At a time when the teachings of Islam are constantly under attack, when we find a myriad of opinions about every religious matter, and people quoting the Quran and Sunna to promote their own interpretations of Islam, it has become more important than ever to take a serious, structured, and well-grounded approach to learning the sacred sciences. The Marifa Program provides a comprehensive 2-year curriculum of part time classes in Islamic studies for college students, young professionals, and adults.
- To realize how little we know
- To appreciate the richness of the Islamic scholarly tradition
- To distinguish normative Islam from its aberrant interpretations
- To develop the ability to answer questions about Islam with clarity and accuracy
- To become inspired to practice Islam with conviction, sincerity, and excellence
- To realize how little we know
- To appreciate the richness of the Islamic scholarly tradition
- To distinguish normative Islam from its aberrant interpretations
- To develop the ability to answer questions about Islam with clarity and accuracy
- To become inspired to practice Islam with conviction, sincerity, and excellence
Live Courses
In this course students will learn the legal rulings pertaining to purification, prayer, fasting,
charity and pilgrimage based on a classic primer in the madhhab of their choice: Ḥanafī or Shāfiʿī. They will also explore the
spiritual dimensions of these acts of worship.
Textbooks:
- Ascent to Felicity (Ḥanafī students)
- The Accessible Conspectus (Shāfiʿī students)
- Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship (All students)
Textbooks:
-Ascent to Felicity (Ḥanafī students)
- The Accessible Conspectus (Shāfiʿī students)
- Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship (All students)
In this course students will learn the legal rulings pertaining to purification, prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage based on a classic primer in the madhhab of their choice: Ḥanafī or Shāfiʿī. They will also explore the spiritual dimensions of these acts of worship.
Textbook: Ibn Rajab, Heirs of the Prophets;
Ibn Jamāʿa, Etiquette of the Learner
In this course students will learn the essential beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah about Allah, the divine attributes, the divine decree, Prophets, Scriptures, Angels and life after death. Students will also explore some of the major differences between the various Islamic sects.
Textbooks:
- Qadhi Yasir, An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qurʾaan;
- al-Nawawī, Yaḥya b. Sharaf Etiquette with the Quran.
In this course students will learn about etiquette with the Quran, the history of the Quran, the multiple readings of the Quran, abrogation in the Quran, and approaches in Quranic exegesis.
Textbooks:
- al-Azami, Muhammad Mustafa, Studies in Hadith Methodology and Literature
This course is an introduction to the science of hadith criticism. Students will also learn about the unique features of each of the Six Books of hadith.
Textbooks:
- Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, Evolution of Fiqh
In this course students will learn some basic terminology used by Muslim jurists, explore the evolution of the various schools of jurisprudence, develop an appreciation for the causes of disagreement among Muslim jurists, and learn about ijtihād and taqlīd in Islamic Law.
