With Shaykh Abdullah Hasan | 36 Weeks | Online | Starts 28th January 2025

Islamic Psychology and Counselling Skills

Today, there are many Muslim counsellors throughout the UK and world. Yet, most of their mental health services lack a holistic and healing Islamic perspective. The current curricula focus solely on secular tarbiya, which often contradicts Islamic teachings. On the other hand, imams and scholars are well-versed in the traditional sciences, but their fatwas and legal verdicts miss out on constructive, therapeutic and transformative dialogue. One of the primary reasons for this situation is the absence of and access to relevant Islamic training.

The team at Qur’an Institute has created a new interdisciplinary and applicable curriculum to address the contemporary gaps in psychological services. Our vision is to train alimiyyah students, imams, scholars and non-scholars on foundational psychology and counselling skills through the lens of deen. At the same time, we provide spiritual support to those who studied secular psychology, in order to refine their strategies with the backing of Islamic knowledge.

We aim to bridge both worlds to a holistic space that offers true spiritual healing to individuals, couples and families. We believe that this type of relevant training and sustainable growth is the foundation for the peace and progress of the Ummah

This will take 108 hours of contact hour teaching. 3 hours per week divided into 3 Modules.

Why is this course needed?

The mental health space is a messy place. Those who need help must wander through the convoluted maze of acronyms, practices, and a plethora of community workers whilst questioning their efficacy and actual value. Meanwhile, on the ground, the exact solutions are scattered among psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, counsellors, coaches, chaplains, imams, scholars and their students. This course is for all the above who want to inject actual value into their practices and organisations. We offer that value through collaborative knowledge and holistic approaches for those ready to study them in our course. Like you, our team sees the worth and potential of the space.

So who is this course suitable for?

- Anyone who wants to learn about Islamic counselling and seeks to help themselves and others

- Scholars can up-skill their interpersonal skills

- Scholars can find a syllabus to train their students of knowledge to expand their reach

- Imams and students of knowledge can learn pertinent faith-based knowledge to help Muslims navigate faith crises and promote healing relationships through community

- Scholars-in-training can aspire to chaplaincy or social work

- Existing counsellors can convert their current practice to Islamic counselling

- Muslim social workers can find a community of people in similar fields with shared values and goals

- Masjid and third space organisers can transform their interest groups, events, and workshops to serve their locality better

- Muslims who want to engage in the mental health space and combat the stressors, trauma, abuse and conflicts in our community

Sh. A. Hasan holds an Imam Diploma, BA, and Ijaza Aliyah in Islamic Studies from a European seminary. He also has a diploma in Arabic from Zarqa Private University and studied fiqh wa usuluhu at the same university, receiving private training from renowned Scholars in Jordan and the Middle East.

With a background in counselling and psychology, he has provided therapy for individuals, couples, and families for over a decade. He holds certificates and diplomas in person-centred psychotherapy, marriage and youth counselling, and SFBT psychotherapy. Sh. A. Hasan is currently pursuing a doctorate in applied psychology after completing a Master’s degree in the same field, and also Masters Programme in Medical Psychology. His expertise also extends to Zakat and Islamic philanthropic studies.

Having served as an Imam in various UK Muslim communities, Sh. A. Hasan is deeply committed to community and people development. He brings over 10 years of experience in management, leadership, and training within the third sector.

Currently, he serves as a teacher of Islamic psychology and counselling, a Consultant Counselling Psychologist at Gift Foundation. Additionally, he provides Chaplaincy counselling from multiple mosques in London, UK.

Sh. A. Hasan is the founder of significant initiatives such as Imams Against Domestic Abuse (IADA), the British Imams, Scholars Contributions and Achievements (BISCA Awards), and the British Institutes, Mosques, and Associations (BIMA Awards). He is a member of The Association of Islamic Mental-Health Specialists (AIMS) and actively contributes to numerous other community organisations and projects.

Foundation Module Overview

Islamic Psychology and Counselling Skills Course Overview Foundation Level

Module Description:
The Foundation Level course introduces the basic principles of psychology and counselling. It covers foundational knowledge, including the historical development of psychology, core concepts, and the integration of Islamic principles with modern psychological practices.

Key Topics:
1. Introduction to Psychology:
- Basic History of Psychology.
- Basic principles and definitions.

2. Qur'anic and Prophetic Guidance:
- Concepts of the self (nafs), heart (qalb), and soul (ruh).
- Islamic views on mental health and well-being. |

3. Issues in Psychology and counselling:
- Framework of psychology and counselling.
- Professional conduct and boundaries.

