Academic Policies
Transfers
You can request to transfer from one course into another via the My Qibla page. There are no transfers for courses between 2-5 weeks. For courses between 6-8 weeks, all transfers must be made within the first week of the semester start date. For courses that are 8 weeks or longer, you may transfer within 2 weeks of the semester start date.
Withdrawals
To receive a full refund less a $40 withdrawal fee, you may withdraw from a course within five days of semester start date. If you withdraw after 5 days but within the first 4 weeks of the semester start date, you will receive a 50% refund less the withdrawal fee. You may not withdraw for a refund after four weeks.
For short courses 2-8 weeks, there are no withdrawals after the course begins. To receive a full refund, you may withdraw a day before the course begins. A $25 withdrawal fee applies to withdrawal from a short course 1 day after it begins. After the one day withdrawal limit, you may withdraw from the course but will not receive a refund.
Incomplete
A grade of Incomplete may be given when a student has completed and passed a majority of the work required for a course but, for reasons beyond the student’s control, cannot complete the entire course. Incomplete grades are dependent upon instructor approval, and instructors are under no obligation to grant them. In cases where an instructor agrees to assign an I grade, it is important to arrive at an agreement about exactly what is required in order to finish the course and what percentage of the grade will be based on the remaining work.
Repeating Course
From session to session, recordings may change and you may choose to enroll in a new recording of a course. Or you may choose to repeat the course for review. You may repeat the course for 30% off the course’s regular tuition fee.
Course codes and course names can sometimes change. Contact the Qibla Helpdesk if you are unsure whether you have taken a certain course before or to determine if you are eligible to take a specific course.
Requests for Transcript or Official Receipts
Qibla does not offer an automatic transfer of university credit. However, in order to assist students who wish to test out of certain requirements or prerequisites at an educational institution, we can issue a formal letter detailing objectives met by completing the relevant Qibla course. A $10 fee applies. Please submit a ticket at the Qibla Helpdesk to request this.
Please note: In order to earn credit for a course, all requirements must be completed by the deadlines given.
Access to Course Materials after the Semester End Date
You will continue to access the recorded lessons after the end of the semester for an additional year. You will no longer have access to live session recordings, discussion forum archives, journals, self-study drills, assignments, exams, or the teachers/teaching assistants. In order to retain life time access to your course material you must remain an active Qibla student, meaning you have taken a course within the last 12 months and are fully paid without any outstanding course debts.
Continued access does not allow students additional time to complete course credit requirements unless they re-register and retake the course.
Qibla Course Policies
By registering for this course, you acknowledge and agree to the policies outlined below.
1. Copyright
Q. By registering for a course on Qibla, do I own the content on the course web pages?
A. No. Ownership of course content remains with Qibla or with whoever has granted Qibla the right to use their material. When you register for a course, you are merely obtaining the right to use the material on the course web pages in the manner outlined in these policies.
Q. What usage rights do I have over the content on the course web pages?
A. Registering for a course gives you the right to view, hear, and print material from Qibla course web pages as long as:
- The material is used for information only.
- The material is used for non-commercial purposes only.
- Copies of any material include the respective copyright notice.
Q. Is material on the course web pages subject to copyright?
A. Yes. Everything on Qibla course web pages is copyrighted. The copyrights of all non-student work are owned by Qibla except in cases where the original creator retains copyright of the material. Copyrights to external links are owned and/or the responsibility of those external sites.
Q. Am I allowed to post material from Qibla course web pages on another website?
A. No. Material on the course websites is copyrighted and may not be mirrored or reproduced on any website without the expressed written permission of Qibla. This includes posting word-for-word transcripts of lesson recordings. However, we encourage you to share your notes and lessons learned with others.
Q. Am I allowed to retain copies of downloadable material?
A. Yes. You may, print and save copies of course slides, notes, texts, and downloadable recordings, provided that:
- The material is used for information only.
- The material is used for non-commercial purposes only.
- Copies of any material include the respective copyright notice.
2. Sharing Courses
Q. Are my family members allowed to participate in the course if they have not registered for the course themselves?
A. Family members living in the same household are welcome to listen to the lesson and attend live sessions for free. However, they will be unable to earn credit as part of this. If your family members want to earn credit, they can register using the 50% family discount for the same course during the same semester.
Q. Are my friends allowed to use my login information to participate in the course if they have not registered for the course themselves?
A. No. By registering for the course, you have purchased the right to use the course material in the manner outlined in these policies. Your friends have not purchased these rights and hence may not participate as course students without independently registering for the course themselves. It is religiously and contractually unlawful for you to allow friends to participate in the course unregistered.
3. Payment
Q. How can I pay for the course?
A. You can pay online by either credit card or PayPal, or you can mail us a check or money order.
Q. If my payment fails how do I update my payment details.
A. Go to ‘My Account’ to update any payment details.
Q. When will I be able to access the course?
A. Access to the course will be granted on the first day of semester, provided that we have received your payment.
You will be able to access your course when classes commence at the beginning of the semester. If we have not received your payment, your access to the course will be delayed until it is received.
Q. What if I register late or if my circumstances make it impossible for you to receive my payment before the start of classes?
A. We will try our best to accommodate special circumstances. Please send us a written request for early course access by submitting a ticket at our HelpDesk. Your request must state the date when you will mail your check.
4. Code of Conduct
Q. Am I expected to follow certain rules of behavior?
A. Yes. All students are expected to follow proper Islamic conduct when dealing with teachers and fellow students. Qibla reserves the right to remove any student that it deems to have deliberately and knowingly committed a major violation of proper Islamic conduct. Such violations include, but are not limited to, showing disrespect to teachers or fellow students, inciting hatred, and using foul language.
Q. Am I entitled to a refund if I am removed from a course?
A. Students who are removed from a course don’t qualify for a refund.
5. Policy Violations
Q. What happens if I violate these policies?
A. Qibla reserves the right to remove any student that it deems to have deliberately and knowingly committed a violation of Qibla course policies.
Q. Am I entitled to a refund if I am removed from a course?
A. Students who are removed from a course don’t qualify for a refund.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Are copyright laws religiously binding?
A. Yes. Leading contemporary scholars have ruled that copyright laws are legally and religiously binding on Muslims. Violation of copyright constitutes harming the copyright holder and the Prophet Muhammad (God bless him and give him peace) said, “Wrongs are darknesses on the Day of Judgment”.
Q. Why are you limiting the spread of knowledge by placing all these restrictions on your courses?
A. It is our intention to spread beneficial knowledge as far as possible; not to restrict it. By following these policies, you are helping us to continue our work. By violating them, you are harming us and preventing us from accomplishing our goals. The Prophet Muhammad (God bless him and give him peace) forbade harming others in the famous hadith, “Let there be no harm or reciprocating harm.”
Q. Why are your courses so expensive?
A. Each Qibla course requires months of effort to produce. Given the amount of work that goes into our courses and the tremendous value that our students receive from them, our courses are very reasonably priced. Qibla is, however, committed to making its courses affordable and available to Muslims worldwide; to this end, we offer extensive financial aid catering to people in different personal situations and countries.
