Gain a comprehensive and systematic overview of orthodox Muslim creed using a classical manual that was a standard text of instruction across the Muslim world for hundreds of years. Learn to clearly identify where the beliefs of others differ from orthodox Islamic positions. This will allow you to negotiate, dialogue, and interact with people of different sects, faiths, and worldviews.
At-A-Glance
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Study a concise, versified summation of the entire discipline of theology that was the standard book of theology studied by Muslims across the world
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Develop a detailed mental framework of exactly what a Muslim believes in
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Be able to spot belief-related mistakes in discussions that go on among Muslims
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Identify exactly where orthodox beliefs differ from the beliefs of other Muslim groups and sects, and from people of other faiths
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Builds on major discussions of theology presented in Introduction to Islamic Belief (BLF101).
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Perfect for Muslims who are faced with challenging questions about their beliefs, particularly those who are engaged in dialogue with people of other faiths
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The second step on the path to mastering the discipline of theology
Can you explain in five minutes everything that Muslims believe in and why they believe it? If someone were to ask you "Why should I become Muslim?" or "I believe in XYZ. How does your belief differ from mine?" would you be able to give them a coherent response?
It was precisely to answer such questions that the discipline of theology developed—as Islam spread and Muslims interacted more and more frequently with people of other faiths, they formulated answers to difficult belief-related questions. Communication in the modern age has increased to an unsurpassed degree, recreating the urgencies that drove Muslims to develop this discipline a millennium ago. This urgency is even more acutely felt by Muslims in the West, where being Muslim is not the norm and nothing about Islam is taken for granted.
The need for this discipline has arguably never been greater, but Muslims' neglect of this discipline, unfortunately, has arguably never been worse. For Muslims to be able to find a place for themselves in the modern global age, it is vital that the study of theology be revived.
The Pearl of Divine Oneness: Intermediate Islamic Belief seeks to provide you with a detailed mental framework of exactly what a Muslim believes in, so that you can spot belief-related mistakes in discussions that go on among Muslims and be able to identify exactly where orthodox beliefs differ from the beliefs of other Muslim groups and sects, and from people of other faiths. This framework will also help keep you from becoming confused when presented with other beliefs because you will be able to clearly identify points of difference. Oftentimes, belief-related discussions sidetrack away from core points of disagreement and instead focus on contentious side issues—having a framework keeps you focused during such discussions.
The content of this course is based on Jawharat al-Tawhid (The Pearl of Divine Oneness), a 144-line poem by Shaykh Ibrahim al-Laqani (d. 1041), an expert scholar of hadith, theology, and Islamic Law. The Jawhara is his most important work and won him fame across the Muslim world by becoming a standard book of theology studied by students on the path of scholarship in leading institutions of learning from Morocco in the West to Indonesia in the East. The Jawhara is a concise, versified summation of the entire discipline of theology. Before the Jawhara, covering the large spectrum of topics that Laqani condensed into the poem would involve studying long, verbose works, which took time and also left students without a firm grasp of the material. The Jawhara not only allowed them to quickly study the spectrum of topics, but also to memorize them, giving them a firm footing for their future studies in theology.
This course builds on the introduction to the major discussions of theology students receive in Introduction to Islamic Belief (BLF101). The difference between informally learning one’s belief and between learning one’s belief through studying theology using this book is like the difference between having a vague idea of something and between actually studying it formally. This course is perfect for Muslims who are faced with challenging questions about their beliefs, particularly those who are engaged in dialogue with people of other faiths. It is also perfect for students of knowledge who want to master the discipline of theology by studying classical manuals, gradually progressing from those that are easier to those that are more difficult. This course is the second step on the path to mastering the discipline of theology.
By the end of this course, you will develop a complete and organized picture of what Muslims believe. Based on this picture, you will measure the correctness or incorrectness of the beliefs of various Muslim groups and sects as well as compare and contrast the beliefs of other faiths with Islam. The course will also prepare you for further detailed study of theology.
