Elevating Heritage, Embracing Reform.

We aim to create an intellectual space that engages with Eastern and Western classical traditions, guided by two central principles: scholarly depth and accessibility at the heart of everything we do.

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“The muhaddith is like a physician: one who investigates, who goes deeply into the body of evidence, until he reaches a conclusion.”

— Dr Badreldeen Ismail

Introducing Hadith Studies: An Advanced Classical Curriculum

This September, The Classical Institute expands its advanced teaching in Hadith Studies with Jami al-Tirmidhi: An In-Depth Scholarly Study of Text and Method, led by Dr Badreldeen Ismail.

Sitting alongside The Science and Terminology of Hadith Studies, the new programme extends students’ study from the systematic principles of Hadith scholarship into their application within one of the canonical collections of Hadith. Through close engagement with the Jami, students will examine al-Tirmidhi’s critical method, attending to how he transmits, compares and evaluates individual reports.

Enrolment opens Thursday 17 September.

25 September | Fortnightly Fridays | 9.00-11.00pm UK Time

Programme Information

Our Departments

Languages & Literatures

Rooted in the study of Ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic, Persian, and related traditions, the Department of Languages & Literatures draws together the literary and intellectual heritage of civilisations whose influence endures to the present day.

Philosophy & Theology

The Department of Philosophy & Theology brings together the Western and Islamic intellectual traditions in the shared pursuit of the fundamental questions that have defined philosophical and theological inquiry across the centuries.

Islamic Intellectual Thought & Traditions

Drawing on classical sources across the legal, rational, spiritual, and exegetical sciences, the Islamic Intellectual Thought & Traditions department offers students a profound and nuanced grounding in one of history’s most enduring and rigorous scholarly heritages.

Our Programmes

The Classical Institute introduces Classical Persian: Grammar, Reading and the Language of the Persian Classical Tradition, a new programme led by Dr Hajnalka Kovacs.

Beginning with a strong grammatical foundation, the programme brings together reading, translation, close analysis, oral language practice and active application through sustained engagement with the prose and poetry of the Persian classical tradition. Students encounter Persian from the outset as a language of intellectual and literary expression.

Meet our Founding Dean

Dr Badreldeen Ismail, a distinguished scholar whose academic expertise and intellectual vision have shaped The Classical Institute's distinctive approach to education.

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Distinguished Features of a TCI Education

Teacher-Student Bonds

TCI cultivates enduring teacher-student bonds, with teachers becoming trusted mentors who guide students through their lifelong learning journeys, helping them to become autonomous learners beyond the classroom, and inspiring them to strive for excellence.
TCI teachers provide individualised attention and tailor learning journeys to specific student requirements.
Learning Community

TCI respects and incorporates diverse lived experiences into its educational approach, which helps to foster more nuanced and informed understandings.
Student collaboration and interdisciplinary learning are key components of TCI’s approach, encouraging students to form a strong peer support network and to draw connections between different areas of study.
Holistic Outcomes

Student success at TCI transcends mere academic assessment scores. A successful student is one who develops an ability to think critically and embodies a lifelong passion for learning.
TCI teachers are invested in the holistic development of their students, seeking enduring edification through intellectual and spiritual progress, and the development of ethically sound participants in the community.