Course Descriptions
Listed below are brief descriptions of courses offered. They include all courses offered in both the Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs. You can find more detailed descriptions by logging into your student account and clicking on “Courses”.
Core Courses
Analytical Tafseer I (3 Credits)
This course is a primer on the Qur’anic Exegesis and explanation of the last part of the Qur’an (Juz’ ‘Amma) based on classical and contemporary works of Tafsir. Attention will be given to the major themes addressed in Juz’ ‘Amma of the Qur’an, as well as the historical context of the verses, reasons for revelation, and the relevant hadith literature that further clarify their meanings.
Analytical Tafseer II (3 Credits)
This course is a Qur’anic exegesis (tafseer) of Surat al-Kahf and Surah al-Hujurat from the Qur’an based on classical and contemporary works of tafseer. The course will explore major themes addressed in these chapters, the historical context of the verses, reasons for revelation, and the relevant hadith literature that further clarify their meanings.
Analytical Tafseer III (3 Credits)
This course is a Qur’anic Exegesis of al-Nūr chapter of the Qur’an based on classical and contemporary works of Tafsir. Attention will be given to the major themes addressed in this chapter, as well as the historical context of the verses, reasons for revelation, and the relevant hadith literature that further clarify their meanings.
Arabic as a Second Language I (4 Credits)
This course is designed to give students best possible teaching experience to access and build a relationship with the Glorious Quran. It aims at giving students essential syntactic, morphological, lexical and analytical tools to access Quran, Hadith and further comprehend simple Arabic and Islamic texts in English. This is achieved by developing a strong foundation in the theory of Arabic grammar, morphology and rhetoric. This is further implemented through the application of a theory to read texts in classical Arabic including the Quran, with supplemental reinforcement through writing and listening. It is also based on equipping students with a broad vocabulary of words found in the Quran and Islamic disciplines.
(Prerequisite: Placement test)
Arabic as a Second Language II (4 Credits)
This course introduces a more advanced level in the study of Arabic language by improving the four skills of reading comprehension, writing, speaking and listening. It further provides more nuanced appreciation of utilizing verbal constructions to convey various senses of the past, (past continuous, recent past and far past), in addition to recognizing the common particles that change the mood of the present verb to منصوب ، مجزوم and the associated meanings. Also, it focuses on distinguishing between the active and passive and transitive/ intransitive verbs. It also attempts to familiarize students with common modifications of the nominal sentence, using إن and كان and to increase student’s ability to translate classical Arabic texts. Additionally, the students will recognize classical Arabic words, roots, and phrases in speech through listening. It aims to enrich the student’s Arabic vocabulary through reading Arabic stories.
(Prerequisite: Arabic as a Second Language I or Advanced Placement Exam)
Arabic as a Second Language III (4 Credits)
In this course, students will move to intermediate grammar and morphology concepts. Grammar is focused primarily on the mansūbāt, including different mafā’īl, the exception, circumstantial qualifier (hāl), specifier (tamyīz), and the vocative (nidā’). Morphology requires students to gain mastery of the commonly known meanings associated with the derived verb forms, alongside key examples highlighting the spectrum of meaning. These concepts are then reinforced through text analysis (selections from Qisas al-Nabiyeen), listening (khutba clips), and Quran analysis (first half of Sūrat al-Shu’ara).
(Prerequisite: Arabic as a Second Language II or Advanced Placement Exam)
Arabic as a Second Language IV (4 Credits)
This course presents advanced noun structures such as tawkid, badal, types of idafa, kāda and her sisters, verbs of amazement, praise and censure, and numbers. Morphology focuses on irregular verbs, including mahmūz, muda’aff, and the variety of mu’talla (mithāl, ajwaf, naqis, lafīf). Students will understand the underlying rules behind the phonological changes among irregular verbs. These concepts are then reinforced through text analysis (from Qisas al-Nabiyeen), listening (seerah talk-show clips), and Quran analysis (second half of Sūrat al-Shu’ara).
