TEACH YOURSELF ISLAM

Lesson 3

Course Content

Overview

   -         Why should we study Islam?

-         Goals and objectives.

-         Elements of the curriculum.

         (Lessons 1-3)

  Faith

   -         Proofs of faith: inimitable eloquence of the Qur’an - proofs of modern science. (Lessons 4-7).

-         . (Lessons 4-7).

-         Pillars of faith: pillars of faith- belief in Allah - Belief in the Angels - Belief in the revealed Books - belief in the Prophets and Messengers - Belief in the Last Day - belief in destiny. (Lessons 8-14).

-         Nullifiers of faith: seeking help from other than Allah - belief in bad omens and amulets – astrology - black magic. (Lesson15).

-         Comparative religion: aspects of polytheism - distorting the revealed Books – Hinduism – Buddhism – Magianism – Judaism - Christianity. (Lessons 16-17).

       Sources

 -Science of : Ways of revelation - Qur'an revealed in Mecca and in Al-Madinah - reasons behind revelation - compiling the Qur'an - interpretation and translation - clear and consimilar verses - repealing. (Lessons 18-21)

- Science of Hadith: chains of Hadith narration - Identification of narrators reliability - levels of Hadith acceptance -  rigorously and authenticated Hadith- kinds of inacceptable Hadith - Classification of Hadith - Reclassification of Hadith. (Lessons 22-26)

- Science of Sources: legal evidence - injunctive and stipulatory rulings – Competency - fundamental rules – Arabic lexical rules. (Lessons 27-30).  

 Worship

Purification: impurities – toiletry - Ablution: obligatory elements,Sunnah , offensive acts and nullifiers - bathing: obligatory elements,Sunnah , offensive acts and nullifiers  - dry ablution - wiping. (Lessons 31-34).

Prayer: obligation, merit and wisdom behind - conditions of correctness - obligatory elements – Sunnnah - permissible and offensive acts – nullifiers – forgetfulness - congregational prayer - leading the prayer-  Adhan (call to prayer) - shortening and combining prayers - fear prayer- Friday prayer- confirmed Sunnah  prayers - voluntary prayers -Funeral prayer. (Lessons 35-42).

 Zakah: obligation and wisdom - Zakah on diffent types of wealth -   Channels of Zakāh - Al-Fitr Zakat- (Lessons: 43-44).  

 Fasting: obligation and merit of fasting in  Ramadan- licences to break the fast - Sunnah, permissible and offensive acts – nullifiers - preferable voluntary fasting - offensive fasting - prohibited fasting. (Lessons: 54:46).

 Hajj and `Umrah (Major and Minor Pilgrimage): obligatory and recommended - pillars (rites) of Hajj: Ihram-standing on the mount of Arafat – circumambulation around ka`bah – hastening between Safa and Marwa - obligatory elements and Sunnah of Hajj - visiting the Prophet's mosque - combining Hajj and `Umrah (Al-Qiran and Al-Tamattu`-  enclosure from entering Mecca  - sacrificial slahgtering. (Lessons 47-48).

 Conduct

Morals: Excellence - Virtues: advice – chastity – faithfulness – forbearance – forgiveness – generosity – honesty – humility – justice – mercy – modesty – pardon – patience – perfection (Ihsan) – preference – sincerity – trust – truthfulness – Evil characters: backbiting - envy – idleness and helplessness – mockery – obscenity – ostentation – talebearing – vanity and arrogance. (Lessons 49-55).

 Manners: proper manners towards Allah, Qur'an, the Messenger, knowledge and scholars, oneself and parents. Manners between spouses, towards children, linking blood relationship - caring for the poor, guardianship of orphans, rights of neighbors, brotherhood of Muslims, treating non-Muslims, sitting in public and road manners, when traveling, hospitality, feasts, consuming food and beverages,  dressing, cleanliness and traits of instinct, sports, sleeping, during illness, funerals, mercy towards animals. (Lessons 56-67).

 Law

Family: Marriage: conditions – dowry - contract – conditions therein - annulment - rights of the spouse - prohibited marriages - Divorce: types - Non-compliance-  forswearing - dhihar  - khul` - `Iddah (post-marital waiting period) - financial support – custody - Inheritance: obligatory inheritance – universal heirs - share elimination - - bequest. (Lessons 68-73)

 Economy: Finance: prohibition and kinds of usury - good loans – deposits – loans – gifts - `umra and ruqba donations – endowment - Lost and found- Taking wrongly - Suspension from dealings - Trade: sale elements, conditions and intercession –choice sale – prohibited sales – forward buying – credit sale – preemption – Business partnerships: cooperative, manual, well-known, profit-sharing, comprehensive – sharecropping and irrigation partnerships – wage jobs - –  sponsor-guaranteeing  -  – collateral – commissioning - land ownership - cultivation of virgin land. (Lessons: 74-79)

 Nation: State: unity - role - Shari'ah- ruling system - consultation and justice - freedom of faith- treaties and conventions - Penalties: alcoholics - false accusation - fornication, adultery and  sodomy – theft and highway robbery – manslaughter and wounds – Jihad: legality, reasons and merits – Ar-Ribat – military preparedness – conditions and good manners of fighting - spoils of war – poll  taxes - reconciliation. (Lessons 80-85)

 The Prophet's Biography

Brief summary of the Prophet's biography: events from birth to the end of his lifetime in fifteen lessons. (Lesson 86-100).