Upcoming New Short Courses

Posted by Saudah Mirza, Outreach Manager on February 27th, 2008

assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah,

We have three exciting NEW short courses starting in March. Our short courses cover unique topics and are especially perfect for anyone who can’t commit to a full-semester course.

1. Understanding Islam: The Coherence of Islam and the Quest for Truth
Taught by: Ustadha Noura Shamma
Starts March 13th

This seven-week short course will provide an overview of the major concepts and fundamental questions answered by Islam, the final revelation from Allah Most High. The meaning of the Muslim declaration of faith and the three dimensions of Islam will all be explored. Non-Muslims and recent converts (within the last year) are eligible for a 75% discount! Learn more.

2. Full Moon Rising: The Light and Life of the Last Prophet
Taught by: Shaykh Abdul Kareem Yahya
Starts March 20th

The 6-week course is dedicated to bringing the light of the radiant Prophet, peace be upon him, into our lives through examining his origin, lineage, life, person, attributes, and character. Learn more.

3. The Muslim Scholarly Tradition: Distinguishing the Gold from the Glitter
Taught by: Shaykh Hamza Karamali
Starts March 20th

In this 6-week course, discover one of the chief causes of religious confusion engulfing Muslim communities around the world—namely, a lack of understanding the meaning and value of a “scholarly tradition.” Learn how to determine the reliability of both knowledge and the individuals from whom you take this knowledge through examining the Muslim scholarly tradition, its disciplines, reference works, and authoritative experts. Learn more.

Don’t miss the chance to enroll! Visit our course catalog today.



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Reader Comments

Comment:
1
Written by:
Fedwa
Posted on:
February 28th, 2008 at 11:52 am

salaam,

The Muslim Scholarly Tradition: Distinguishing the Gold from the Glitter

Is this course the same as the course “Hadith or Fiqh?”

wasalaam,
Fedwa

Comment:
2
Written by:
Saudah Mirza, Outreach Manager
Posted on:
February 29th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

wa ‘alaykum assalam,

Nope, these are two completely different courses.

Hadith or Fiqh? explored the issue of whether madhabs should be followed or whether we should be forming our own independent judgments based on looking at hadiths. In particular, it examined the basis of hadith disagreements among the four schools of thought.

The Muslim Scholarly Tradition will insha’Allah look at how our scholarly tradition evolved from its early Prophetic origins to its latter stages of organization. It will look at the subjects that are part of a program to become a religious scholar, and the reference works and authoritative experts of each discipline (which goes beyond madhabs). The course will also show how religious knowledge was traditionally taught vs. what’s done in modern university educations. One of the goals of doing this is to help us recognize the reliability of both scholars and the knowledge they’re teaching. It will also help us see the “bigger picture” of what we’re studying.

Here’s the lesson breakdown of this new course:

LESSON 1: The Muslim Scholarly Tradition
* The Generational Refinement of Religious Knowledge
* The Development of Scholarly Disciplines
* Classical Muslim Textbooks

LESSON 2: Sources
* The Quran and its Disciplines
* The Sunna and its Disciplines

LESSON 3: Core Disciplines
* Theology
* Islamic Law

LESSON 4: Core Disciplines (cont’d) & Methodology
* Islamic Spirituality
* Hadith Methodology
* Legal Methodology

LESSON 5: Prerequisites
* Logic and Reasoning
* Arabic Language

LESSON 6: Living Islam
* Direct Acquisition of Knowledge Through Personal Contact
* Exposition of Inherited Knowledge
* The Teaching License