(Prerequisite: Arabic as a Second Language III or Advanced Placement Exam)
Biography of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) – Formerly Fiqh of Seerah (3 Credits)
This course is a biographical analysis of the Last Prophet ﷺ based on authentic sources, allowing students to develop love and appreciation for the Prophet ﷺ, understand why particular Qur’anic passages were revealed, develop the ability to compare and contrast his times with ours in various respects, and fortify one’s knowledge on the compelling reasons to believe in his prophethood.
Contemporary Islamic Thought – Formerly Critical Thinking and Logic (3 Credits)
This course will examine the major Islamic movements and contributors to Muslim thought in modern times. It will focus mainly on their position towards approaching the Islamic heritage, religious reform, change in Muslim-majority nations, systems of governance, relationship with others, international relations, and the type of world they aspired to live in. The main objective of this course is for students to prudently navigate controversial ideologies and currents in contemporary Muslim thought and have some parameters by which they can measure them.
Dawah: Methodology and Practice (3 Credits)
The course is designed to examine the virtue and purpose of inviting to the message of Islam. It provides a detailed examination of the history, methodologies, and characteristics of Dawah, as guided by the Qur’an and Sunnah. The course transitions into examining and building an understanding of Western and Islamic culture, in order to have a stronger impact of dawah.
Family Law I (2 Credits)
This course is an intensive study of marriage in Islam covering the wisdom behind marriage, the rulings pertaining to it, the details of a valid marriage contract, marital discord, divorce, guardianship, and spousal rights and obligations. The main text focuses on the opinions and evidence of the Hanbali Madhab. In addition, attention will be given to all the various opinions across the major Madhahib (legal schools of thought), particularly on major issues.
Family Law II (2 Credits)
A course focused on the basic concepts of ‘Ilm al-Fara’id (Islamic Law of Inheritance), including its significance; the wisdom in allotting the various shares; basic rules and principal elements of distribution; examples of possible cases that can be solved by simple formulas; basic elements of writing, documenting, and executing legal wills; and laws pertaining to Waqf (endowment).
Fiqh of Contemporary Issues (3 Credits)
An examination of the definition and scope of contemporary fiqh issues; the approach to addressing those issues and deducing their rulings from the original sources of Islamic law; and the concept of collective ijtihad and the assemblies of jurists. Students will study individual examples of newly emerged matters such as modern applications of Zakat, DNA testing & its use in paternity tests and criminology, conventional insurance and alternatives, naturalization and citizenship in non-Muslim countries, interest-based mortgages and alternatives, plastic surgery, and moon sighting.
Prerequisite: Fiqh of Worship II, Fiqh of Transactions II
Fiqh of Criminal Law (3 Credits)
This course seeks to familiarize students with the basics of the Islamic penal code, criminal justice laws, jihad, and judicial process. The different types of crimes and their punishments will be introduced, as well as the evidence required to convict the perpetrators of such crimes. The main text focuses on the opinions and evidence of the Hanbali Madhab. In addition, attention will be given to all the various opinions across the major Madhahib (legal schools of thought), particularly on major issues.
Fiqh of Hadith I (3 Credits)
This is an entry-level course, part one of two courses that examines the Fiqh of Hadith pertaining to the essential topics, which include creed, law, morality, and spirituality. It goes through Imam al-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith compilation. The first twenty hadiths are examined and discussed.
Fiqh of Hadith II (3 Credits)
This entry-level course is the second part of two courses that examine the Fiqh of Hadith pertaining to essential topics, which include creed, law, morality, and spirituality. The course examines and discusses the final 21 hadiths from Imam al-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith compilation.
Fiqh of Transactions I (3 Credits)
This course is an intensive study of the first half of financial transactions in Islam, covering various issues surrounding buying and selling, usury, loans, settlements, companies, and more. The main text focuses on the opinions and evidences of the Hanbali Madhab. In addition, attention will be given to all the various opinions across the major Madhahib (legal schools of thought), particularly on major issues.
