iSyllabus : Course and Module Details
A. “Living Faith Through Sincerity”
“For that was the Arch Angel Gabriel who came to you to teach you your religion”
The Hadith of Gabriel holds a central place in the Islamic learning narrative. Through it, the archangel Gabriel (peace be upon him) is reported to have come to The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and have enquired about Islam, Iman and Ihsan. The answer provides the blue print for all consequent religious teaching, incorporating as it does the Practice, Faith and Spirituality of the Islamic message
Through a set of 7 modules, students will be introduced to the theory and practice of purification, prayer and fasting. The philosophy and rulings of zakat as well as a journey through the sacred gathering of the hajj in Mecca will be explored giving spirit to the outward actions that form the basis of Muslim worship.
Based on the famous creed of Imam At-Tahhawi , formatted in a unique easily understood way, these two modules will allow students to both understand and articulate essential Muslim beliefs. The modules will aid students in articulating and presenting Muslim belief on the Divine Attributes, the nature and qualities of Messengers, as well as issues relating to Hereafter and The Unseen. The students will thereby be afforded the capacity to navigate misconceptions and flawed beliefs, some of which impinge on the rights of others, prevalent in contemporary discourse.
The process of perfecting ones characteristics is a necessary precondition to heartfelt devotion. The theory and practice of purifying the heart-spiritual detox- will be investigated through 2 modules that look at how to free oneself of blame worthy traits and habits and acquire those that are the hallmarks of the Prophets.
B. “Living Faith Through Relationships”
“And from amongst his signs is that He created soul mates for you from amongst yourselves, in order that you find tranquillity therein.”
Described as half of faith, marriage has provided a tried and tested foundation for a balanced and healthy society. Through this module, students will gain an appreciation of the workings of a successful marriage and household as well as the rights and responsibilities that this necessarily entails as well clarifying many prevalent misunderstandings in family issues.
C. “Living Faith Through Understanding”
“....and whoever has been given wisdom has been indeed given an abundance of good.”
An informed and coherent representation of the Islamic faith tradition has always been a condition of Islamic renaissance. The living faith through understanding theme sheds much needed light on the timeless principle and sources that protect the faith from arbitrary and extremist distortions, while at the same time allowing the tradition the capacity of facing up to the demands of modern life.
“The Divine sources” consists of 2 modules looking into the foundational position of the Qur’an and the Prophetic example in the Islamic legal and ethical tradition. The history, authenticity and significance of both will be explored in a way that underlines the importance of both in classical and modern religious discourse.
“The Tradition of the Scholars” consists of 2 half-modules designed to provide an introduction into the history and practice of Islamic learning. The first looks at how a stable orthodoxy developed within Muslim knowledge culture in both Law as well as Theology. The second of these looks at the requisite etiquette and mannerisms that have made up the student /teacher relationship in Islamic scholarship throughout history.
“Constancy and dynamism: the Fiqh of time and place”. These 2 modules aim to give the student a deep appreciation of the underlying principles that have given Islam both its historic stability as well as requisite dynamism to face up to the challenges of the age. The principles of Islamic jurisprudence together with the higher objectives of the law will be explored with the aim of laying down the ground rules for ethical and principled thinking in areas of contemporary concern. This will be further aided by case studies on modern issues exploring how timeless principles are utilized and appropriated to address the major legal and ethical dilemmas faced by modern man.
iSyllabus Course Delivery Breakdown
The isyllabus is designed around that way you live. Rather than taking forever to learn the most essential elements of the Islamic faith like other courses, the i syllabus is broken down into 15 simple modules, taking two academic semesters to complete, leading to a self-accredited diploma in Islamic studies.