Bayan Graduate School

Bayan Graduate School Bayan is a leading Islamic graduate school offering accredited M.A., M.Div. and D.Min. degrees with Claremont School of Theology.

Founded in 2011, Bayan is an Islamic graduate school offering accredited graduate degrees in partnership with Chicago Theological Seminary, and previously as a division of the Claremont School of Theology. As a uniquely American and non-sectarian institution, Bayan educates men and women as Muslim leaders, scholars, chaplains, and educators.

What happens when we try to understand realities that cannot be seen?In The Key to the Unseen, Ṣadr al-Dīn Qūnawī brings...
08/20/2026

What happens when we try to understand realities that cannot be seen?

In The Key to the Unseen, Ṣadr al-Dīn Qūnawī brings mystical experience, intellectual inquiry, and spiritual realization into conversation, offering one of the earliest systematic articulations of Ibn ʿArabī’s metaphysical thought.

Dr. Özgür Koca, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at Bayan Graduate School, brings this foundational work to English-speaking readers through his translation and extensive commentary.

Some questions deserve to be explored.

We Congratulate Dr. Koca on this accomplishment!

In the second session of our Japan Mini-Course, Abdul Rehman Malik explores the history of Islam in Japan, meaningful en...
08/20/2026

In the second session of our Japan Mini-Course, Abdul Rehman Malik explores the history of Islam in Japan, meaningful encounters across cultures, and the opportunities for deeper understanding in today's world.

Sunday, August 23
11:00 AM PT | 2:00 PM ET

Join us for this thought-provoking conversation, register at https://hubs.la/Q04tz-ds0

What if the biggest obstacle to pursuing deeper Islamic knowledge isn’t desire—but finding the time?For Hibah Thabit, pu...
08/14/2026

What if the biggest obstacle to pursuing deeper Islamic knowledge isn’t desire—but finding the time?

For Hibah Thabit, pursuing her Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy at Bayan meant integrating graduate study into an already full life.

“Sometimes we think we don't have enough time, but if we put our effort into it, we definitely can.” — Hibah Thabit

Bayan’s flexible learning model gave Hibah the space to pursue serious Islamic study while continuing to grow in her calling to serve others.

Her advice to those considering the journey?

“Just try it out and Allah will open the doors, inshallah.” — Hibah Thabit

Sometimes making room for knowledge is the first step toward discovering where that knowledge can lead.

Discover the story behind Malaysia.Join Professor Munir Shaikh for a FREE two-part online mini-course exploring Malaysia...
08/12/2026

Discover the story behind Malaysia.

Join Professor Munir Shaikh for a FREE two-part online mini-course exploring Malaysia's rich history, from its early Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms to the rise of the Malacca Sultanate and the formation of modern Malaysia.

Session 1: August 23
Session 2: August 30
9:00–10:00 AM PT

Register for free: https://hubs.la/Q04sJy7Y0

08/12/2026

Dr. Zachary Wright’s work invites us to see the study of Islam in Africa not as a peripheral chapter of Islamic history, but as an essential part of the tradition’s global intellectual heritage.

His scholarship examines the rich networks of learning, Arabic manuscript traditions, religious institutions, and spiritual communities that have shaped Muslim life across West Africa for centuries.

At Bayan, this perspective comes into the classroom through his teaching on Islam in West Africa: History, Identity, and Religious Expression. His work highlights how scholars, educators, jurists, and spiritual leaders preserved and renewed Islamic learning while responding to colonialism and profound social and political change.

Join Professor Munir Shaikh for the first session of our Japan Mini-Course as we trace Japan's journey from its ancient ...
08/11/2026

Join Professor Munir Shaikh for the first session of our Japan Mini-Course as we trace Japan's journey from its ancient foundations to the modern nation it is today.

Sunday, August 16
11:00 AM PT | 2:00 PM ET

Reserve your spot and deepen your understanding before the journey begins: https://hubs.la/Q04sznly0

08/10/2026

What does it mean to truly love people—and to make that love visible in the way we serve them?

Shaykha Muslema Purmul highlights love as more than a feeling; it is something expressed through presence, care, mercy, and the way we show up for one another.

08/05/2026

Racism isn’t new—and understanding its history helps us better understand the world we live in today.

In this conversation, Dr. Jihad Saafir reflects on the history of racism and reminds us that these challenges are not new.

It’s one of the many thoughtful discussions happening on campus at Bayan, where students and faculty engage with timely questions through the lens of faith, history, and scholarship.

What questions would you like to see explored next?

07/30/2026

Decades of serving as an imam.
A new calling in chaplaincy.
One transformative journey at Bayan.

What does it mean to build a community where people can truly return home?For Suleiman Adan, this question is rooted in ...
07/28/2026

What does it mean to build a community where people can truly return home?

For Suleiman Adan, this question is rooted in lived experience.

A graduate of Bayan’s MA program in Islamic Theology and deputy executive director of CAIR-Minnesota, Suleiman oversees work in education, equity, and prison advocacy.

Having previously struggled with addiction himself, Suleiman has lost friends to overdoses. Others have spent years in prison or jail, and some returned home uncertain whether they would be accepted by their communities.

His master’s thesis explored how mosques across the country can become communities of care for people returning from incarceration, using Minnesota as a model.

With support from the Muhammad Ali Scholarship, Suleiman transformed a deeply personal concern into rigorous study and a vision for service.

His journey reflects applied Islamic scholarship: bringing lived experience, sacred learning, and community leadership together to create spaces of dignity, healing, and belonging.

Address

2854 N. Santiago Boulevard , Suite 201
Orange, CA
92867

Telephone

+17148622926

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