Beginner Courses - Hawza On Demand

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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Introduction to Shi’i Legal Theory

Legal Theory (أصول الفقه)

This module introduces students to Muslim legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh). Legal theory provides a framework or a method that a jurist (mujtahid) uses to deduce knowledge of Sharia. This module therefore explains the reasons for how and why Sharia is the way it is today. It specifically focuses on the main themes that are discussed in classical legal theory, together with the technical language and terminology used therein.

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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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Pre-Islamic History and History of Prophet Mohammad

History (تاريخ)

This module critically examines the context in which Islam emerged and the impact that the development of the religion had on the Arabian Peninsula. It evaluates the economic, socio-political and moral norms in pre-Islamic Arabia, known as the period of Jāhiliyya, and thereafter provides a detailed study of the pivotal social and spiritual events during the lifetime of Prophet Mohammad. Students will gain an appreciation of the sources, methodology and approaches to the study of Islamic history.

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