WaraqaWaraqa Institute
About Waraqa
Rooted in authentic Islamic tradition, committed to excellence in education
Our mission
Waraqa was founded with a single vision: to make authentic, high-quality Islamic education accessible to Muslims everywhere. Our scholars bring the living tradition of Al-Azhar directly to your home through personalized online sessions.
We believe that knowledge of the Quran and Arabic language is a fundamental right of every Muslim, and we are dedicated to removing every barrier that stands between a student and this sacred knowledge.
Our story
Waraqa began as a small circle of Al-Azhar trained tutors quietly teaching Quran and Arabic to a handful of families across Europe and North America. The lessons worked — children kept their tajwīd, adults actually finished the Mushaf, reverts who had felt embarrassed for years finally relaxed — and word spread faster than we expected.
We turned that circle into a school for one reason: most online Quran academies treat learners like line items. They rotate teachers, sell premium tiers, and never write the parent more than a generic monthly invoice. We wanted the opposite. One matched teacher per student. A written class report after every session. A monthly review with a real human voice on the other end of the line.
Today Waraqa serves English-speaking learners in over a dozen countries. We have remained small on purpose. Each teacher is capped at a modest weekly load, vetted internally before their first student, and reviewed against the same standards we would want for our own children.
How we teach
Every Waraqa learner is paired with a single matched teacher from day one. You do not rotate through substitutes. You do not start over with a new face when a term ends. That continuity is the single biggest predictor of whether Quran and Arabic study actually sticks — and we protect it carefully.
Before any paid lesson, you meet a real teacher for a relaxed 30-minute evaluation. We listen, check your current level, and write a short plan you keep — even if you never book another class.
We do not record video. After every session the teacher submits a written class report — what was covered, your strengths, the next focus, and homework. The record is yours forever.
Once a month our academic lead reviews each learner with the teacher and (optionally) the family. Progress is visible — never assumed — and we adjust the plan if life or motivation has shifted.
Children learn in shorter, more frequent cycles. Adults and reverts use 90-day anchors. Either way the lesson plan flexes around school, work, Ramadan, and exam seasons without losing your slot.
We never teach "reading first, then Tajweed later". Beginners learn correct makharij and basic rules alongside the alphabet so recitation grows clean from the start.
Every subject is $10 USD per hour. No premium tiers, no per-language upcharge, no signup fee. You pay monthly, only for the lessons that actually happened, and unused balance rolls forward.
Who we teach
Most online Quran academies sell a single "course" to everyone. We do not. A nine-year-old learning the alphabet, an adult revert beginning Surat Al-Fātiḥa, and a parent rebuilding tajwīd after years away from the Mushaf need very different teachers, paces, and language. Waraqa runs five distinct pathways so each learner walks in the right door from the start.
We deliberately also offer female teachers on every pathway. If you need a sister to teach your daughters, your wife, or yourself, just say so during the evaluation — there is no awkwardness and no up-charge.
Calm, patient lessons for 5–14 year olds. Short sessions, real progress, gentle teachers.
Explore →A 90-day Quran foundation that turns shaky reading into confident recitation.
Explore →One coordinator, one schedule, shared progress for every learner under one roof.
Explore →MSA, Classical, and Quranic Arabic ladders so you can read tafsīr without a translator.
Explore →ʿAqīda, fiqh, sīra and an introduction to classical books — at a serious but humane pace.
Explore →Our scholars
Every Waraqa teacher is Al-Azhar trained, with verified ijāzāt where applicable, and reviewed through an internal teaching trial before they meet their first student. Below are some of the scholars currently teaching with us. Your matched teacher will be introduced personally during your free evaluation.
Head of Quranic Studies
Hafidh of the Quran with 20 years of teaching experience. Holds an ijaza in Hafs an Asim from Al-Azhar University.
Arabic Language Department
MA in Arabic Linguistics from Al-Azhar. Specializes in modern standard Arabic and Quranic vocabulary.
Islamic Studies
PhD in Islamic Jurisprudence. Teaches Aqeedah, Fiqh, and Seerah with a focus on practical application.
Our promise
We will never push you into a paid plan. The evaluation is genuinely free, and you only begin paying after a regular class you are happy with. If a teacher does not feel right, we re-match without friction — no awkward conversations, no penalty.
We will tell you the truth about timelines. Tajwīd is not a six-week course. Memorising a juz is not a weekend project. We would rather lose a student to honesty than keep one with a promise we cannot keep.
The Prophet ﷺ described the believer who studies Qur'an as "like the citron — pleasant in taste and pleasant in smell" (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5427). Our entire model exists to help that long, gentle relationship begin. The first step is the smallest one: a quiet conversation with a real teacher.
Join our community of learners and experience authentic Islamic education
Book a Free TrialWaraqa Institute was founded to make Quran, Tajweed, Arabic, and Islamic Studies accessible to English-speaking families wherever they live. Our teachers care about the student behind the screen — not just lesson counts. The name Waraqa honours Waraqa ibn Nawfal, the early companion of the Prophet ﷺ who recognized the truth of revelation through learning.
We are a small, deliberately careful team. Every teacher we hire goes through a teaching trial with an internal scholar before they meet a single student. We turn down candidates with strong credentials when their delivery does not suit children or new readers, because a degree alone does not teach a five-year-old to love the Qur'an.
Every learner gets a real evaluation before the first paid class. We listen, place you with a matching teacher, and write a short plan. After every lesson the teacher submits a written class report (we do not record lessons): what was covered, what to practise, and the next focus. Families receive a monthly follow-up call so progress is visible — not assumed.
We deliberately keep teaching loads modest. A teacher with thirty back-to-back students cannot care about the thirty-first. So we cap weekly hours per teacher, pay above the local benchmark, and protect time for monthly student review meetings inside the institute.
Children, adults, reverts, and full households. Kids build a calm, patient routine. Adults and reverts start with a 90-day Quran foundation. Whole families share schedules, teachers, and progress. Arabic learners step from MSA into Classical Arabic so the Qur'an opens up. Islamic Studies learners study ʿaqīda, fiqh and sīra with structure.
Patient teachers. Honest pricing. No pressure. The Prophet ﷺ described the believer who studies Qur'an as "like the citron — pleasant in taste and pleasant in smell" (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5427). Our entire model exists to help that long, gentle relationship begin. Book a free evaluation and meet a teacher first — you decide afterwards.