4. Basic Counselling Skills:
- Active listening and empathy.
- Building rapport and trust.

Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the foundational concepts of psychology.
- Recognise the significance of Qur'anic and Prophetic guidance in mental health.
- Develop basic counselling skills in line with Islamic ethics.
- Identify appropriate boundaries and professional conduct in Islamic counselling.

Intermediate Module Overview

Module Description:
The Intermediate Level course builds on foundational knowledge, delving deeper into the application of Islamic psychology in counselling. It focuses on advanced theories, case studies, and the development of specific counselling techniques grounded in Islamic principles.

Key Topics:
1. Advanced Theoretical Frameworks:
- Comparative analysis of Western and Islamic psychological theories.
- Integration of Islamic principles in therapeutic models.

2. Psychological Disorders and Islamic Approaches:
- Understanding common mental health issues (anxiety, depression, etc.).
- Islamic perspectives and intervention strategies.

3. Family and Marital Counselling:
- Islamic principles in family dynamics and marriage.
- Techniques for resolving familial and marital conflicts.

4. Counselling Techniques and Interventions:
- Cognitive-behavioral approaches from an Islamic perspective.
- Spiritual interventions and the role of faith in healing.

Learning Outcomes:
- Analyze and integrate advanced Islamic psychological theories with modern practices.
- Apply Islamic approaches to common psychological disorders.
- Employ effective counselling techniques for family and marital issues.
- Utilize cognitive-behavioral and spiritual interventions in counselling.

Advanced Module Overview

Module Description:
The Advanced Level course is designed for those seeking to specialize in Islamic psychology and counselling. It emphasizes research, advanced practice, and leadership in the field. Students will engage in extensive case studies, supervised practice, and develop innovative counselling techniques.

Key Topics:
1. Research and Development in Islamic Psychology:
- Conducting research in Islamic psychology.
- Publishing and contributing to academic discourse.

2. Specialized Counselling Areas:
- Trauma and crisis intervention from an Islamic perspective.
- Counselling for addiction and substance abuse.

3. Leadership and Supervision:
- Developing leadership skills in Islamic counselling settings.
- Supervision and mentorship in professional practice.

4. Innovative Techniques and Future Directions:
- Emerging trends in Islamic psychology.
- Development of new therapeutic approaches and programs.

Learning Outcomes:
- Conduct and contribute to research in Islamic psychology.
- Provide specialized counselling for complex issues like trauma and addiction.
- Demonstrate leadership and supervisory skills in professional practice.
- Innovate and develop new counselling techniques and programs grounded in Islamic principles.

This comprehensive course structure ensures that students gain a deep and holistic understanding of Islamic psychology and counselling, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective practice at all levels

Quranic Pastoral Care Case Studies

Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza has provided pastoral care and marriage counselling for Al-Madad Outreach for several years. His wide range of experience in treating clients with faith crises, grief, same-gender attraction and addictions has been essential for treating many marital roadblocks that many Muslim couples find themselves in. From depression to domestic violence, he has successfully helped couples heal, salvage their marriages and move on to achieve greater heights.

Philosophical & Intellectual Doubts

Ummatica Credits: 40

Ummatica Module Credits

When studying at The Quran Institute (TQI), you earn credit points for each successfully completed module. To fulfill the requirements of the Diploma, you must attain a specific number of credits. The Ummatica Diploma includes a diverse range of subjects designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to rebuild the Ummah. These subjects are carefully curated to bridge the gap between Islamic Studies and Occidentology.

Our modular approach empowers thinkers to develop solutions for humanity based on Islamic philosophical principles. It fosters a transition from the extremes of a problem-based mindset—often trapped within limiting narratives—or apolitical spiritual introspection, to a place of decolonized worship and Quranic activism combined with a far-reaching vision.

Modules offered at TQI are valued at 15, 25, 30, or 50 credits, depending on the level of learning required to complete them.To earn the Ummatica Diploma, you need to accumulate 160 credits. For example:

Khidma Program: 25 credits
Family Program: 50 credits
Islamic Psychology and Counseling: 30 credits
Sixty Sultaniyyah: 15 credits

Courses are assessed based on several factors, including attendance, levels of engagement and assessments.

Sh. A. Hasan holds an Imam Diploma, BA, and Ijaza Aliyah in Islamic Studies from a European seminary. He also has a diploma in Arabic from Zarqa Private University and studied fiqh wa usuluhu at the same university, receiving private training from renowned Scholars in Jordan and the Middle East.

