Beginner Courses - Hawza On Demand

Introduction to Muslim Philosophy

Philosophy (فلسفة)

Philosophy, also known as ḥikma or ‘wisdom,’ is the systematic attempt to understand reality through a process of rational reflection and deduction. This module provides students with a historical background of the origins and development of philosophy in the Islamic world, central philosophical themes, and the prominent philosophers. It examines the impact that the translation of Greek philosophical texts into the Arabic language had on the development of philosophical ideas amongst Muslims.

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Ḥadīth & Rijāl Studies

Ḥadīth & Rijāl Studies (علوم الحديث و رجال )

This module familiarises students with the science of ḥadith (narration) criticism and authentication, tracing the history of recording hadith all the way to the phenomenon of fabrication, and classification of different ḥadith. It also introduces them toʿIlm al-Rijāl (biographical studies) which investigates the status of narrators of hadith, how scholars go about grading reporters, and their bearing on the credibility of it.

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Introduction to Muslim Theology & Shi’i Belief

Theology (كلام)

Muslim theology is concerned with the fundamental religious beliefs that an individual must subscribe to in order to qualify as a Muslim. This module introduces students to the historical debates surrounding predestination and the nature of God which led to the development of the discipline. It then examines the rational justifications provided for classical Shi’i doctrines by ʿAllāma Ḥillī in his work Bāb Hādī ʿAshar.

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Qur’anic Sciences

Qur'anic Sciences (علوم القرآن)

This module aims to introduce students to the academic study of Qur’anic sciences by first providing a brief historical background of the Qur’anic text and its compilation. It then delves into the concept of its divine revelation, its arrangement, debates in distortion of the Qur’an, abrogation, the difference between tafsīr and taʾwīl, its miraculous nature, and many other sub-topics.

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