Branches of Faith

Branches of Faith has been put together for people who really desire to learn indepth knowledge of Islam. It serves as the ideal stepping stone in which four areas of study are covered:

  • History
  • Tafsīr
  • Ḥadīth
  • Fiqh

Each field covers the most important areas that will help a student gain absolute clarity on many questionable issues thus allowing them to pursue higher Islamic studies with great focus.

Islāmic History Courses

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Islāmic History 1

Course Objective: To teach students:

  • The biography of Ādam, Nūḥ and Ibrāhīm (peace be upon them all)

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:

  • Have clarity on the social context and geography of these great prophets and on the challenges they had to face in life
  • Have learnt life lessons that are derived from these true stories

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  • Creation of Ādam (peace be upon him)
  • Being duped by Shaytān
Lesson 2
  • The story of Ḥābīl and Qābīl
  • Passing of Ādam (peace be upon him)
Lesson 3
  • The Mission of Nūḥ (peace be upon him)
Lesson 4
  • The Great Flood
  • Passing of Nūḥ (peace be upon him)
Lesson 5
  • The early years of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him)
  • Inviting his father to Islām
Lesson 6
  • Inviting his community to Islām
  • Destroying the idols
Lesson 7
  • Inviting Namrūd to Islām
  • Migration
Lesson 8
  • The birth of Ismāʿīl (peace be upon him)
  • Relocation
Lesson 9
  • The grand test
  • The birth of Isḥāq (peace be upon him)
Lesson 10
  • Construction of the Kaʿbah
  • Passing of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him)
Lesson 11
  • Exam

Islāmic History 2

Course Objective: To teach students:

  • The biography of Yūsuf, Mūsá and ʿĪsá (peace be upon them all)

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:

  • Have clarity on the social context and geography of these great prophets and on the challenges they faced in life
  • Have learnt life lessons that are derived from these true stories

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  • Yūsuf’s dream
  • The plot
  • Journey to Egypt
Lesson 2
  • The Seduction
  • Imprisonment
Lesson 3
  • The King’s Dream
  • Yūsuf’s Interpretation
  • Release from prison
  • Taking office
Lesson 4
  • Encounter with brothers
  • Framing Binyāmīn
Lesson 5
  • Final encounter
  • Exposing his identity
  • Moving the family to Egypt
Lesson 6
  • Mūsá’s birth
  • Entering the Pharaoh’s palace
  • Manslaughter
Lesson 7
  • Fleeing to Madyan
  • Getting married and working
  • Return to Egypt
  • Prophet hood
Lesson 8
  • Inviting the Pharaoh
  • Showdown with the Magicians
Lesson 9
  • Plot to kill Mūsá (peace be upon him)
  • The Believer
Lesson 10
  • The nine signs
  • The Destruction of Pharaoh and his army
Lesson 11
  • Appointment with Allāh
  • The golden calf and Sāmirī
Lesson 12
  • Refusal to enter the Promised Land
  • Encounter with Khaḍir
Lesson 13
  • Pilgrimage
  • Death
Lesson 14
  • The Family of ʿImrān
  • The Birth of ʿĪsá (peace be upon him)
Lesson 15
  • The Miracles of ʿĪsá (peace be upon him)
  • The Supper
  • The Ascension
Lesson 16
  • The Return of ʿĪsá (peace be upon him)
Lesson 17
  • Exam

Islāmic History 3

Course Objective: To provide students with a clear understanding and the ability to identify:

  • The concept and technicalities of Caliphate
  • The struggles and sacrifices of the Four Caliphs
  • How Islām was spread and shaped the world as we know it today
  • Contemporary methods and techniques of imperialism and to compare them with the
    techniques that were used to advance the Islāmic Empire

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:

  • Have answers to many contentious issues related to Islāmic history
  • An understanding of the context of many rulings that will be studied in other fields of Islāmic Sciences
  • A sense of superiority  of the Islāmic system vs. the contemporary democratic system