This course is an essential handbook for EVERY muslim family who seek to take shelter from the harms of social media, consumerism and materialism that have eroded or sense of self and our ability to relate to others in a meaningful way. The two main stories covered are the Youth Of The Cave and the Owner of Two Gardens. The first story discusses the fitna (trials) of holding onto one's faith which is essential for many of us who face difficulties in school, university and in the workplace. So how does one hold onto one's Deen in difficult times? The second surah discusses the fitna of wealth and consumerism that has even warped the Islamic message to the extent that learning Islam has become in many ways, a consumer experience.

Your Instructor:

Mufti Moinul is a tafsir instructor at the The Quran Institute. He is a qualified as a Mufti (jurisconsult) from Darul Ilm UK and is now working as a pastoral counsellor for Al-Madad Outreach helping muslim couples. Before this, he was awarded his Alimiyyah Qualification under the tutelage of Sheikh Akram Nadwi at the Al-Salaam Institute which is authorised by Dar Al-Uloom Nadwatu Al-Ulama, Lucknow, India. He is currently rolling out several community projects from a Women’s Centre to a Mental Health listening line.

Minimum duration of module: 15 Weeks

This course the personal development course for those who want to discover their hidden potential and overcome personal traumas and anxieties and low confidence that stem from spiritual gaps that we all have growing up in this society. You will learn a growth mentality by learning how to navigate between toxic people and people who unknowingly hold us back. it will be a journey of self reflection and one's inner state so as to have a clearer self image to make change possible. Mufti Moinul will directly read through the arabic version of the small text 'Ayyuhal-Walad' or 'Letters to a disciple' and the commentaries on it.

Quotes from: ‘Letter to a Disciple’ by Al-Ghazali

“I observed mankind, and saw that everyone had an object of love and of infatuation which he loved and with which he was infatuated, some of what was loved accompanied him up to the sickness of death and some [even] up to the graveside. Then all went back and left him solitary and alone, and not one of them entered his grave with him. So I pondered and I said: the best of what one loves is what will enter one’s grave and be a friend to one in it. And I found [it to be] nothing but good deeds! So I took them as the object of my love, to be a light for me in my grave, and a friend to me in it and not leave me all alone.”

"Whenever you interact with people, deal with them as you would wish yourself to be dealt with with by them, for a worshipper's faith is incomplete until he wants for other people what he wants for himself.

If you read or study knowledge, your knowledge must improve heart and purge your ego—just as if you learned that your life would only only last another week, inevitably you would not spend it in learning about law, ethics, jurisprudence, scholastic theology and suchlike, because you would know that these sciences would be inadequate for you. Instead, you would occupy yourself with inspecting your heart, discerning the features of your personality, giving worldly attachments a wide berth, purging yourself of ugly traits, and you would occupy yourself in adoring God the Exalted, worshipping Him, and acquiring good qualities. And not a day or night passes for [any] worshipper without his death during it being a possibility!"

Minimum duration of module: 22 Weeks

Meet The Team

Munim Abu Jannah
Course Coordinator

For all registration and technical issues, br Munim is there for you.

Shaykh Abdullah Hasan
Core Instructor

Our main instructor for all the core modules.

Shumi Umm Jannah
Course Coordinator

For all student needs from course materials, advice and feedback.

Meet The Team

Shaykh Abdullah Hasan
Core Instructor

Our main instructor for all the core modules.

Munim Abu Jannah
Course Coordinator

For all registration and technical issues, br Munim is there for you.

Shumi Umm Jannah
Course Coordinator

For all student needs from course materials, advice and feedback.

Shaykh Dr Safaruk
Instructor

Philosophical doubts and palliative care.

Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza
Instructor

Pastoral care case studies based on Quranic paradigms

Abdullah Al-Andalusi
Instructor

Intellectual doubts and their liberal origins.

Core Instructor Information

Shaykh Abdullah Hasan holds an Imam Diploma, BA, and Ijaza Aliyah in Islamic Studies from a European seminary. He also has a diploma in Arabic from Zarqa Private University and studied fiqh wa usuluhu at the same university, receiving private training from renowned Scholars in Jordan and the Middle East.

Learning Outcomes

- Conduct and contribute to research in Islamic psychology.

- Provide specialized counselling for complex issues like trauma and addiction.

- Demonstrate leadership and supervisory skills in professional practice.

- Innovate and develop new counselling techniques and programs grounded in Islamic principles.

This comprehensive course structure ensures that students gain a deep and holistic understanding of Islamic psychology and counselling,

equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective practice at all levels.

Enrol Now

A Unique Supplementary Module

This is a counselling course like no other. Al-Madad Outreach is working in conjunction with the Quran Institute's Ummatics department to cover intellectual and philosophical doubts. There will be six unique supplementary sessions delivered by Dr Shaykh Safaruk & Ustadh Abdullah Al-Andalusi. These sessions will help aspiring counsellors remediate existential questions that trouble many Muslims in recent times.

