aqeedahclassprinfaith3

203 Principles of Faith III

Syllabus

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Syllabus for Fall 2001

Principles of Faith III (3 credits) EBA 103

[some information removed like the professor's email, etc…]

Course Outline:

The course focuses primarily on the concept of loving and hating for the sake of Allah, al-wala' wal bara. Topics within that include the shahaada, what negates it and what affirms it, the conditions of laa ilaaha illa Allah, the different types of kufr, and what takes someone out of the fold of Islam.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, the student will:

Be able to recognize al-wala' and al-bara' in the verses of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Rasul Allah, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
Have a working knowledge of what affirms one's Islam and what negates it.
Be able to understand those things which take someone out of the fold of Islam
Be able to understand the severity of bid'ah and how to combat it.
Be able to grasp all the concepts/articles of aqeedah as discussed in Imam At-Tahaawee's book.

Course materials:

Textbooks:

Islamic Belief by Imam Abu Ja'far At-Tahawi

Understanding the Evil of Innovation by Abu Muntasir Ibn Mohar Ali

Al-Wala' wal Bara' by Muhammad Sa'eed Al-Qahtani

5 Audiotapes:

Principles of Faith 3 by Muhammad Alshareef

Suggested Additional Reading:

Kitab al-Tawhid, Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahab
50 Questions & Answers On Islamic Monotheism, Abdul Malik Mujahid
The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism), Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Bid'ah: The Unique Nature of Perfection found in Islam, Muhammad Saalih Al-Uthaymeen
Fate In Islam: The Salaf's Guide to the Understanding of Al-Qadaa Wal Qadar, Dr. Saleh As-Saleh
Seven Conditions of the Kalimah, Sulaiman Al-Jabiri
Tawassul: Its Types and Rulings, by Shaykh Naasiruddin Al-Albaanee
Imitation of the Kufaar, Dr. Nasr Al-Aql
Love and Hate for the Sake of Allaah, Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee

Study tips:

Once you receive the course material, organize your time and pace yourself so that each day and week you are spending time reading and studying your material. After each salah, for example, decide to read a specific amount of the course textbook, say 5 or 10 pages, something simple. Be consistent in this and you will find yourself having completed the book 3 or 4 times before the exams. Finish your reading of the textboook early in the course and work hard on your essay from the beginning so that you'll benefit and retain what you've learnt.

The book al-Wal' wal Bara' by Shaykh Qahtaani is a translation of a thesis he wrote in Arabic. Part 2 of the English trnaslation is available in bookstore, search for it as it may prove useful in your understanding of the concept.

If you do not understand the text, ask your advisor. He is there to assist you in your reading. Taking advantage of his office hours is the kay to maximizing your benefit from the material. Spend at least 6 hours a week studying and please feel no hesitation in contacting your instructor about any comments or concerns.

The term paper should have an introduction, body and conclusion. The source of all statements should be cited, even if you are taking from one book, you should continue to cite it. You should vary the books you refer to. Don't forget to review the chapters in Bukhari, Muslim, etc. on the relevant chapter. The term paper's conclusion is one of the most important parts, where the student's reflections and conclusion are presented. The conclusion reflects what the student has comprehended. Another important aspect is the bibliography. Make sure you have reviewed and cited enough books. The length of the term paper should be no less than 10 typed pages.

You can find a lot of course questions answered at www.islam-qa.com. Another good source to review the types of articles out there on the net is www.islamworld.net ; and to search the Muslim websites, a good Muslim search engine is www.musalman.com If you have questions about the content of something you read on the net, please contact your instructor.

Never leave your work till the 11^th hour before the exams. It will reflect in your marks and it will give you little chance to benefit from the material. As they say, 'what comes easily, goes easily.' The key is to benefit from the material after the exams.

Note: please send your exam by mail. If you would like the exam sent back to you make sure you include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Otherwise you may request your mark by email or phone.

If you have questions, please post them on your instructor's online forum at: http://forums.delphiforums.com/khutbah That way other students can read your question and the answer for it, and you may read the questions already brought up by other students.

Exam Schedule:

EXAM	DUE TO STUDENTS	DUE TO INSTRUCTOR	MATERIAL COVERED	% OF GRADES
Written Exam	October 25, 2001	October 30, 2001	Understanding the Evil of Innovation and Al-Wala' wal Bara	50%

Oral Exam		November 10-24, 2001	All three course textbooks	25%
Term Paper		December 7, 2001	See topics below	25%

Term Paper Topics:

The Importance of al-wala' wal bara' in Islam
The wala' wal bara' of Ibraheem (alayhis salaam) from the Qur'an.
The relationship between al-wala' wal bara' and bid'ah.

Supplementary materials information

Audiotapes information

The audiotapes are a reading of some of the text.

Student Feedback

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Books

Audio