Fiqh of Transactions II (3 Credits)
This course is an intensive study of the second half of financial transactions in Islam. Topics covered include issues surrounding watering in exchange for a share of the produce, sharecropping, reviving barren land, per-job wages, lost and found property, foundlings, prize money, leasing and hiring, the right of pre-emption, endowments, gifts, and more. The main text focuses on the opinions and evidence of the Hanbali Madhab. In addition, attention will be given to all the various opinions across the major Madhahib (legal schools of thought), particularly on major issues.(Prerequisite: Fiqh of Transactions I)
Fiqh of Worship I (3 Credits)
This is an entry-level course in Jurisprudence that examines the key and contemporary issues pertaining to the acts of worship. This course focuses on purification (Taharah), prayer (Salah) and funerals (Janazah). The main text focuses on the opinions and evidences of the Hanbali Madhab. In addition, attention will be given to all the various opinions across the major Madhahib (legal schools of thought), particularly on major issues.
Fiqh of Worship II (3 Credits)
This is an entry-level course in Jurisprudence that examines the key and contemporary issues pertaining to the acts of worship. This course focuses on Zakah, Fasting, and Hajj. The main text focuses on the opinions and evidence of the Hanbali Madhab. In addition, attention will be given to various opinions across the major Madhahib (legal schools of thought), particularly on major issues.
Hadith Sciences (3 Credits)
This course is designed to provide an understanding of Hadith sciences. It addresses the authority of Hadith in Islamic law, and the contentions of those who are suspicious of its reliability. It provides a brief synopsis of terminology, preservation, transmission, and various classifications of hadith, and allows for a clear distinction to be made between accepted and rejected hadiths. (This course absorbed our old course Authority of the Sunnah)
History of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (2 Credits)
This course is meant to introduce students of knowledge to the science of history and its different branches. Students will get acquainted with Islamic intellectual and political history during the time of the Khulifāʾ Rāshidūn and how it is connected to future Islamic polities. Moreover, this course is also meant to give students a basic understanding of Islamic historiography (minhāj al-tārīkh \ falsafat al-tārīkh) and indigenous epistemologies, in order to equip them with the tools to refute Orientalist histories. The course is designed to provide students with evidence-based knowledge, with a focus on proofs from the Quran, Sunnah, and authentic sources of history to enable them to distinguish between the acceptable and fabricated narrations about their history.
(Prerequisite: Biography of the Prophet saw)
History of Muslim States (3 Credits)
This course is meant to introduce students of knowledge to the science of history and its different branches. Students will get acquainted with Islamic intellectual and political history from the time of the Umayyads up until our contemporary time. This course will include study of the Umayyad, ʿAbbāsid, Fāṭimid, Ayyūbid, Mamlūk, Almoḥad, Almoravid, Timurid, Dehli, Mughal, Ṣafavid, and Ottoman polities as well as the colonial period with its “epistemological cuts” to Islamic thought. Moreover, this course is also meant to give students a basic understanding of Islamic historiography (minhāj al-tārīkh \ falsafat al-tārīkh) and indigenous epistemologies, as to equip them with the tools to refute Orientalist histories. The course is designed to provide students with evidence-based knowledge, with a focus on proofs from the Quran, Sunnah and authentic sources of history to enable them to distinguish between the acceptable and fabricated narrations about their history.
(Prerequisite: History of the Rightly Guided Caliphs)
Introduction to Islamic Sciences (2 Credits)
This course aims to introduce students to the classical Islamic sciences. The historical development of some of the main Islamic sciences will be covered, including the most important scholars and texts of those sciences, with a special focus on law and its development. Students will become familiar with the works they can refer back to for their future research as students at Mishkah University. (Absorbed the old course History of Legislation)
Islamic Apologetics – Formerly Refuting Misconceptions (2 Credits)
This course will offer a framework for Islamic apologetics, how to build conviction and mitigate doubt, and handle some of the most circulated criticisms against Islam in our age, using each as an exercise in our apologetics methodology. The objective of this course is for students to develop the philosophical and dialectical skill to eloquently articulate rationale systematic arguments in defense of the established doctrines and practices of Islam.
Islamic Creed I – Formerly Aqeedah I (3 Credits)
This course is an introduction on the Islamic creed (‘aqeedah) focusing solely on the first pillar of faith: belief in Allah. It will cover the fundamental categories of monotheism (tawheed) in Islamic theology and their practical applications, such as proving the existence of the Creator and His exclusive right to be worshiped. It will also present critiques of various contrary theologies, especially atheism and secular deism, as well as philosophical and mystical approaches to understanding Allah.