This course at QI equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills to address doubts and spiritual struggles among Muslims from a counseling and pastoral care perspective. Rooted in Islamic theology and informed by contemporary psychological and pastoral frameworks, the course explores the nature and causes of doubt, including intellectual, emotional, and social factors. Participants will learn to foster empathetic listening, identify underlying issues, and offer personalized guidance that integrates spiritual, ethical, and rational approaches appropriated from the islamic spiritual and consolation literature (tasliyat al-masa’ib). Case studies, role-playing, and practical exercises will ensure attendees leave with the tools to support individuals in reconnecting with their iman while cultivating resilience and spiritual well-being.

Who are AIMS?

The Association of Islamic Mental-Heath Specialists (AIMS), established in 2022, is the professional association for members of mental-health professionals and specialists from the Muslim global community. The vision of AIMS is to empower individuals so that they can contribute to, serve and better empower their communities.Our mission is to develop the Muslim mental-health support sector and empower individuals to access appropriate help whilst promoting the highest standards of care across the industryWe’re committed to developing the highest standards of proficiency and ethical practice within the mental health professions. And we’re passionate about advocating the role, relevance and value of therapeutic care to the public, employers and commissioners.If you share these values, we’d be delighted to welcome you as a member. You’ll be joining other Muslim professionals and practitioners and organisations in helping to raise standards, promote public safety and make our professional voice heard.

The ethics and code of practice is intended as a framework to enable The Association of Islamic Mental Health Specialists members and other Muslim counsellors, therapists, and imams to engage with their clients and service users and community members in the most effective manner, thereby improving the state of Muslim counselling and service providers around the world.The aim of this version of the ethical standards are designed to cater for practitioners, psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, coaches, imams, raqis, and chaplains providing a myriad service within their respective areas.

Additional Courses in 2025

Spring Flagship Course | The Family Program | FP04 | Apr 2025

Learn, heal and grow.

Almost 10yrs ago, Moinul & Nasima left their careers and migrated to Egypt in search of full time studies in Arabic and Islamic knowledge. Their son Hamza travelled with them from Cairo to Madinah, Makkah to Fez & Rabat in Morocco in search of knowledge.

Explore the disciplines of Islam while benefitting from mentorship, companionship and a real sense of community. Build a powerful mindset that will help you build emotional maturity in a new vision for you and your loved ones. Seeking knowledge shouldn’t divide families, it should unite them. This is why family is at the centre of the educational experience at the Quran Institute.

Are you being held back? Lack of willpower and negative relationships have shackled us. It cannot be emphasised enough how much our friends, family and community limit our horizons and prevent us uncovering our God given potential.

This course will teach you how to uncover positivity through thankfulness and forbearance mindsets to become a positive influence to yourself and others. Eventually, you will build a growth mindset that will leave you never looking back as you venture forward.

Further Info

Winter Bridge Course: Arabic Citadel Intensive | AC01 | Jan 2025

Welcome to the Arabic Citadel where words come alive in the realm of meanings and metaphors. You will be taught to walk through the Citadel's marketplaces, houses, gardens and courtyards and learn to feel at home in this new world. You will soon learn in your journey that Arabic is a science and an art. Its creative capacity spanning over centuries is expressed in calligraphy, modes of recitation and metres in poetry. This rich tapestry of texture and decor is matched by its cold hard grammatical structures that underpin it. Arabic words have a sense, feel and predictability in the way melodies and symphonies resonate to the human ear while its discordance is also felt to the keen listener.

The musicality built into the Arabic language is born in the feelings of Arab Bedouins who forged and tempered their tongues and swords to express their values, passions and desire for vengeance amidst the desert heat of the day and the biting cold of the night. Their warm night-fires were surrounded by kindled conversations infused with the smoke of poetry and prose. Their sophisticated light of language built the kingdom for which the Quran came as its leader.

Find the Arabic bedouin in you! Study the relationship between the three base letters of every word. This is the discipline know as ilm-as-Sarf (morphology) that is required learning for any aspiring student of knowledge. To explain a little about Sarf (morphology), think for a moment about the word "Pathos" which refers to feeling and emotion. Now think of how words like apathy, sympathy and empathy are derived from this single source.

This course will help realise the power of communication and will aid you to develop an intimate interaction with the words of the Quran and the words from the blessed mouth our Prophet (pbuh) and teacher via his Prophetic traditions.

