COURSES

Compulsory University Courses (6 Units)

Compulsory Programme Courses (15 units)

Elective Courses (9 units)

Course Description

Worldview and Epistemic Frameworks

A comparative analysis of all the major worldviews in the recorded history of mankind and their relationship with the conception, methodology and purpose of knowledge and knowing, and the culture of knowledge they generate. The worldviews and the knowledge culture of Greeks, Judeo-Christians, secular-humanists, the Indians, Chinese, Japanese and especially the Muslims will be studied. An analysis of similarities and differences will be carried out that will encourage deeper understanding, mutual cooperation, and respect and tolerance.

Decolonization and Islamisation of Contemporary Knowledge

This course analyses the phenomena that knowledge framework, methodologies and contents are organically linked to worldviews, values and socio-political and economic interests of dominant groups, states, cultures and civilizations. The Western colonization of Asia, Latin and North America and Africa and its effects on the indigenous knowledge frameworks is explored. Issues of neo-colonialism, captive mind, colonisability mentality, decoloniality and especially Islamisation and integration of knowledge will be vigorously analysed.

Islamic Philosophy of Science and Methodology of Science

This course analyses the relation between Religion and Science; the origins and development of Modern philosophy of science, from Mechanical Philosophy, Newtonian paradigm to Quantum physics; the separation of science from metaphysics; Methods of scientific enterprise from experimental method to modern empiricism, positivism and scientism.  The idea of Islamisation of contemporary knowledge and Islamic science will also be discussed.

Qur’an and Hadith: Principles, Methodology and Contemporary Challenges

The course provides a concise  understanding of the science of the Holy Qur’an (Ulum al-Qur’an) including the concept of wahy, its transmission, collection and preservation;  asbab al-nuzul, nasikh wa al-nansukh al-muhkam wa al-mutashabih; the schools of Tafsir; contemporary debates on the Qur’an and its exegesis. History of origins, development, transmission, dissemination and collection of Hadith literature; Hadith-Criticism; the Genre of technical terms (mustalahat al-hadith); the reporters of Hadith (rijal al-hadith); contemporary debates on the science of Hadith.

History and Methodology of Islamic Science and Technology

An introduction to the great works of early Muslim scientists, and technologists and their main pioneering contributions. A survey of the various sciences and methods developed and used by Muslim scientists, astronomers, geometricians, medical doctors towards the advancement of their respective fields, and their influences on the West.

Islam in Malay History and Culture

A study and a survey of the coming of Islam to the Malay Archipelago;  Bilad al-Jawi in Islamic sources;  Archeological, cultural and scientific artifacts;  The new Jawi language and script.  The rise of learning and scholarship;  Early works on tafsir, hadith, language, history, theology, tasawwuf and philosophy will be examined with the growth of fiqh and literature;  The growth of centres of learning: pondok, zawiyah, pesantren;  The Malay sultanates  and Islam in modern Malaysia.

Shari‘ah in Contemporary Societies

An introduction to Islamic legal system and its development in early Islam; the sources of the Shari’ah, the fiqh of al-Maqasid (the science of objectives of the Shari’ah), the concept of thawabit (permanence) and mutaghayyirat (change). It will also analyze vigorously the contemporary discourse of reconstruction and reform of Shari’ah and Islamic jurisprudence, the relation between Shari’ah and Tasawwuf, the emergence of Salafiyyah movement, extremism and its responses.

Islam and Other Faiths

Through this course, students will develop an understanding of Islamic viewpoint with regard to the concepts of religious pluralism, religious diversity and tolerance. It will analyse the concept of Tawhid; the concept of Abrahamic faith, al-din al-hanif; Transcendent Unity of Religions and its relation with Parennial philosophy, and the rights of non Muslims in Islam.

Islamic Economic Thought and Institutions

An introduction to economic thought and institutions in Islamic civilisation, including the concepts of tadbir, al-amwal,al-kasb, al-tijarah, riba, zakah, kharaj, hisbah, waqf and bayt al-mal, as well as an overview of Islamic banking system and Finance.

Islamic Political Thought and Institutions

An introduction to political thought and institutions in Islam, particularly the concepts of imamah, khilafah, siyadah, hakimiyyah. The Sunni concept of al-ikhtiyar, ‘aqd al-wakalah, bay’ah, ahl al-hall wa al-‘aqd (the people of loosing and binding); Islamic political principles including justice, mutual consultation (shura), equality (musawah), accountability (muhasabat al-hakim); the concept of constitutional government in Islam and contemporary debate on Islam and democracy .

Major Muslim Scientists

A study of enduring legacy of selected Muslim Scientists, such as al-Khawarizmi (d. 850),  al-Zahrawi (1013), Ibn Sina (1037), Ibn al-Haytham (1040), al-Biruni (1048), al-Tusi (1274) and others who were the precursors to modern methods in scientific and technological advancement in Modern West. A selection of texts will be studied in translation.

Major Muslim Thinkers

A study of major thinkers of Islam such as al-Ash‘ari (d. 936), Ibn Sina (1037), al-Ghazali (1111), Ibn Rushd (1198), Ibn Taymiyyah (1328), Ibn Khaldun (1395), Mulla Sadra (1640) and others. This course will concentrate on the basic essentials in the thought of these various thinkers.

Islam and Urban Development

Surveying the city in Islam;  The establishment of Madinah as City of the Prophet.  Makkah as city of spirituality;  The growth of Muslim cities: Jerusalem, Baghdad, Kaherah, Istanbul, Isfahan, Melaka, Acheh and other major cities in the Muslim World will be studied; Urbanism in early Greek and Roman cities compared to early Muslim cities; Contemporary urban development and medieval cities will be examined.

Religion, Development and Human  Culture

The genesis of religion from mythological beliefs. Revelation versus non-revealed religion or religious tradition. Ethics and values. The development of human communities into societies from ethnic based to religion based identities. The advancement of human culture, values with the unfolding of revelation-based religion.

Islam and World History

An advanced level course analyzing the advent of world history with the coming of Islam.  The preceding civilization of the Romans and the Persians with the concomitant religious background of the time will be studied.  Islam ushered the universal brotherhood of mankind thus consolidated, albeit indirectly, the European identity that lead to the development of the West. The growth of Islam territorially is accompanied with the advancement of statecraft and learning and knowledge facilitated by the creation of new Islamic languages.  The centers of learning, and the spread to knowledge culture and learning to newly liberated lands brought about a universal world Muslim culture.

Islam and Architecture

A study of the growth, influences and development of an unique art that is informed, and guided by the precepts of the religion of Islam.  Calligraphy, arabesque as they are applied in written artform, pottery, carpets. Architectural monuments and their history.  Early phases of the growth from the Umayyad, Abbasid, Egytian, Spanish, Mughal, Ottoman, through the growth and expansion of the Muslim Empires saw a complementary development of architectural achievements.  Muslim architecture in China and eastern lands.

Reading in Classical Text

Reading and surveying the texts of prominent Muslim theologians such as Aqa’id al-Nasafi by Imam Umar al-Nasafi (d.537 H)and  Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah by Imam Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi (321H). Original Arabic text is explained in English with reference to relevant later works.

Readings in Contemporary Texts

Selected works by contemporary Muslim thinkers such as, Fazlur Rahman, Ismail al-Faruqi, S.M.N. al-Attas, Seyyed Hossein Nasr on issues pertaining to Islamic thought and contemporary challenges will be studied critically.