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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Value of Time Seminar .

Value of Time Seminar .

“Time is precious, you can compromise everything, but not time”
— Professor Hasan al-Shafiʿi

This winter, The Classical Institute presents an online seminar centred on The Value of Time, a classical text by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda. The session examines scholarly approaches to time as a trust, drawing on the lived tradition of scholars and saints to consider how time was understood in earlier generations and how it is framed in the modern world.

The seminar is student-led and open to all, taking place online on 31 December 2025 from 8-9pm (GMT), by registration.

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A new field of study is inaugurated, bringing Christian Theology and Scripture into focus through the study of early texts and formative currents of Christian thought.

A new field of study is inaugurated, bringing Christian Theology and Scripture into focus through the study of early texts and formative currents of Christian thought.

Study begins with Biblical Hebrew, engaging directly with the language of the Hebrew Bible to grasp the structures and concepts shaping its earliest traditions.

Study begins with Biblical Hebrew, engaging directly with the language of the Hebrew Bible to grasp the structures and concepts shaping its earliest traditions.

Students examine early Christian writings, including texts attributed to Thomas, Peter, and Judas, tracing the development of ideas that influenced emerging Christian doctrine.

Students examine early Christian writings, including texts attributed to Thomas, Peter, and Judas, tracing the development of ideas that influenced emerging Christian doctrine.

The seminar series expands this inquiry, exploring how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam conceived the Divine in their early traditions. Explore all our programmes on our Programmes page.

The seminar series expands this inquiry, exploring how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam conceived the Divine in their early traditions. Explore all our programmes on our Programmes page.

“In 5th century BCE Athens, history, drama and philosophy came to be, a remarkable moment in intellectual history”
— John Claughton

The Classical Institute’s seminar series continues with a session devoted to Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War. The series is led by John Claughton, Lecturer in Latin and Greek at The Classical Institute, former Chief Master of King Edward’s School and former Master at Eton College, and a published author on Herodotus, Thucydides, Aristophanes, Plato, and Lucian.

Seminar 3: Thucydides and the Reality of War | Sunday 11th January 2026 | 6:30–8:00pm (GMT)

Intellectual Progress

The Classical Institute facilitates intellectual growth through several classical pedagogical approaches.

Spiritual Progress

In addition to promoting intellectual development, The Classical Institute also nurtures spiritual growth.

Moral Progress

The ultimate aim of intellectual and spiritual growth is to engender moral development.

Meet Our Founding Dean

  • Dr Badreldeen Ismail, a distinguished scholar whose passion and expertise have shaped TCI’s unique approach to education.

Biography

  • Classical Curriculum

    The Classical Institute advances intellectual and spiritual formation through rigorous study across Languages and Literature, Philosophy and Theology, and the Intellectual Traditions of both East and West, each approached with depth, precision, and integrity.

  • Scholarly Community

    The Classical Institute brings together a serious body of scholars and students engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and the revival of classical learning. It is a rigorous intellectual environment, fostering critical thought, textual precision, and academic excellence across disciplines.

  • Living Tradition

    At The Classical Institute, tradition is a living framework through which knowledge is transmitted, refined, and renewed. Our teaching integrates the enduring wisdom of classical scholarship with the disciplined methods of contemporary research, ensuring depth, accuracy, and critical engagement.

Enriching Minds.

The Classical Institute’s Educational Journey.

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.

Student Thoughts & Reflections

  • "I would recommend unreservedly, for anyone to undertake the courses or a tailored training program at The Classical Institute under the tuition of Dr Ismail to broaden all your horizons and help you to transcend the mundanity of everyday modernity."

    Dr Imran Khan, Birmingham UK

  • "TCI has privileged me with a rare environment whereby edification is privileged above all other objectives. The diverse curriculum, spanning across several languages, canons, and ideologies, has enabled me to expand my intellectual horizons significantly."

    Abdelhamid Arbab, New Jersey US

  • "Studying at TCI has been a profoundly transformative experience; both intellectually, and spiritually. It has given me an appreciation of classical Eastern and Western learning, ignited a sincere desire to seek knowledge and helped engender critical thinking."

    Dr A Ghuari, Birmingham UK

  • "TCI’s holistic approach to education emphasises personal development beyond just the subject matter, and creates an environment conducive to both academic and spiritual growth."

    Dr Sarah Mehanna, Solihull UK

  • “Dr Ismail's teachings have allowed me to develop my critical thinking skills, encouraging me not to take everything at face value but to study it in depth, and that every word and letter has meaning in it.”

    Mohammad Umar, Solihull UK