our ibadah.”
Dr. Ogunnaike, a prominent Harvard-educated scholar, delved into the importance of Sufism, or the Sufi path (tasawwuf), in Islamic education including a reflection on Surah Al-Hadeed, verse 28, wherein it states: “Oh ye who believe, revere God and believe in His Messenger and He will give you two-fold of His Mercy and make a light for you by which you walk”. Dr. Ogunnaike expressed, “This light is knowledge and in Quran and Hadith is primarily perceived and received by the heart... And the condition of our hearts thus affects our ability to know. Just as problems with our physical eyes can affect our vision.”
Honorable Khalifa Hussein Adams, Chief Executive of The Muslims of America, Inc. spoke on the global impact of Ghauzul Azam Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gillani on the past and present, a fitting topic for the auspicious occasion. Mr. Adams also presented the highly anticipated IQOU College Faculty of the Year Award to Alim Mahmud Abdussabur, Al-Azhari, Head of Islamic Studies and esteemed Professor of Islamic Jurisprudence, Islamic History, and Arabic.
Graduating student speaker Tahirah H. Clark, Esq., described her journey in seeking Islamic knowledge: “At IQOU TC, I came to know my Allah. I learned how to worship Him. I learned how to obey Him. And I fell in love with my Allah… Do not hesitate… Enroll in a class.”
IQOU College’s Research & Development Department, led by Dr. Safwa Abdul-Aziz, launched an ethnographic study at last year’s 2024 Graduation & Convocation. The study examines higher education experiences within a single African American community in the United States. At this year’s ceremony, Dr. Abdul-Aziz hosted a post-graduation event to present preliminary findings from the report, When the Marginalized Exceed the Mark: African American Success in Higher Education Emerging from One Underrepresented U.S. Community.
IQOU College remains dedicated to the advancement of Islamic knowledge and culture through its comprehensive program offerings that include courses in Arabic language, Hadith Sciences, Quranic Sciences, Islamic History, Islamic Art & Calligraphy, Hifdh, and Sufic Sciences. As one of few Islamic higher education institutions in America, IQOU College aims to serve as a beacon of light in learning and is honored to fulfill a crucial need in the preservation and promotion of beneficial knowledge.
About IQOU Theological College
IQOU Theological College is an Islamic Studies college located in Charlotte Court House, Virginia whose vision is to center students in gaining beneficial knowledge of faith and spirituality that results in living dynamic and healthy lives. IQOU Theological College is a religious institution exempt from state regulation and oversight in the Commonwealth of Virginia with plans to achieve full accreditation as well as the addition of secular studies.