Islamic Creed II – Formerly Aqeedah II (3 Credits)
This course will focus on the six articles of faith and other important topics in Islamic ‘Aqeedah. Students will learn the meaning of faith and unbelief, Sunnah and heresy, the angels, the jinn and devils, the revealed scriptures, the miraculous Qur’an, the status of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, sainthood, and love and hatred for the sake of Allah. The topics will be explored from both a textual and rational perspective.
Islamic Creed III – Formerly Aqeedah III (3 Credits)
This course will focus on belief in the Day of Resurrection and expand on integral creedal issues that do not squarely fall under the six pillars of faith, such as beliefs regarding to the Companions, sectarianism, political rule, and differences of opinion on ‘Aqeedah matters between Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah.
Islamic Legal Maxims (2 Credits)
This is a higher-level undergraduate course on the recurrent patterns in Islamic law. It introduces students to the legal maxims of Islamic Jurisprudence as a science and is designed to give students a firm grounding in the terminology, principles, concepts, and history of Islamic legal maxims. Students will study the meanings, proofs, applications, and examples of various legal maxims. This course will concentrate on the universal, major and some minor maxims.
Prerequisite: Fiqh of Worship II
Islamic Legal Theory I – Formerly Fundamentals of Fiqh I (3 Credits)
This course will introduce students to Islamic legal theory as a science, its main approaches, overview the legal rulings, and textual implications. By using the text al-Waraqāt as a guide for study, the course will examine the Quran and the Sunnah as the primary sources of Islamic law. It will further cover textual implications, commands and prohibitions in addition to the concept of abrogation in Quran and Hadith.
Prequisite: Fiqh of Worship II, Fiqh of Transactions
Islamic Legal Theory II – Formerly Fundamentals of Fiqh II (3 Credits)
This course will further students’ familiarity with Islamic legal theory. By using the text al- Waraqāt as a guide for study, we will finish examining the four main topics of Islamic legal theory: the sources of legislation (evidences), how to derive rulings from these evidences (textual implications), the rulings derived, and the qualifications of the one who can derive these rulings and one who cannot.
Prerequisite: Islamic Legal Theory I
Islamic Pedagogy and Public Speaking (2 Credits)
This course is a comprehensive review of Islamic pedagogy and education, including its concept, virtue, philosophy, tools, institutions, and scholars. The course highlights how excellence can be achieved in Islamic education, analyzing a number of challenges facing Islamic education, including education of Muslim children in the West, Islamization of the curriculum, and co-education. The course also covers various aspects of public speaking as a tool of teaching and conveying knowledge to others and for religious and dawah-oriented purpose.
Manners (2 Credits)
This course explores the sources, principles, and importance of good manners in Islam, as well as the means of acquiring high moral character with Allah and with society. It aims to produce Muslims that are versed, conversant, and capable of applying Islam’s ethical framework and its details through revelation-based knowledge relating to a set of daily manners. It is designed to equip a Muslim with what they may need in worship, when alone in private, and when engaging others inside or outside their home.
Muslim Sects and Groups (2 Credits)
This course will introduce students to various sects within the Muslim Ummah. The course will explore the historical development of division and sectarianism, the main theological fundamentals of such sects and examine how such creeds affected later movements and ideologies. An important focus of this class will be to examine the traditions pertaining to the division of Muslims into many sects, and to look at the qualities that distinguishes the Sunni Muslims. The course will also attempt to explain the non-Islamic ideologies that affected the formation of many sects within Muslims.
Prerequisite: Islamic Creed I, II and III
Religions and Doctrines (3 Credits)
This course is intended as a capstone Aqeedah course. Many religions and ideologies in the world provide challenges for Muslims who encounter them or wish to successfully engage with them. The aim of this course is to enable the students to explore how a meaningful engagement with these challenges can be undertaken within the context of the classical Sunni theological tradition. The course will provide numerous cases where students can apply what they have learned in previous Sunni Aqeedah modules to questions of relevance in the world today. This should deepen their understanding of the classical Sunni theological tradition as well as develop critical thinking skills in applying principles and tenets of the faith tradition to various challenges in theology, ontology, epistemology ethics, and questions of social relevance. The course will not attempt a thorough study of these various religions and ideologies, which is impossible within the course timeframe. Rather, it will engage with specific challenges that these belief systems present, and focus on bringing forth authentic, robust and sound responses from a Sunni Aqeedah perspective.
