Surrendered Hearts and Curious Minds with Dr. Sofia Rehman
Welcome to a unique space where the rich intellectual tradition and heritage of Islam converges with modern insights and wisdom. I am Dr. Sofia Rehman, scholar of Islam, educator and author, dedicated to making the pursuit of Islamic knowledge accessible, meaningful, and transformative.
There's a beautiful hadīth in which we are told the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ
"Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for them a path to Paradise. People do not gather in the houses of Allah, reciting the book of Allah and studying it together, but that tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will cover them, angels will surround them, and Allah will mention them to those near Him." (Sahih Muslim)
Whether you are looking to reconnect with the Qur'an, understand the Hadith tradition or join a community of curious believers, I hope you will find what you're looking for here.
May we find enlightenment for our hearts, strength for our faith, and our path to Paradise eased through our seeking and sharing of beneficial knowledge. May we be guided in our pursuit of knowledge to uphold the Qur'anic principles of mercy (rahmah), justice ('adl) and beauty (ihsān), Amīn.
Read in the name of your Lord
Beauty
Justice
Mercy
Dr Sofia Rehman
ABOUT ME
The more years I have tarried down this path of learning and teaching, the more I have felt tranquility in my life - that’s not to say life hasn’t thrown me curveballs; it certainly has. But having the rope of Allah to hold on to has eased the way.
I believe in seeking out the ayāt (signs) of Allah woven into our world in both intricate and obvious ways. I am in awe of Learning with a capital L, and I embrace both our profoundly rich tradition and the ever-growing body of new knowledge.
If you’re a seeker, driven by a longing for connection with Allah and deeper knowledge, you’re in the right place.
I've devoted nearly two decades to studying Islam, travelling across the globe, from Damascus to Istanbul, and earning a PhD in Islamic Theology from the University of Leeds in 2020. My journey began with a BSc in Business Management at King's College, which led to further studies in Arabic, traditional Islamic sciences including Shāfi'ī and Hanafi fiqh (jurisprudence), Usūl al-Qur'ān, Mustalah al-Hadīth, Tafsīr, Tasawwuf, Tajwīd and more. I hold a License (Ijāzah) in these areas and my research interests are in Hadith studies and Qur'ānic exegesis, particularly as it pertains to those on the margins.
I am currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds where I am developing my research in autism and Islam.
During the first global lockdown of 2020, I launched the Islam and Gender Read Along, where we explore academic texts in that genre. It was so successful that the Islam and Gender Read Along featured in Vogue Arabia and Refinery29. Years later and the group is still going strong.
I authored the best-selling title, A Treasury of Aisha bint Abu Bakr (Kube, 2023) and Gendering the Hadith Tradition: Recentering the Authority of Aisha, Mother of the Believers (Oxford University Press, 2024).
I am also a contributor to various anthologies, including Mapping Faith: Theologies of Migration, Cut From the Same Cloth?, Violent Phenomena: 21 Essays on Translation and Gathering: Women of Colour in Nature.
مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقَّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ
"If Allah intends goodness for someone, Allah gives them understanding of the religion."
(al-Bukhari)
Where Do You Want To Go?
AT A GLANCE, MY PLATFORM OFFERS YOU:
What Others Are Saying
TESTIMONIALS:
"Dr. Sofia's Islam and Gender Read Alongs are one of the most beneficial and rewarding spaces I have come across as a Muslim woman. I cherish and am deeply grateful for these conversations!"
- [Testimonial 1]
"I have too many good things to say about the classes. Sofia is a brilliant teacher
mA, very clear and organised and always willing to give extra help when needed. I
particularly praise her for being so flexible to me with young children. The classes
themselves have a good structure and the progress gained is evident when reading
Qur'an or listening to Arabic lectures. I truly can not thank her enough for opening
those doors for me and pray Allah swt grants her and her family Khair in this life
and in the hereafter, ameen."
- Zahra Hussain
"Since starting this Arabic course, I feel I have gained an immense asset. When I
read the Qur'an now, I feel so much more connected to the Holy book, and this is
just from being able to understand the fundamental grammar rules and expansion
of my Arabic vocabulary. It is akin to having a veil lifted from something I have
wanted to access for so long. I thoroughly recommend this course, not just for the
content, but also the approachable teaching style adopted by our teacher, who is
second to none. She is an absolute gem masha'Allah, and is always on hand to
help and guide us through the sometimes difficult terrain that is the Arabic
language."
- Sabina Qadri
"I've appreciated being able to explore Islam and personal faith in a safe environment, as well as having the space to grow through dialogue, mutual exploration of Islamic concepts, and having established perspectives be challenged kindly."
- [Testimonial 2]
"I have attended one of sister Sofia's arabic courses. It has by far been the best
course I have ever done! In a short time she has helped us understand the basic
rules of grammar which is needed for understanding & translating text. She is a
clear & highly beneficial teacher with a caring & supportive attitude. I highly
recommend sister sofia to anybody wanting to learn arabic."
- Monique Blake
