Scroll down to view course descriptions and introductory videos for these modules.
Note: The flexible nature of our programme means that you do not have to take all the modules that are offered each semester. Whether you take the Certificate, Diploma, or Non-award study path, you can take up to 60 credits each semester (excluding Arabic) and progress through the programme course at a pace that suits you.
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.
Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £230.00
Non-Certificate Students: £460.00
Qur’anic Sciences
Qur’anic Sciences (ʿulūm al-qurʾān) introduces students to the scholarly disciplines related to the study of the Qur’an. It explores key topics such as the phenomenon of revelation, the compilation and organisation of the Qur’an, and the integrity of the Qur’anic text. By equipping students with foundational knowledge and critical methodologies, this module prepares them for advanced Qur’anic studies, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Qur’an’s historical, textual, literary, and theological contexts.
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00
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.
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00
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.
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00
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.
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00
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.
Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £230.00
Non-Certificate Students: £460.00
Prerequisite: Islamic Law 1 and 2
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.
Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £230.00
Non-Certificate Students: £460.00
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.
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00
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.
Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00
