Bayan Claremont

Bayan Claremont is a private, Islamic graduate school located in Claremont, California. It offers accredited degrees in three subject areas: Master of Arts in Islamic Studies and Leadership, Master of Arts in Islamic Education, and Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy.

Bayan operates as a division of Claremont School of Theology as part of an inter-religious consortium involving partner institutions representing Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism.^[1]

History

Bayan Claremont was established in 2011 through a collaboration with the Claremont School of Theology (CST) and the Islamic Center of Southern California with the purpose of preparing spiritual and religious leaders (such as pastors, priests, imams, and chaplains) who learn in an inter-religious environment.

Founder and President

Jihad Turk is the founding president of Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School. Prior to founding Bayan, Jihad served as the Religious Director of the Islamic Center of Southern California, the oldest and largest mosque in the Los Angeles area.^[2]

Accreditation

As a division of the Claremont School of Theology, Bayan Claremont is fully accredited by both the Western Association of Schools and Colleges^[3] (WASC) and The Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).

Bayan Claremont’s degrees are designed as tracks of existing CST degrees, and therefore carry accreditation. Students matriculated at Bayan Claremont are regarded as Claremont School of Theology students. Bayan graduates receive an accredited Master’s degree from CST, with Bayan’s imprimatur.

Graduate Degree Programs

As of 2016, Bayan Claremont offers three degree programs.^[4]

• Master of Arts in Islamic Studies and Leadership
• Master of Arts in Islamic Education
• Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy

Notable faculty

Bayan Claremont has its own faculty, but also invites faculty from other institutions to teach courses in their hybrid intensive format (a format that utilizes online platforms as well as in person teaching).

• Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah
• Dr. Ovamir Anjum
• Dr. Jonathan Brown
• Dr. Zareena Grewal^[5]
• Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda^[6]
• Edina Lekovic
• Dr. Joseph Lumbard, a co-author of The Study Qur'an^[7]
• Dr. Rami Nashashibi, founder of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network
• Dr. Omid Safi
• Imam Suhaib Webb

References

1. "Ecumenical & Interreligious Commitment". Claremont School of Theology. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
2. Helfand, Duke (2009-11-29). "His name: Jihad. His message: peace". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
3. "Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges |". www.acswasc.org. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
4. "Degree Programs - Bayan Claremont". Bayan Claremont. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
5. "Zareena Grewal: American Muslims and the Reform of Islam | The Chicago Monitor". chicagomonitor.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
6. "Abdul Nasir Jangda | Qalam Institute". www.qalaminstitute.org. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
7. Archipelago, World. "The Study Quran - Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Caner K. Dagli - E-book". HarperCollins US. Retrieved 2016-02-17.

Coordinates: 34°06′28″N 117°42′59″W / 34.107720°N 117.716311°W