ISRA Australia

18/09/2026

Born and raised in Singapore, Alimatunnisa Abdul Ghani came to the Master of Islamic Studies with an already strong foundation in Arabic and the Islamic sciences. After 12 years of study at Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah, she travelled to Damascus at the age of 19, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Da‘wa.

Today, Alimatunnisa teaches in Singapore and also serves as Academic Affairs Support Officer with Rabata, a non-profit organisation dedicated to education, spiritual development and community care for Muslim women. She was introduced to ISRA Academy through Rabata’s President and CEO, Shaykha Dr Tamara Gray. 🌿

Reflecting on her Master’s experience, Alimatunnisa says one of the highlights was the opportunity for rich in-class discussion with both classmates and lecturers.

She recalls the Arabic maxim:
العلم في الصدور وليس في السطور
“Knowledge resides in hearts, not in written lines.”

For Alimatunnisa, the program reinforced that the pursuit of Islamic knowledge is about far more than acquiring information. It is also about the refinement of the self, sincerity of intention, and recognising knowledge as a moral responsibility.

She particularly remembers a lesson from her very first lecture with Professor Salih Yucel, who reminded students of the importance of intention and of the care Muslim scholars throughout history took in safeguarding sincerity.

As Alimatunnisa beautifully reflects, every milestone is ultimately from Allah and for Allah, and every new piece of knowledge brings with it a new responsibility.

We are delighted to feature Alimatunnisa as part of our graduate community and wish her continued success in her teaching, service and pursuit of knowledge.

For more information on the Master of Islamic Studies, visit: https://www.isra.org.au/uni-courses/master-of-islamic-studies/

17/09/2026

On Wednesday, a number of our staff came together for a full-day workshop focused on the Bachelor of Islamic Studies.

Every 5–7 years, each university course offered through ISRA and Charles Sturt University undergoes a comprehensive review. It’s a chance to put the whole course “on the operating table” and examine everything closely, from the course structure and learning outcomes to assessments and the overall student experience.

The aim is simple: to identify what’s working well, what can be strengthened, and how we can continue improving the course for our students.

Some of the questions we explored included:
- Do we want to revisit which subjects are considered core?
- Are we covering the key Islamic disciplines as effectively as we can within an undergraduate degree?
- Are we happy with the current minimum requirement of four Arabic subjects?
- Are there any new electives we should introduce?
- Are there any subjects that are no longer working as well as we would like and should be reconsidered?

17/09/2026

A very insightful evening at The Legacy of the Beloved ﷺ. 🤍

It was wonderful to see the Quba Mosque and ISRA community come together to reflect on the life, message and timeless example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

A heartfelt thank you to Imam Alaa Elzokm, Dr Suleyman Sertkaya and Sheikh Moustapha Sarakibi for sharing their knowledge and reflections, and to everyone who joined us and contributed to making the evening so meaningful.

May Allah ﷻ deepen our love for His Messenger ﷺ and grant us the ability to carry his teachings, mercy and example into our daily lives.

A big thank you to all who attended.

17/09/2026

It was a pleasure to welcome a delegation from Lajnah Falak, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, to our Sydney Centre this week. Their visit formed part of VOYAGE 2026: Visionary Outbound Youth Australia, an international mobility programme.

Over the course of the session we shared current research perspectives in Australia and the work ISRA is doing in that space, spoke about Higher Degree Research at ISRA, and walked our guests through the community education and engagement initiatives we run out of the centre. We closed with an open Q&A with the delegation.

Our thanks to the VOYAGE team for including ISRA in their programme.

17/09/2026

This week, our Studies of Religion program travelled beyond Sydney.

Our speakers spent two days in Lismore QLD, presenting to hundreds of high school students across three schools.

The sessions supported students' Studies of Religion learning on Islam. They also gave students something a textbook can't: the chance to meet Muslims, hear from people who practise the faith every day, and ask their own questions directly.

For many students, it was one of their first opportunities to speak with a Muslim in person, and hear from Muslims directly.

Thank you to the teachers and schools in Lismore who welcomed us, and to every student who took part.

15/09/2026

🌿 Your Deen. Your Degree. Your Profession.

Thinking about studying Islamic Studies but also want a degree that can open professional career pathways?

The Bachelor of Islamic Studies can provide a pathway into the Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying), giving you the opportunity to build on your Islamic Studies degree and move into a professional career in social work.

Join us for an online information session to learn how the pathway works, what the requirements are, and how the Bachelor of Islamic Studies can become the first step towards further professional study.

🗓️ Thursday 8 October
🕗 8.00pm AEDT
💻 Online via Zoom
🔗 Register and find out more:
https://www.isra.org.au/events/social-work-pathway-info-session/

Study your Deen. Earn your degree. Open new professional pathways.

Join our online information session for a career as a teacher: Bachelor of Islamic Studies and Master of Teaching (Primary and Secondary).

14/09/2026

✨ Reviving the Sunnah in Rabi‘ al-Awwal ✨

As Rabi‘ al-Awwal comes to an end, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on how we can keep the love and connection we’ve felt throughout this month alive throughout the year.

Loving the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is not just about words, but about bringing his beautiful character and Sunnah into our everyday lives — through kindness, a smile, a peaceful greeting, or a Sunnah we choose to revive.

🌿 May Rabi‘ al-Awwal be a reminder to keep his Sunnah close to our hearts throughout the year.

10/09/2026

📖 Learning Arabic is a marathon. The hardest part may not be the grammar, it’s staying in it.

That’s far easier inside the right environment.

An honest conversation about the plateaus, the breakthroughs, and what actually keeps you moving forward, plus your questions answered live. 🎤

Whether you’ve been meaning to start or you stalled halfway, this one’s for you.

🔗 Register: isra.org.au/events/arabic-immersion-night/

09/09/2026

Houssam Jamous recently completed the Bachelor of Islamic Studies through ISRA Academy and Charles Sturt University and is continuing his academic journey through the Master of Classical Arabic at CSU, alongside further Islamic and Arabic studies at Global University in Beirut, Lebanon. 🌿

Beyond his formal studies, Houssam is actively involved in the Muslim community through Darulfatwa and the Islamic Charitable Projects Association (ICPA) in Australia. Through his teaching and community work, he seeks to help younger generations connect with their faith and values, drawing on the foundations and teachings of Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama‘ah while engaging contemporary methods of education and communication.

Reflecting on his Bachelor of Islamic Studies, Houssam says one of the most valuable outcomes was developing a stronger analytical framework through which to understand the Islamic sciences.
The program strengthened his ability to connect traditional Islamic knowledge with its practical application in everyday life, an approach that continues to inform his educational and community work.

We are pleased to feature Houssam as part of our graduate community and wish him every success as he continues his studies in Classical Arabic and in his ongoing service to the community.

For more information on the Bachelor of Islamic Studies, visit:
https://www.isra.org.au/uni-courses/bachelor-of-islamic-studies/

08/09/2026

Ladies Fiqh of Menstruation Workshop (Hanafi) Part 3

📆 Sat 26 Sept
🕰️ 10am-12.30pm
📍Online or attend in person at ISRA Sydney Centre
🪙 $35

Topics covered:
✅ sound purity
✅ istihada (abnormal bleeding)
✅ pregnancy
✅ lochia

Registrations essential
www.isra.org.au

Recordings for parts 1 and 2 are available for purchase on registration.