Quran Memorization and Tajweed I (2 Credits)
This introductory course to Tajweed covers key rules in Quran recitation including the vocal points of articulation for each Arabic letter (maakharij), rules associated with meem and noon, rules of madd, andthe rules of Hamzat Al-Wasl, etc. Students also memorize the last juz’ of the Quran and read a portion of Surat Al-Kahf with the implementation of the rules mentioned above.
(Prequisite: Placement Test)
Quran Memorization and Tajweed II (2 Credits)
This course continues the rules from Quran Memorization and Tajweed I and covers key rules in Quran recitation including characteristics of letters, rules pertaining to pronouncing letters heavy and light, the concept of Al-Waqf Wa Al-Ibtidaa’ (knowledge of how to stop and begin recitation) and concludes with a few points of caution by the scholars of Tajweed. Students also memorize the 29th juz’ of the Quran and read a portion of Surat Al-Kahf with the implementation of the rules mentioned above, as well as rules covered in Tajweed I.
(Prerequisite: Placement test or Quran Memorization and Tajweed I)
Quranic Sciences (3 Credits)
This course provides a detailed analysis covering the various sciences pertaining to the Qur’an. The various Quranic sciences will be looked at through definitions of key words, descent and delivery, the seven readings, abrogation, preservation, miracles, and themes throughout the Qur’an. Others’ doubts on the preservation will also be studied. Finally, Science of Tafsir will be looked at through a variety of sources.
Research Methodology (2 Credits)
This course aims to equip students with qualitative and quantitative research method skills for use in Islamic studies in particular. These skills are essential for the student throughout their career as an imam, academic or researcher. Additionally, it will train students on how to investigate and design a research problem from start to finish using an appropriate methodology and how to present their research outcomes effectively. Students are provided with the opportunity to apply their learning to a subject matter of their own choice in the field of Islamic studies, while increasing awareness about various types of resources that will be of use during the course of their studies.
Tazkiyah I (2 Credits)
This course will explore the place of spirituality in Islam, within the bounds of the Quran and Sunnah, and by contrasting that against the spiritual paradigms of other world systems. It will also look at the history of Sunni Sufism, and a balanced approach towards this discipline. It will also explore the inner dimensions of worship, namely some of the deeper meanings of Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Hajj, and Quranic Reflection. While the jurisprudence of these acts covers the form and proper manner of performance, this course will cover the substance of each action.
Tazkiyah II (Credits 2)
The course explores the mechanics of the spiritual heart, and the fundamental qualities of a healthy heart and a diseased heart. It will also deepen our understanding of the primary everyday poisons that compromise the purity of one’s heart, and how to guard ourselves against them. Finally, the bulk of this course will be a primer on the actions of the hearts, and their rankings on the spiritual ladder. It is geared to set our aspirations on the upward climb through the various spiritual stations that are essential for a Muslim’s devotion to Allah.
(Prerequisite: Tazkiyah I)
Electives
As part of the Bachelor Degree requirements, students are required to take 6 credits of electives (3 courses). Students may choose from the elective courses listed below:
Authority of the Sunnah (2 Credits)
This course is designed to help the students understand the meanings of Sunnah and Hadith and the relationship between the two; establish proofs of the importance and authority of the Sunnah; and understand the role of the Sunnah in Islamic Legislation and the basics of how it was transmitted and recorded. Through this course students will appreciate the efforts of the scholars to purify and authenticate the Sunnah, will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to refute arguments and claims of those who reject it or trivialize its role, and will be prepared to clarify the prominent misunderstandings concerning the Sunnah. (This course is no longer being offered, but can still be used to meet degree requirements if taken previously.)