The previous Arabic Citadel Language Language course was our endeavour to discover the art in science, the laws of grammar appealed to the mathematical and logical mind. It's complementary twin is this literature course that helps the student find the science in art. This course requires imagination, a taste for language and some hard work. The aim in this course is to help the seeker “think in Arabic” and look beyond the hard rules of grammar and instead, attain a “feel” for verbal roots, conjugations and patterns. In this course you will study Arabic Literature first hand, engage in Arabic speaking sessions and learn the root meanings of words.

Two bedouins a millennia ago once sat around a fire in the desert. One was a gifted in grammar, the other was well aquatinted with morphology. Enter the Arabic Citadel and listen into their conversation with curiosity and relish!

Further Info

Summer Interniship Khidma Program | KP02 | July 2025

Rise. Serve. Lead. The next “level” in the Family Program, practically speaking, is to enlist in our central team of students of knowledge. To work as part of my Central Team, there isn’t a lot to it, it’s more about commitment to an effort determined by the person, whether large or small, and then being consistent. The program lasts for 6 months and then we review together the possibilities of higher positions of responsibility and avenues for further studies.

One of the major milestones of self mastery, is the realisation that one is connected on a higher frequency, a higher love that now includes the community and the Ummah at large. At every stage of learning there is a calling, and each of us pay our zakat on our knowledge for this reason.

To work as part of our Central Team you need to:

1- Commit to Ilm to develop skills to grow, cultivate family and revive the Ummah. Family is key.

2- Maintain etiquettes of respect and cooperation between men and women of the org. And avoid any sectarian/gender bias for the sake of unity.

3- Uphold the “second person principle”, which is to promote the work of all the orgs of fellow team members.

4- Ownership for one specific leadership role or supporting role of one of our many outreach projects or institutes.

Khidma Internship Program - Mentorship from Muftiya Nasima and Mufti Moinul- ⁠Personal 1-1 mentorship calls- ⁠Trajectory mapping- ⁠Advanced studies in Arabic via our in house scholars to up-skill- ⁠Teaching and serving roles within our eco-system of grassroots work- ⁠Shadowing members in same gender group to develop communication and leadership skills- Insider access to team strategy meetings of for our eco-system of orgs.

Further Info

Ummatica Diploma Program | UD01 | Jan 2025

Ummatica Module Credits

When studying at The Quran Institute (TQI), you earn credit points for each successfully completed module. To fulfill the requirements of the Diploma, you must attain a specific number of credits. The Ummatica Diploma includes a diverse range of subjects designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to rebuild the Ummah. These subjects are carefully curated to bridge the gap between Islamic Studies and Occidentology.

Our modular approach empowers thinkers to develop solutions for humanity based on Islamic philosophical principles. It fosters a transition from the extremes of a problem-based mindset—often trapped within limiting narratives—or apolitical spiritual introspection, to a place of decolonized worship and Quranic activism combined with a far-reaching vision.

Modules offered at TQI are valued at 15, 25, 30, or 50 credits, depending on the level of learning required to complete them.

To earn the Ummatica Diploma, you need to accumulate 160 credits. For example:

Khidma Program: 25 credits
Family Program: 50 credits
Islamic Psychology and Counseling: 30 credits
Sixty Sultaniyyah: 15 credits

Courses are assessed based on several factors, including attendance, levels of engagement and assessments.

Further Info

Your Instructor:

Minimum duration of module: 15 Weeks

Quotes from: ‘Letter to a Disciple’ by Al-Ghazali

Minimum duration of module: 22 Weeks

FAQs

+ When and where will the course take place?

Running Tuesdays from 7pm-10pm online with Shaykh Abdullah Hasan.

Yes, all our onsite classes are segregated. There is designated seating for brothers on one side and for sisters on the other. The rest we leave to Taqwa.

Ideally a student should have a backround in Ilsam

+ Who is the supervisory body?

Members of AIMS are bound by our Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and our Professional Conduct Procedure. You must read and agree to these as part of your application process. You should also read our membership policies.Benefits of membership include a global recognition through our brand and presence on our website and directory, resources and guidance to support your practice, discounted access to exclusive events, workshops and CPD opportunities, as well as access to a network of professionals holding the same values and desire to support their communities. With accreditation and official membership, you will be able to gain greater public trust and confidence in your services whilst allowing AIMS to support you and raise accountability and standards of your output.

1. There are potential changes to our study schedule due to announcements of lockdowns, and so we reserve the right to move the course completely online for student safety.

2. If onsite student attendance falls below five due to students choosing online attendance or due to absence, then we will also migrate the whole class fully online.

3. Once the course begins, the fees are spent towards the delivery costs and therefore, course fees are non-refundable.

4. If you are utilising the creche, you are still responsible for your child's additional needs from feeding to changing or any other special needs.