Class Description
ʿIrbāḍ b. Sāriya (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave us a profound exhortation which made our hearts afraid and our eyes weep. We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it seems like the exhortation of someone bidding farewell, so advise us.’ He said, ‘I command you to be conscious of Allah, and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave is put in command over you. Whoever amongst you lives long will see much disagreement, so hold onto my way [sunna] and the way [sunna] of the Rightly Guided and Guiding Caliphs. Hold onto it with your molar teeth! And beware of newfangled matters, for every innovation is misguidance.’” (Related by Abū Dāwūd and Tirmidhī).
This course covers the thirty years following the death of the Prophet ﷺ — the era in which the Muslim community was led by Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with them all). Across fifteen weeks, we will trace the major events of each caliphate, the expansion of the early Muslim state, and the fitna that tested the community from within — engaging the history honestly, including its most difficult chapters, and grounding it throughout in the theological framework and creedal positions of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah regarding the Ṣaḥābah..
This course covers the thirty years following the death of the Prophet ﷺ — the era in which the Muslim community was led by Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with them all). Across fifteen weeks, we will trace the major events of each caliphate, the expansion of the early Muslim state, and the fitna that tested the community from within — engaging the history honestly, including its most difficult chapters, and grounding it throughout in the theological framework and creedal positions of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah regarding the Ṣaḥābah..
Class Objectives
- To learn how Muslim scholars evaluate historical sources, and why methodology matters when studying a period this contested
- To get an overview of the major contributions of each caliph
- To draw lessons in leadership from the best leaders in Islamic history
- To learn how the early Muslims simultaneously took on the two superpowers of their time — the Roman and Persian empires — and defeated them with unwavering faith and courage
- To answer the frequently asked question, “Did Islam spread by the sword?”
- To draw important lessons from the incredible fitna [political strife] that emerged during early Islam and ultimately led to the assassinations of ʿUthmān and ʿAlī
- To gain an understanding of the Kharijite mentality and its dangers
- To gain a clear, grounded understanding of the Sunni creed regarding the Ṣaḥābah who lived through the fitna
Textbooks
Recommended:
- Bājūrī, Muḥammad al-Khuḍarī Bak, The History of the Four Caliphs.
- Fees: $199 ($210 after Aug 26)
- Instructor: Imam Abdur Rahman Bashir
- Prerequisites: HST 201 or Audit Policy
- Dates: Sep 02 - Dec 16, 2026
- Timings: Wednesday's 7:00 ~ 9:30 pm
- Location: Plano Masjid - IACC (in-person and online)
ʿIrbāḍ b. Sāriya (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave us a profound exhortation which made our hearts afraid and our eyes weep. We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it seems like the exhortation of someone bidding farewell, so advise us.’ He said, ‘I command you to be conscious of Allah, and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave is put in command over you. Whoever amongst you lives long will see much disagreement, so hold onto my way [sunna] and the way [sunna] of the Rightly Guided and Guiding Caliphs. Hold onto it with your molar teeth! And beware of newfangled matters, for every innovation is misguidance.’” (Related by Abū Dāwūd and Tirmidhī).
This course covers the thirty years following the death of the Prophet ﷺ — the era in which the Muslim community was led by Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with them all). Across fifteen weeks, we will trace the major events of each caliphate, the expansion of the early Muslim state, and the fitna that tested the community from within — engaging the history honestly, including its most difficult chapters, and grounding it throughout in the theological framework and creedal positions of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah regarding the Ṣaḥābah.
This course covers the thirty years following the death of the Prophet ﷺ — the era in which the Muslim community was led by Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with them all). Across fifteen weeks, we will trace the major events of each caliphate, the expansion of the early Muslim state, and the fitna that tested the community from within — engaging the history honestly, including its most difficult chapters, and grounding it throughout in the theological framework and creedal positions of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah regarding the Ṣaḥābah.
- To learn how Muslim scholars evaluate historical sources, and why methodology matters when studying a period this contested
- To get an overview of the major contributions of each caliph
- To draw lessons in leadership from the best leaders in Islamic history
- To learn how the early Muslims simultaneously took on the two superpowers of their time — the Roman and Persian empires — and defeated them with unwavering faith and courage
- To answer the frequently asked question, “Did Islam spread by the sword?”
- To draw important lessons from the incredible fitna [political strife] that emerged during early Islam and ultimately led to the assassinations of ʿUthmān and ʿAlī
- To gain an understanding of the Kharijite mentality and its dangers
- To gain a clear, grounded understanding of the Sunni creed regarding the Ṣaḥābah who lived through the fitna
Recommended:
- Bājūrī, Muḥammad al-Khuḍarī Bak, The History of the Four Caliphs