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Our Courses
2025 COURSES Islamic Studies & Civilization
A comprehensive course on everything you need to know about Islam, its religious sciences, its glorious civilization, and its continued relevance today.
Course Description
Who is this course for?
This is the most comprehensive course on Islam that you can study. As the title suggests, you learn core Islamic knowledge (the sciences of Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Aqida, and Tazkiya) against the backdrop of a chronological overview of Islamic history (from the Prophetic period to the late Ottomans) and an exploration of key intellectual, cultural, socio-political, ethical, artistic, and economic developments that made Islam into a global civilization. While the course looks back at the past, it does so with the spirit of ‘renewal’ and ‘revival’ so that the material is taught to explore the continued relevance of Islam and its civilization in our lives today and as a healing (shifa’) for humanity.
YOU COVER ALL THIS IN ONE COURSE.
Islamic Studies + Islamic Civilization.(See our Educational Philosophy page for more on the relationship between Islamic Studies & Islamic Civilization).
This is why this course is unique and why you must do it now.
*A separate course will run on Saturdays for pre-university students aged 16-18 years subject to demand.
- Any mature, educated, adult Muslim interested in learning the basics of Islam in more depth than is usually covered in introductory courses.
- Any mature, educated, adult Muslim interested in learning how the Islamic religion formed an entire civilization (socio-political and economic systems; cultural, intellectual, artistic, and literary achievements and traditions).
- Anyone wanting to learn the Islamic Sciences (Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Aqida, and Tazkiya)
- Islamic Studies teachers interested in boosting their knowledge of Islam and its civilization and enhancing their school curriculum.
- Any teacher teaching in an Islamic School keen on integrating Islam into the curriculum.
- Homeschooling parents/teachers interested in boosting their knowledge and enhancing their homeschooling curriculum.
- Converts/Reverts or newcomers to Islam interested in an in-depth contextual study of the Islamic religion, its core religious sciences, and its civilizational expression.
- High school students* (Years 10-12) in Islamic Schools who need to learn about Islam beyond the basics taught at school.
- High school students* (Years 10-12) who are not enrolled in Islamic Schools and need a comprehensive course on Islam.
Learning Outcomes
To provide: 1. the basic knowledge of one’s religion 2. the basics of the Islamic Sciences of Quran & Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, Aqida, and Tazkiya3. the development of the Islamic Sciences (their main principles, perspectives, conceptual categories, and figures or scholars)4. a broad overview of the story of Islam (its inception, its growth, and its crises)5. a chronological trajectory of key events in Islamic history 6. how the Islamic religion was expressed in Islamic Civilization (institutions, economics, politics, morality, society, art & architecture, literature, and intellectual history) 7. knowledge of cross-cultural encounters/engagements between Islam and other cultures, languages, and traditions to provide a foundation for later comparative studies of other ‘civilizational’ perspectives (particularly the modern West)8. basic familiarity with key Arabic/Islamic technical terms
Course Level
The course is a beginners-to-intermediate level course pitched somewhere between Year 12 and first-year university level. (The pre-university course for high school students will be delivered at the Year 10-11 level).
Assumed/Required Prior Knowledge
No prior knowledge is required, only a love of God, His Prophet (SAW), and a passion for learning about Islam.
course breakdown
Islamic Studies/Sciences
The core Islamic Sciences are: 1. Quran & Tafsir2. Hadith 3. Fiqh 4. Aqida 5. Tazkiya (Purification of the Soul) The lessons also cover the birth of the Islamic Sciences (‘Ulum), their key ideas and figures, and their developments. These core subjects are taught innovatively against the backdrop of the major historical, social, cultural, and intellectual developments. This way the students learn how this core Islamic knowledge transformed every aspect of Islamic Civilization (art, architecture, social structures, political systems, economic thought, cultural life, intellectual development, literature, etc.) and was transmitted down the centuries.
Islamic Civilization
This part of the course is interwoven with the core Islamic Studies material above and covers: 1. Islamic history2. Islamic intellectual movements 3. Political dynasties and governance4. Economic systems & ideas5. Art, architecture, and aesthetic beauty6. Literary Traditions* 7. Islamic Encounters** 8. Muslim Luminaries***
*Literary Traditions looks at some of the rich poetic and literary output of the Islamic world reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of Islamic Civilization. **Islamic Encounters explores important cross-cultural encounters between Islam and other civilizations where mutual exchange and understanding were the modus operandi. ***Muslim Luminaries covers many important Muslim thinkers, inventors, scientists, statesmen, poets, and more.
*Literary Traditions looks at some of the rich poetic and literary output of the Islamic world reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of Islamic Civilization. **Islamic Encounters explores important cross-cultural encounters between Islam and other civilizations where mutual exchange and understanding were the modus operandi. ***Muslim Luminaries covers many important Muslim thinkers, inventors, scientists, statesmen, poets, and more.
Course Structure/Outline
The course consists of three parts that can be taken separately but consecutively (each is a prerequisite for the next):
Islamic Studies & Civilization I: Prophetic Perfume & Light (4 weeks)
The first part of the course will look at the advent of the Prophet (SAW) as a light and compassion for humanity, his life, and the period of the Companions (Sahabah) until the end of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafa’ Rashidun). We will consider the emergence of Islam in Mecca (Makkah) & The Enlightened City (Madinah Munawwarah) from a broad civilizational perspective. We will follow the Sirah of the Praised One (Muhammad SAW) and the descent of the Quran and the Prophetic Sunna against the backdrop of the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Middle East region. We will also look at how the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs continued the Prophet’s legacy. These four weeks will cover:1. The life of the Prophet (SAW)2. The descent of the Quran 3. The gathering of the Quran during the life of the Prophet & the sahabah. 4. The development of the Sunnah5. The early seeds of fiqh & its practice among the sahabah. 6. The Quranic and Prophetic aqida.7. The history of Arabia and the region8. Intellectual, cultural, and socio-political developments in the region.