Introduction to Formal Logic (2 Credits)
This course will introduce students to logic, or manṭiq, which many Muslim scholars adopted and applied to their sciences. A student of knowledge would have to be familiar with manṭiq to study other Islamic sciences. The basics of this science, taken from the text “al-Sullam al-Munawraq” with contemporary commentary will be taught in this course. Students will also be exposed to objections Muslim scholars had with Aristotelian logic and how they responded to these issues.
Introduction to Islamic Culture (2 Credits)
An examination of the forces that shape culture and how to confront forces that seek to distort authentic Islamic culture; issues related to Islamic culture that affect the Muslim Ummah and how to find solutions; and the importance of adopting authentic Islamic culture as our cultural identity in theory and in practice. (This course is no longer being offered, but can still be used to meet degree requirements if taken previously.)
Islam and Science (2 Credits)
This course will offer a framework for looking at how Islam and science interact with one another. It includes looking at various ways science intersects with Islamic thought and the challenges that are raised therein. This includes how science is used in atheism-theism polemics that Muslims can understand to defend their faith better.
Leadership for the Daiee – Formerly Management for the Daiee (2 Credits)
This course will acquaint students with leadership qualities and styles from both the Islamic perspective and contemporary sciences. The class will also explore contemporary Islamic leadership roles, their qualifications and the best practical approaches to successful implementations in various aspects of contemporary Islamic organizations and communities’ needs. The class will also shed light on the various needs of Muslims involved in leadership as well as the importance of balance in the life of a da’ee, and how to avoid burnout.
Psychology and Counseling (2 Credits)
This introductory course will provide students with a brief overview of the current body of knowledge and methods of the science of psychology from an Islamic perspective and how it applies to Muslims. The course will be divided into three main themes: Psychology as it applies to “The Individual,” “The Family,” and “The Community.” Topics that will be integrated within these three overriding themes will include cognition, emotions, personality, motivation, human development, biological and environmental bases of behavior, parenting, the role of the brain, psychological disorders, psychotherapy, motivation, and a brief overview of counseling techniques. Emphasis will also be placed on the application of psychology to diverse human endeavors, special considerations when working with the Muslim community, stigmas associated with mental illness and therapy, special populations within the Muslim community, and the benefits of religiosity and spirituality on mental health.
Ten Quran Recitations: History and Rules (2 Credits)
The lesser ten recitations refer to the seven recitations of the Quran outlined in the Shatibiyyah poem by Imam Ash-Shatibi and the three recitations outlined by Imam Al-Jazaree in the Durrah poem making a total of ten recitations each with their two chains of narrators. This course covers the history of these recitations as well as the ways to recite in each style.
General Education:
Students are required to take two General Education courses for the Bachelors Degree Program (effective Fall 2022). Mishkah University currently only offers Introduction to Philosophy.
Credits for other courses must be taken at an outside institution and transferred to Mishkah (If you have already taken these courses as part of another degree, you may submit your transcripts to the Registrar – courses transferred as part of the General Education requirements are not subject to regular transfer fees).
Introduction to Philosophy (2 Credits)
Philosophy in its broadest sense may be defined as the human project to discover and formulate through the use of ratiocination (defined differently by different intellectual traditions) a coherent linguistic representation of reality and existence as it is—as opposed to, as it is commonly or erroneously perceived. Following this broad definition, it is difficult to find a civilization, which through its division of labor, and the production of an erudite class, has not produced philosophical schools and traditions. To even cursively touch on all of these is beyond the scope of any single class, and almost any thinker. As such, this class will touch on various aspects of a particular discursive tradition of philosophy which began in the ancient Hellenic world with the pre-Socratic thinkers, and in time made its way into the faith worlds of Islam and Christianity, followed by the mechanistic world view of modern European materialist rationalism, and so-called “post-modern” materialist irrationalism. The class will specially focus on the philosophical influences on contemporary secular thought, as secular materialism and its derivatives have become normative praxis for “modern living”.
Other GE Courses (To be taken outside of Mishkah University)
- Introduction to Biology
- College Algebra
- American Literature
- English Literature
- Introduction to English Linguistics
- Public Speaking
- Introduction to Communication
- College Mathematics
- Introduction to US Law
- Information Technology
- Introduction to Humanities
- Mental Health
- Sociology
- Civil rights
- Public relations
- Introduction to US Law
- Information Technology