Upper – Level Three 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

Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi

Demonstrative Jurisprudence

Building on the ‘Introduction to Demonstrative Jurisprudence: Verses on Islamic Law’ module, this course aims to familiarise students with the evidence, methods, and reasoning used by Shia jurists in issuing their edicts on Islamic Law. Topics will be selected from both areas of Islamic Law: the ‘ritual acts of worship’ (ʿibādāt) and the extensive range of rulings that fall under the heading ‘transactions’ (muʿāmalāt). The syllabus will cover issues that Muslims most commonly encounter in their lives. It will also investigate the basis on which some of the fatwas of contemporary Shia jurists differ and the reasons for the differences in rulings across Muslim jurisprudential schools.

Course Detail

Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £230.00
Non-Certificate Students: £460.00

Prerequisite: Introduction to Demonstrative Jurisprudence

Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Bahmanpour

Sequential Exegesis of the Qur’an

This module aims to equip the student with the main methods and skills of exegesis through the study of mainstream classical and modern commentaries of the Qur’an. Unlike thematic exegesis, which investigates a subject in light of related verses throughout the Qur’an, this module examines and interprets verses of particular surahs in sequential order. The method of exegesis will consist of examining the vocabulary, etymology, and sentence structure of each verse, the occasions or causes of the revelation, the implied meaning of the text, and the overall structure and theme of the chapters.
As it is not possible to cover the whole Qur’an in this module, the course will examine short surahs of juzʾ 30 of the Qur’an in reverse order (i.e. starting from Sūrat al-Nās). At the end of each verse or set of verses, some short and reflective messages will be examined so that students learn how the Qur’an can be applied in everyday life.

Course Detail

Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £230.00
Non-Certificate Students: £460.00

Prerequisite: Introduction to Qur’anic Exegesis

Shaykh Safdar Razi Master

Narrator Evaluation

Narrator Evaluation (ʿilm al-rijāl) is the study and application of the principles and methods used for determining the status of reporters of traditions. Essentially, it is the science of evaluating hadith reporters. It seeks to answer questions such as ‘How can a reporter’s reliability be established?’ and ‘Is such and such reporter reliable?’. In some areas of Islamic studies, such as the derivation of Islamic laws, strict authentication of traditions is required and ʿilm al-rijāl offers the enquirer a valuable framework for assessing the reliability of a hadith’s chain of transmission. This module investigates the core principles and methods used by rijālī scholars in their deliberations and examines the status of selected reporters.

Course Detail

Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00

Prerequisite: Hadith Studies

Shaykh Muhammad Zaynulabidin Khalfan

Overview of Islamic Philosophy

Islamic Philosophy is categorised among the intellectual (ʿaqlī) sciences. It has influenced the development of many other Islamic subjects, both intellectual and transmitted, such as Theology, Logic, and Theoretical Mysticism. Although there are many Islamic philosophical schools, the three primary trends over the course of the subject’s advancement have been Peripatetic Philosophy, Illuminationist Philosophy, and the Transcendent Wisdom of Mulla Sadra. Islamic Philosophy was initially broader in the scope of the subjects it discussed. However, with the progression of modern science and its influence on the Islamic world, it gradually centred on what is known in Western Philosophy as ‘ontology’. Following an introduction to the subject, this module will discuss the most important schools, scholars, and concepts in the discipline.

Course Detail

Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00

Prerequisite: Logic

Shaykh Ali Abbas Malik

Jurisprudential maxims

Jurisprudential maxims (al-qawāʾid al-fiqhiyyah) are a series of foundational principles that, while being distinct from the study of the principles of jurisprudence in uṣūl al-fiqh, play a crucial role for jurists in deducing Islamic laws from their primary sources. This module will explore over twenty such maxims, drawing primarily from the distinguished work, Introduction to Jurisprudential Maxims (Durūs tamhīdiyyah fī al-qawāʾid al-fiqhiyyah) by Ayatollah al-Shaykh Muḥammad Bāqir al-Īrawānī. Students will undertake a rigorous examination of the evidential basis, meaning, and scope of each maxim. The module will aim to provide students with a well-rounded grasp of the key jurisprudential maxims, enhancing their ability to interpret and apply these principles within the context of Islamic law and its broader methodologies.

Course Detail

Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £230.00
Non-Certificate Students: £460.00

Prerequisite: Introduction to Demonstrative Jurisprudence

Shaykh Mohammed Ali Ismail

Thematic Exegesis of the Qur’an

In this module, students engage with the Qur’an through the lens of thematic exegesis (tafsīr mawḍūʿī), a method distinct from traditional sequential exegesis (tafsīr tartībī). The course centres on linking and analysing verses from across the Qur’an that address specific themes, such as eschatology, to construct a comprehensive understanding of these topics. This approach encourages students to contemplate the variations in language and context among verses and the deeper meanings that emerge when these verses are studied in relation to each other.
Throughout the module, students will refine their critical thinking and interpretative skills, gaining insight into the methodologies of renowned Islamic exegetes. By the end of the module, students will be equipped to approach the Qur’an with a more holistic and nuanced perspective, applying thematic exegesis to various subjects. The module is an invaluable resource for students seeking a deeper, more interconnected understanding of the Qur’an’s teachings.

Course Detail

Credits: 20
44 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £230.00
Non-Certificate Students: £460.00

Prerequisite: Introduction to Qur’anic Exegesis

Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Bahmanpour

Pioneering Muslim Scholars and Their Works

This module aims to familiarise students with the pivotal figures who have significantly influenced Islamic scholarship and learning following the Prophet Muhammad (s) and the Infallible Imams (a). Given the extensive range of distinguished Muslim scholars in various disciplines of Islamic studies, the module selectively focuses on the most notable and impactful scholars from both Sunni and Shia traditions. It provides an in-depth examination of each chosen scholar’s life, educational background, and the socio-political and historical setting of their era. Key focuses include their groundbreaking works and methodologies, and the lasting impact these have had on successive generations of Islamic scholarship. From Mālik ibn Anas, the pioneer of hadith-based fiqh, to ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī, renowned for his Qur’anic tafsīr and contributions to Islamic Philosophy and modern kalām, the module highlights key scholarly accomplishments within the wider context of Islamic intellectual history.

Course Detail

Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00

Shaykh Muhammad Khalfan

Overview of Islamic Mysticism

Overview of Islamic Mysticism, or ʿirfān, explores the profound depths of Islamic faith and practice. The subject is divided into two main categories: Practical ʿirfān, which focuses on the spiritual stations an ʿārif (mystic) traverses on the journey towards God, and Theoretical ʿirfān, which delves into the ʿārif’s interpretations and understandings of God, the world, and humanity. In this introductory course, students receive an extensive overview of both categories. The course investigates the historical development of ʿirfān within the Islamic tradition, tracing its origins and the evolution of its thought and practice. It presents the principles of ʿirfān as supported by the Qur’an, Sunnah, and intellectual reasoning, and discusses how these principles are detailed in the works of esteemed scholars such as ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī. Additionally, the module addresses misconceptions about ʿirfān and examines instances of misinterpretation arising from superficial understanding. Through various examples, it aims to clear up these misunderstandings, offering students a more precise and coherent insight into this discipline.

Course Detail

Credits: 10
22 pre-recorded lectures, 4 live tutorials
Certificate Students: £115.00
Non-Certificate Students: £230.00

Prerequisite: Islamic Theology 1