Est. 2016 · Cape Town

About Baseerah

A female-led Islamic institution rooted in traditional scholarship and devoted to making sacred knowledge accessible.

Who We Are

Female-led scholarship,
since 2016.

Baseerah Institute is a female-led Islamic institution that seeks to raise the level of female education and scholarship through the teaching and publishing of traditional Islamic texts and sciences. We offer part-time courses, short courses, and workshops throughout the year.

Founded by Shaykhah Rukayya Samsodien in response to a real gap she witnessed in Cape Town — accessible, rigorous, women-led Islamic education — Baseerah has grown from a small weekly gathering into a trusted institution serving thousands of students.

We take pride in our holistic approach: fostering an atmosphere of sisterhood alongside academic excellence. Our classes are interactive. Our community is warm. And the pursuit of knowledge here is understood as a collective act of worship.

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونَ

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. — Surah Adh-Dhariyat: 56
Baseerah students in class
What We Stand For

The values we build on

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Traditional Scholarship

We teach from authentic, well-known primer texts in the fundamental Islamic sciences — not reformulated or diluted. The classics, made accessible.

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Sisterhood First

Every class is a halaqah as much as a lesson. We cultivate togetherness, mutual encouragement, and a safe space where women grow together.

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No Prerequisites

No prior Islamic studies required for any course. We meet students exactly where they are — whether complete beginners or those deepening existing knowledge.

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Academic Excellence

We hold ourselves to a high standard — structured curricula, qualified teachers, and a commitment to genuine understanding, not surface-level familiarity.

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Interactive Learning

Questions are welcomed — expected, even. Our classes thrive on contribution, discussion, and the kind of engaged curiosity that makes knowledge stick.

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Our Teachers

The team behind Baseerah

Qualified women who have dedicated themselves to the pursuit and transmission of Islamic knowledge.

Common Questions

Everything you need to know

Can't find your answer? WhatsApp or email us — we're happy to help.