Feb ’23 Modules
VERSES ON ISLAMIC LAW
Lecturer
Course Description
This module provides students with a thorough introduction to the field of study known as ‘Demonstrative Jurisprudence’ (al-fiqh al-istidlālī). Demonstrative Jurisprudence investigates the evidence used by jurists (fuqahāʾ) to derive Islamic laws. The course focuses on āyāt al-aḥkām – verses of the Qur’an that deal with Islamic laws – and trains students to analyse the arguments presented by leading jurists on topics such as the method of performing wuḍūʾ, prayer times, marriage and divorce, and hijab. The course also offers useful insights into the reasons behind the variances in the fatwas issued by jurists. The module is a prerequisite for the Demonstrative Jurisprudence module studied in Level Three of the programme.
Course Detail
Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £200.00
Non-Certificate Students: £400.00
LIVES OF THE IMAMS (A)
Lecturer
Course Description
Course Detail
Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £200.00
Non-Certificate Students: £400.00
INTRODUCTION TO EXEGESIS
Lecturer
Course Description
This module acquaints students with foundational discussions concerning the exegesis (tafsīr) of the Qur’an. It begins by exploring the meaning of important terms such as ‘exegesis’ and ‘hermeneutics’ and moves on to debate questions about the need for tafsīr, its possibility, and its permissibility. The module then traces the historical development of Shi‘i and Sunni tafsīr from its initial stages through to the modern era. The most important exegetical approaches and methods are then discussed, followed by an examination of key hermeneutical principles employed by exegetes of the Qur’an. Throughout the module, excerpts from seminal exegetical works are carefully studied. The course is a prerequisite to the tafsīr modules studied in Level Three of the programme.
Course Detail
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £100.00
Non-Certificate Students: £200.00
NAHJ AL-BALAGHAH
Lecturer
Course Description
Nahj al-Balaghah is often called the most important text in Islam after the Qur’an, especially for followers of Ahl al-Bayt (a). Yet, despite its renown, the text remains unfamiliar to many Muslims. In this course, we will aim to familiarise ourselves with the text, context, and importance of Nahj al-Balaghah for our understanding of Islamic doctrines, ethics, and history. In addition, we will look at the literary significance of the text and explore aspects of Imam Ali’s (a) literary output that are not fully reflected in Nahj al-Balaghah.
Course Detail
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £100.00
Non-Certificate Students: £200.00
VERSES ON ISLAMIC LAW
Lecturer
Course Description
This module introduces students to the Principles of Jurisprudence (uṣūl al-fiqh). It begins with an investigation into the subject’s historical development and the pioneering figures who helped evolve the discipline, culminating with the era of al-Sayyid Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr.
The course is then based on the book al-Ḥalaqah al-Ūlā, the first of a three-tiered series of books by al-Shahīd al-Ṣadr. The discussions centre around the principles related to lexical indications and non-lexical intellectual indications, procedural principles, and the resolution of conflicting arguments. By the end of the module, students will have developed a firm understanding of the foundations of uṣūl al-fiqh and its application to the derivation of legal rulings.
Course Detail
Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £200.00
Non-Certificate Students: £400.00
QUR’ANIC SCIENCES
Lecturer
Course Description
Qur’anic Sciences (ʿulūm al-qurʾān) introduces students to scholarly disciplines that are studied about the Qur’an. It examines subjects such as the revelation of the Qur’an, its compilation, and its structure. It is different to ‘Qur’anic Exegesis’ (tafsīr), which seeks information from the Qur’an. The module equips students with important insights into Qur’anic study and provides a solid basis for their subsequent studies and research.
Course Detail
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £100.00
Non-Certificate Students: £200.00
HADITH STUDIES
Lecturer
Course Description
This module provides students with an opportunity to rigorously investigate the second-most important source of Islamic studies. It explores the historical development of Shi‘i and Sunni hadith literature and critically discusses how both sects have traditionally classified traditions. The course also examines the various means of conveying and receiving traditions and assesses scholarly views on the origin and impact of hadith fabrication. A key component of the module is hadith analysis; here, students are presented with a systematic methodology for analysing traditions and discovering their purport. Significant attention is given to the great hadith collections such as ‘The Four Books’ and the enduring legacy left by the pioneering scholars that compiled them.
Course Detail
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £100.00
Non-Certificate Students: £200.00
ARGUMENTS AND RESPONSES
Lecturer
Course Description
Nahj al-Balaghah is often called the most important text in Islam after the Qur’an, especially for followers of Ahl al-Bayt (a). Yet, despite its renown, the text remains unfamiliar to many Muslims. In this course, we will aim to familiarise ourselves with the text, context, and importance of Nahj al-Balaghah for our understanding of Islamic doctrines, ethics, and history. In addition, we will look at the literary significance of the text and explore aspects of Imam Ali’s (a) literary output that are not fully reflected in Nahj al-Balaghah.
Course Detail
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £100.00
Non-Certificate Students: £200.00