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  • Introduction
  • The Concept of Caliphate
Lesson 2
  • The Caliphate of Abū Bakr (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 3
  • The Caliphate of Abū Bakr (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 4
  • The Caliphate of ʿUmar (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 5
  • The Caliphate of ʿUmar (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 6
  • The Caliphate of `Uthmān (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 7
  • The Caliphate of ʿUthmān (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 8
  • The Caliphate of ʿAlī (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 9
  • The Caliphate of ʿAlī (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 10
  • The Caliphate of `Alī  (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 11
  • The Caliphate of Ḥasan (may Allāh be pleased with him)
Lesson 12
  • Exam

Ḥadīth Courses

Please select a course in the above tabs to view details

Ḥadīth 1

Course Objective: To equip students with the knowledge of:

  •         The importance of ḥadīth studies
  •         The historical development of ḥadīth sciences
  •         The objections raised by people of later generations on the validity of ḥadīth
  •         A basic overview on the classification of aḥādīth  based on their transmission chains

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:

  •         Foundational knowledge of ḥadīth sciences
  •         Answers to the critics of ḥadīth

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  •                                Introduction

Qurʾān, Ḥadīth and Islām
Lesson 2                Qurʾān, Ḥadīth and Islām

  •                         The Authority of the Sunnah
  •                                  Definition of the Sunnah
  •                                  Obedience to the Messenger
Lesson 3
  •                                     Types of Revelation
  •                                     Obeying the Messenger
  •                                     The Prophet’s authority
Lesson 4
  •         The Prophet’s authority
  •         Preservation of the Sunnah
Lesson 5
  •         Preservation of the Sunnah
Lesson 6
  •         Ḥadīth compilations
Lesson 7
  •         Critiquing aḥādīth
Lesson 8
  •         Ḥadīth Classifications
  •         Acceptable narrations
Lesson 9
  •         Unacceptable narrations
Lesson 10
  •         Unacceptable narrations
Lesson 11
  •         Transmission chains
  •         Books of ḥadīth
Lesson 12
  •         Final Exam

 

Lesson 1
  •         Creation of Ādam (peace be upon him)
  •         Being duped by Shaytān
Lesson 2
  •         The story of Ḥābīl and Qābīl
  •         Passing of Ādam (peace be upon him)
Lesson 3
  •         The Mission of Nūḥ (peace be upon him)
Lesson 4
  •         The Great Flood
  •         Passing of Nūḥ (peace be upon him)
Lesson 5
  •         The early years of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him)
  •         Inviting his father to Islām
Lesson 6
  •         Inviting his community to Islām
  •         Destroying the idols
Lesson 7
  •         Inviting Namrūd to Islām
  •         Migration
Lesson 8
  •         The birth of Ismāʿīl (peace be upon him)
  •         Relocation
Lesson 9
  •                                 The grand test
  •                                 The birth of Isḥāq (peace be upon him)
Lesson 10
  •                                  Construction of the Kaʿbah
  •                                  Passing of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him)
Lesson 11
  •                                   Exam

Ḥadīth 2

Course Objective: To equip students with the knowledge of:

  •         Basic ḥadīth texts and their commentary
  •         How easy it is to apply ḥadīth lessons into their daily lives

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:

  •         Insight into the scholarly approach to ḥadīth texts
  •         40 aḥādīth of the Prophet (peace be upon him) completely understood in terms of how to apply them in their social context

