ASK teachings convey ageless truths in a way that is modern, accessible and informed of the challenges and issues facing people in these times.
Welcome to the Academy of Self Knowledge (ASK)
The Academy of Self Knowledge (ASK) offers courses of learning whereby spiritual seekers can rediscover knowledge of meaning and purpose as well as learn special approaches and techniques for enriched conscious living.
Many people struggle to marry the rational and the spiritual. With its foundation in Islamic Sufism, whose roots go beyond recorded history, the ASK program bridges the gap between an information-based approach and experiencing inner transformation.
The Academy was founded by Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri, Master of the Sufi sciences, and descendant of five generations of well-known and revered spiritual leaders. A link between the ancient wisdom teachings and our present time, Shaykh Haeri has taught students throughout the world for over 25 years. He is a prolific author on various topics relating to the universal principles of Islam and its core purpose of enlightenment, including titles such as Thoughtful Guide to Islam, Witnessing Perfection and 101 Helpful Illusions (See the ASK eBooks Portal for a list of his titles).
Established in Centurion, Pretoria about twenty minutes from Johannesburg, South Africa, ASK offers both a community center as well as a fully-fledged online academy on this website where aspirants can study transformative knowledge.
ASK is a self-sustained, non-profit organization that offers maps for the journey of discovery the fields of self-knowledge, self-development and the deepening of evolving consciousness.
THE ASK VISION — Teaching Knowledge of How Life Works
ASK teachings are presented in the form of an interactive online program that is complemented by facilitator support, study groups, seminars and workshops, spiritual retreats and access to online multi-media resources. Students also have direct interaction with Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri, as well as fully trained facilitators and students.
The Academy offers two courses, with approximately 13 lessons in each course. Because the program is delivered online, students are able to work at their own pace. Completion of each course generally takes up to a year to complete.
Each lesson contains:
- The objectives of the lesson
- A text, which comprises the lesson
- Additional supportive material drawn from a variety of sources
- Exercises and an assignment
- Self-assessment tests
- Suggested further reading
Each course is complete within itself and may be taken separately. The courses are designed on two levels or layers of progressive and transformative learning. Course One focuses on the cosmology of the self and offers students a blueprint of existence so that they may better understand themselves and how life works. Course 2, Prophetic Prescriptions, focuses on explaining how tools and techniques can be implemented to facilitate deeply involving changes in consciousness. Completing both courses means that through their learning, students can begin to see this multi-layered, multi-dimensional map of existence, know what it means to awaken, how to deepen this awakened state, and how to connect this insight to every aspect of life.
Online Courses
Click here to learn more about the courses we offer.
Seminars and Workshops
Students of the Academy are invited to attend the ASK Seminars and Workshops held at periodic intervals at the ASK Centre in Centurion, South Africa, and various other centre in the UK, USA and Pakistan. During these seminars, a keynote speaker delivers a discourse on core concepts of the course material, followed by a workshop or exercise of an experiential nature where students learn to apply and integrate these concepts in their everyday life.
Short intensive retreats are held in South Africa and the UK, where a program of teaching as well as meditative sessions are offered in a tranquil and natural environment. Students can meet fellow students on the course and benefit from interacting with ASK facilitators and a community of people who have already completed the course.
Certification
The Academy will award a certificate to each student who has completed the course and submitted all of the assignments.
ASK — How Students Benefit from the Teachings
Once students have completed the two courses, they will have mastered a blueprint for living a more conscious and fulfilling life. The courses have measurable, identifiable and evident benefits, both in one's personal life and relationships, and one's work and profession.
The program is neither overly esoteric nor academic. Rather, it is pragmatic and provides personalized answers that can be internalized and therefore, is transformative and life changing. It is information that leads to knowledge and progressive enlightening self-awareness.
The courses show experientially how to get the most out of your relationships with yourself, your mind, your soul and the rest of creation.
The ASK program is aimed at students, serious in the quest for self-knowledge and higher consciousness and the practice of morals and ethical values.
Designed for the postmodern seeker of the global community, the two courses are easily accessible to everyone, and are appropriately adapted for our time and age. Current and perennial, this program in self-knowledge is wholly appropriate for the modern, contemporary psyche.
ASK — Will be of Interest To The Following people
ASK is open to all seekers of higher knowledge, regardless of their faith or denomination, including students and practitioners of all religions, psychology, alternative medicine, body, mind and spirit, and with a new and comprehensive outlook on life.
- Schools and universities offering courses in psychology, religious studies, body mind and spirit.
- A text, which comprises the lesson
- Public organizations, with the aim of promoting social harmony through personal development.
- Companies — as part of training programs for their employees. The ASK vision is "A Way to Inner Peace, Wellbeing and Happiness", and its program is an effective tool in developing the human resource assets of socially conscious corporations.
ASK Offices
The headquarters of ASK are in Pretoria, South Africa. We also have offices in the UK, USA, Pakistan and India. Please see the Contact Us page for further details.
Academic Facilitators
Each office has a team of academic facilitators. Assignments are submitted online by the students, and reviewed by the students’ personal facilitator. The assignments are not graded, instead, feedback and advice are provided in order to assist the students in their progress throughout the lessons. An online journal is maintained for each student. This journal may be accessed by both students and facilitators in order to constantly review the students’ progress.
Registration
If you would like to register for the course, please proceed to the Registration page. If you would like to obtain further information, please go to the Contact Us section.