Islamic Studies & Civilization II: Consolidation & Global Civilization (8 weeks)
This course will cover the beginning of the Umayyad period until the death of Imam al-Ghazali. This is often referred to as the Golden Age of Islam. It is the rich and active period during which the Islamic Sciences developed, and Islamic Civilization took its global and cosmopolitan form advancing all fields of knowledge (sciences, art/architecture, literature, inventions, governance, economics, culture, etc.). The eight weeks will cover:1. The development of Quranic Studies2. The emergence of Hadith Studies & Hadith Collections3. The development of Islamic Schools of Law (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, & Hanbali) 4. The rise of Islamic schools of creed (Aqida & Kalam) We will then look at how each one of the Islamic Sciences developed and matured giving rise to their own methodologies (usul), major figures, and key texts.
We will also look at: 5. Several dynasties (Umayyads through the Abbasids to the Seljuks)6. Political turbulence and stability7. Economic institutions8. Geographical expansion of Islam 9. The flourishing of intellectual culture and literary traditions (Translation period & Arabic/Persian poetry)10. Scientific discoveries and luminaries 11. The development of Islamic art & architecture12. Muslim travellers13. Cross-cultural encounters We will end the journey with the great Ghazalian Synthesis by looking at Imam Ghazali’s great contributions to both Islamic religion & civilization.
We will also look at: 5. Several dynasties (Umayyads through the Abbasids to the Seljuks)6. Political turbulence and stability7. Economic institutions8. Geographical expansion of Islam 9. The flourishing of intellectual culture and literary traditions (Translation period & Arabic/Persian poetry)10. Scientific discoveries and luminaries 11. The development of Islamic art & architecture12. Muslim travellers13. Cross-cultural encounters We will end the journey with the great Ghazalian Synthesis by looking at Imam Ghazali’s great contributions to both Islamic religion & civilization.
Islamic Studies & Civilization III: Revival & Crises (8 weeks)
This part of the course will begin with the post-Ghazalian developments in the Islamic Sciences and the Seljuk period until the late 19th century via the Ottoman (we also will briefly look at the Safavids and the Mughals). (Full description coming soon).
When? (2025)
- Lessons are 2hrs/week. The total length of all three parts is 20 weeks but you can take them separately. The three parts will be taught consecutively over the year. The course times have been chosen to align with NSW school terms and not conflict with Ramadan, Islamic holidays, or school holidays.
- *Eid Adha may fall on Saturday, June 7th, in which case we will choose another day for that week.
- Islamic Studies & Civilization I will run from Feb 1st-Feb 22nd (2hrs x 4 weeks)
- Islamic Studies & Civilization II will run from May 3rd-July 5th (2hrs x 8 weeks)*
- Islamic Studies & Civilization III will run from August 16th- October 4th (2hrs x 8 weeks)
How?
The course will be offered in two ways:
- In-person: These sessions will run every Wednesday from 7-9 pm at Mizan Avenue, 1/8 George Young St. Auburn, NSW, 2144, Sydney. (Times are subject to slight change every term depending on daylight savings).
- Online: This version combines asynchronous (watching weekly pre-recorded online videos) from Monday to Friday and synchronous (weekly live Zoom discussion sessions). The weekly online videos are 1hr long and will be released every Saturday morning on a dedicated online learning platform. The weekly Zoom discussion sessions are also 1hr long. The exact times will be decided depending on the student cohort and time zone. Multiple time options will be available.
Teaching Format & Material
- Powerpoint will be used in class in addition to occasional pdf handouts.
- Lecture outlines will be provided for study.
- There will be recommended readings for the more adventurous who want to read further.
- The instructor will be accessible via email or the additional Zoom Q & A sessions that happen every week.
- A Whatsapp group will also be created for the student cohort to share resources and ask questions.
- High school students will be evaluated for comprehension and knowledge of course material
Learning Resources
TBC closer to start date.
Costs
Islamic Studies & Civilization I (4 weeks): $99 Islamic Studies & Civilization II (8 weeks): $199Islamic Studies & Civilization III (8 weeks): $199
Continue Your Studies
Once you have completed all parts of Islamic Studies & Civilization (I, II, & III), there will be several shorter courses available to continue your educational journey. These courses are designed to help you integrate what you have learned in Islamic Studies & Civilization to reflect upon contemporary issues. The next set of courses is organized around key contemporary themes & challenges. The themes have been carefully chosen to help prepare you for the modern world. The student-focused learning strategy revolves around discussions and short projects that you are expected to investigate.
1. God, the Cosmos & Meaning 2. Islam, Prophetology, & Other Religions 3. Islamic Law, Ethics & Spiritual Purification 4. Islam, Religion & Science5. Futuwwah, Brotherhood & Humanity6. Family, Gender, & Sexuality7. Relationships, Marriage & Love
More detailed course descriptions & dates will be posted later in the year.