FIRST MUSLIM COLLEGE IN USA

Zaytuna College in California is coming up as America’s first ever Muslim college. It is a brainchild of Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Shakir and Professor Hatem Bazian. With the application process coming to a close, a committee is readying to study the applications and admit between 20-25 students as incoming freshmen. And although the college is seeking Muslim students, it is not exclusive to Muslims. Currently only two majors are being offered: Arabic language and Islamic law and theology. As the class size increases and more educators are hired, other majors will be offered, Imam Shakir said. Zaytuna College is in the rigorous process of seeking accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, a process that will take a number of years and one that Imam Shakir hopes will be completed by the time the freshman class graduates. The goals of the college are to produce scholars of Islam who are a product of an American education system.