Intermediate – Level Two Modules

Scroll down to see course descriptions and module introduction videos for these modules.

Note 1: To take any of the four modules listed above, it is not necessary to have done any of the previous modules.

Note 2: The flexible nature of our programmes means that you do not have to take all the modules that are offered in each semester. Whether you do the Certificate, Diploma, or Non-award, you can take up to 60 credits each semester (excluding Arabic) and progress through the course at a pace that suits you.

To apply, click here Level 3 Modules

Shaykh Ali Abbas Malik

Principles of Jurisprudence

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

Sayyid Samer Al-Hakim

Qur’anic Sciences

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

Shaykh Mohammed Ali Ismail

Hadith Studies

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

Sayyid Sulayman Ali Hassan

Arguments and Responses

Religious teachings are often at odds with modern culture and sensibilities. This reality gives rise to a number of questions about both the validity of religion itself as well its relevance to contemporary life; questions such as ‘How do we know Islam is the true religion?’, and ‘Are Islam’s gender laws discriminatory?’ This module examines a number of such queries and discusses appropriate Islamic responses.

Course Detail

Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £100.00
Non-Certificate Students: £200.00

Shaykh Rizwan Arastu

Al-Sahifah al-Sajjadiyah and other Supplicatory Texts

In this course, students will gain a familiarity with major supplicatory texts, namely al-Ṣaḥīfah al-Sajjadiyyah, Mafātīḥ al-Jinān, and its sources. They will learn about the books’ authors and their purposes. We will explore the layout and contents of the books. Then we will delve into exemplary supplications to develop the skills to engage with them meaningfully, not only as scripts for communication with God and the Infallibles, but as profound guidance to help us to know ourselves and our Creator and the ideal relationship to which we must aspire.

Course Detail

Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £100.00
Non-Certificate Students: £200.00

Shaykh Safdar Razi Master

Introduction to Demonstrative Jurisprudence: Verses on Islamic Law

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

Prerequisite: Islamic Law 1 and 2

Shaykh Rizwan Arastu

Life of the Imams (a)

This module surveys the lives of the twelve Imams (a). Students will gain a familiarity with the major events of the Imams’ lives and the struggles they faced as they continued the work of Prophet Muhammad (s). Since their lives and struggles are intertwined with the events of the first three centuries of Islamic history, this course will necessarily cover many aspects of the rise and fall of caliphates, imperial expansion and wars, and the intermingling of Muslim intellectuals with foreign ideas.

Course Detail

Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £200.00
Non-Certificate Students: £400.00

Shaykh Mohammed Ali Ismail

Introduction to Qur’anic Exegesis

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

Sayyid Sulayman Ali Hassan

Nahj al-Balaghah

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