Course Title: The Islamic Intellectual Tradition and Transformation: Religion, Modernity, and Continuity

Course Overview:
Join us for an immersive 10-week course exploring the development of Islamic thought through the works of the 19th-century Mufti Muhammad Amin Ibn 'Abidin. This course delves into the transformative mechanisms that have allowed the Shari'ah to adapt while remaining rooted in the Qur’an and Sunna.

Central themes include the “sacred balance” and its pillars—ritual worship ('ibadat), social transactions (mu'amalat), and governance (siyasah)—which allow Muslim scholars to harmonize sacred principles with socio-economic and political realities. The course explores the 1400-year historical and theoretical development of Shari?ah, with a focus on the role of custom (‘urf) in shaping legal interpretation and practice. It examines how Shari'ah transforms while remaining continuously linked to the Qur'an and Sunna. We will also address contemporary debates on secularism, liberalism, and modernity through comparative legal and philosophical perspectives.

Course Highlights:

• Historical Depth: Trace Islamic thought in pivotal eras of history, including the Prophetic, Umayyad, Abbasid, Seljuk, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods, and explore the cultural context of the Hanafi legal tradition within the Ottoman Empire.
• Foundational Texts and Thinkers: Study key fiqh texts such as Ibn 'Abidin’s Hashiyah, Radd al-Mu'tar, his essay on methodology in crafting fatwas (Shar' 'Uqud Rasm al-Mufti), and his essay on the role of custom (‘urf) in the Shari'ah (Nashr al-'Arf fi Bina' Ba'd al-Ahkam 'ala al-'Urf).
• Theoretical Tools: Explore principles from legal theory (usul al-fiqh) such as necessity (darura) and custom (‘urf) and their influence on Islamic law.
• Economic, Political, and Social Dimensions: Investigate the interplay between Shari'ah and culture, politics, and economics throughout history.
• Western Academic Critique: Analyze the conception of Islam and Shari'ah in Western scholarship, exposing underlying assumptions and biases.
• Philosophical Comparisons: Engage with ideas from Islamic and Western legal and philosophical traditions to understand their intersections and differences. Compare the history of secularism, liberalism, and modernity with insights from the Islamic intellectual tradition.
• Islam and Modernity: Examine the impact of Ibn 'Abidin’s work on contemporary legal and ethical debates and how Shari'ah can engage with modernity without losing its foundational values.

Focus on Key Figures:
Deepen your understanding of Islamic thought through the works of the various Islamic schools of thought, including the Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali madhhabs:
Abu Hanifa, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad al-Shaybani, al-Shafi’i, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Ibn al-Humam, al-Taftazani, Ibn Nujaym, al-Shatibi, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah.

Additionally, engage with influential Western thinkers, including:
Aristotle, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Alasdair MacIntyre, Wael Hallaq (The Impossible State), Talal Asad (Formations of the Secular), and Sherman Jackson (The Islamic Secular).

Why Take This Course?
This exploration provides a comprehensive understanding of how Islamic thought and law have evolved while maintaining continuity. Students will gain insight into the dynamic nature of Shari?ah and the Islamic intellectual tradition and its relevance in the contemporary world.

Who Should Enroll:
This course is ideal for college students; students of Islamic studies; Islamic scholars; and professionals interested in Islamic law, intellectual history, history, theology, philosophy, and the intersection of religion and modernity.

Date: 4/9/25 - 6/18/25

Day: Every Wednesday

Time: 6:30PM-8PM

Location: IOK Diamond Bar (1009 Vía Sorella, Diamond Bar, CA 91789) in Room 104 Left Side-Musalla and ONLINE Via Zoom

Course Duration: 10 weeks

Format: Weekly in-person or online lectures, interactive discussions with readings, and case studies.

Instructor: Shaykh Omar Qureshi, PhD in Religion, University of Southern California

Dr. Omar Qureshi was born and raised in Southern California and comes from a distinguished family of Subcontinent ?ulama? from the city of Tonk, such as Haydar Hasan Khan, Mahmoud Hasan Khan, and Wali Hasan Khan. After earning his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Qureshi traveled to Damascus, Syria where he spent three years (2008-2011) building a foundation in Arabic and Islamic sciences at Abu Noor University. He then enrolled at Cairo’s al-Azhar University (2011-2016), graduating from the Shari'ah College and receiving licenses (ijazat) to teach various Islamic sciences from numerous scholars. He then pursued his doctorate at the University of Southern California’s School of Religion (2016-2025). Specializing in Islamic intellectual history, Western philosophy, politics, and social theory, his research focused on the evolution of the Hanafi legal tradition, highlighting its dynamism and methods of continuity. After completing the PhD, Shaykh Omar began working on a monograph centered on the works of the Hanafi mufti Muhammad Amin Ibn 'Abidin and the societal role of fatwas. Starting next fall, he will join the Institute of Knowledge Seminary as a full-time professor. In addition to his legal scholarship, Professor Qureshi is also engaged in Qur?anic studies, writing an exegesis of selected verses from the Meccan and Medinan periods of revelation.

Enroll now! Join us on this transformative journey into the heart of the Islamic intellectual tradition and its relevance for today.

Course Syllabus: /files/4694950/Seminary_course_outline(2).pdf

Please note that this course is NON-REFUNDABLE and will close 2 weeks after the course ends.