About us
القلم — The Pen
Qalam is an Islamic tutoring marketplace that connects students with verified scholars for private, live one-to-one sessions — wherever they are in the world.
Why Qalam exists
Access to qualified Islamic education has always depended on geography. A student in Manchester might never encounter a scholar who teaches Tajweed to the standard of those in Cairo or Madinah. A revert in a small town may have no local teacher at all.
Qalam was built to close that gap — to make it straightforward for anyone, anywhere, to sit with a verified Islamic scholar and learn.
What the name means
The word قلم— Qalam — means “the pen” in Arabic. It is the first instrument mentioned in divine revelation: “Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous — who taught by the pen.” (Al-ʿAlaq, 3–4)
Al-Qalam is also the 68th surah of the Quran — one of the earliest revelations sent to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It opens with the oath: نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ — “Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe.” (Al-Qalam, 1)
Allah swears by the pen — an act that elevates the written word to something sacred. The surah was revealed to affirm the Prophet ﷺ and to establish that knowledge, character, and truth are the highest qualities a person can possess. It is a surah about the dignity of learning and the weight of what is written.
The name reflects our purpose: a platform built in the tradition of Islamic learning, where knowledge is transmitted with care from teacher to student.
How it works
Browse verified scholars
Every scholar on Qalam has been reviewed and verified by our team. You can browse by subject, language, experience level, and availability before booking.
Book a session
Choose a time that suits you and pay securely. You will receive a confirmation with a link to your live video session.
Learn live, one-to-one
Sessions take place over live video — just you and your scholar. No recordings, no group classes. Focused, personal instruction.
Subjects taught
Scholars on Qalam teach a range of Islamic disciplines, including:
- Quran recitation and memorisation (Hifz)
- Tajweed (rules of Quranic recitation)
- Arabic language — beginner to advanced
- Islamic studies and aqeedah
- Fiqh and Islamic jurisprudence
- Seerah (biography of the Prophet ﷺ)
Our values
Verification over volume
We prioritise the quality and trustworthiness of scholars over the size of our marketplace. Every scholar is individually reviewed before they can teach on the platform.
Respect for the tradition
Islamic knowledge carries a chain of transmission. We take seriously the responsibility of facilitating that transmission and expect our scholars to uphold its standards.
Accessibility
Sessions are priced by each scholar individually. We believe access to Islamic education should not be limited by financial circumstance, and we actively work to ensure a range of price points is available.
Are you a scholar?
If you are a qualified Islamic educator and would like to teach on Qalam, we welcome your application. We review each application carefully and will be in touch within a few days.
Get in touch
For questions, feedback, or support, reach us at support@qalam.co.