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  •         Ḥadīth 1
Lesson 2
  •         Ḥadīth 2
Lesson 3
  •         Ḥadīth 3
  •         Ḥadīth 4
Lesson 4
  •         Ḥadīth 5
  •         Ḥadīth 6
Lesson 5
  •         Hadīth 7
  •         Ḥadīth 8
Lesson 6
  •         Ḥadīth 9
  •             Ḥadīth 10
  •             Ḥadīth 11
Lesson 7
  •         Ḥadīth 12
  •         Ḥadīth 13
  •         Ḥadīth 14
Lesson 8
  •         Ḥadīth 15
  •         Ḥadīth 16
  •         Ḥadīth 17
  •         Ḥadīth 18
Lesson 9
  •         Ḥadīth 19
  •         Ḥadīth 20
Lesson 10
  •         Test
Lesson 11
  •         Ḥadīth 21
  •         Ḥadīth 22
  •         Ḥadīth 23
Lesson 12
  •         Ḥadīth 24
Lesson 13
  •         Ḥadīth 25
  •         Ḥadīth 26
Lesson 14
  •         Ḥadīth 27
  •         Ḥadīth 28
Lesson 15
  •         Ḥadīth 29
Lesson 16
  •         Ḥadīth 30
  •         Ḥadīth 31
  •         Ḥadīth 32
Lesson 17
  •         Ḥadīth 33
  •         Ḥadīth 34
Lesson 18
  •         Ḥadīth 35
Lesson 19
  •         Ḥadīth 36
Lesson 20
  •         Ḥadīth 37
  •          Ḥadīth 38
Lesson 21
  •         Ḥadīth 39
  •         Ḥadīth 40
Lesson 22
  •         Exam

Tafsīr Courses

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Tafsīr 1

Course Objective: To acquaint students with:

  •         Fundamental aspects of the Qurʾān
  •         A thorough understanding of how the Qurʾān was compiled and shaped into its current form

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:

  •         Have a clear comprehension of the Qurʾān’s history
  •         A solid platform to move forward with towards interpreting the Qurʾān with accuracy and insight

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  •         Introduction
  •         Definition of revelation (waḥy) and its various forms
Lesson 2
  •         Definition of revelation (waḥy) and its various forms
  •         History of the Qurʾān’s revelation
Lesson 3
  •         Sequence of revelation
  •         Causes of revelation
Lesson 4
  •         Causes of revelation
  •         Repetition of revelation
Lesson 5
  •         Abrogation in the Qurʾān
Lesson 6
  •         Preservation of the Qurʾān
Lesson 7
  •         Additions and modifications made to the copies of the Qurʾān to facilitate ease for the reader
Lesson 8
  •         Stories in the Qurʾān
  •         Tafsīr methodology
Lesson 9
  •         Sources of tafsīr
Lesson 10
  •         Sources of tafsīr
Lesson 11
  •         Unreliable sources of tafsīr
Lesson 12
  •         Ṣufī interpretations
  •         Personal interpretations
Lesson 13
  •         Final Exam

Tafsīr 2

Course Objective:

  •         To provide students with a sound comprehension of the sūrahs they normally recite during their salāh and of the sūrahs that are popular.

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will:

  •         Be able increase their level of concentration during their salāh due to understanding what they’re reciting
  •         Be able to appreciate the Qurʾān
  •         Devote more time to studying it and applying it in their lives.

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  •         Introduction
  •         Sūrat al-Fātiḥah
Lesson 2
  •         Sūrat al-Nās
  •         Sūrat al-Falaq
Lesson 3
  •         Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ
  •         Sūrat al-Lahab
Lesson 4
  •         Sūrat al-Naṣr
  •         Sūrat al-Kāfirūn
  •         Sūrat al-Kawthar
Lesson 5
  •         Sūrat al-Māʿūn
  •         Sūrat Quraysh
  •         Sūrat al-Fīl
Lesson 6
  •         Sūrat al-Yāsīn verse 1 to 19
Lesson 7
  •         Sūrat al-Yāsīn verse 20 to 40
Lesson 8
  •         Sūrat al-Yāsīn verse 41 to 58
Lesson 9
  •         Sūrat al-Yāsīn verse 59 to 83
Lesson 10
  •         Surat al-Raḥmān verse 1 to 40
Lesson 11
  •         Surat al- Raḥmān verse 41 to 78
Lesson 12
  •         Exam

Fiqh 1 Course Objective: To acquaint students with the knowledge of:

  •         The concept of taqlīd and its importance
  •         The biography of the four imams
  •         The reason why the four imams differed in their conclusions

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:

  •         Comprehension and appreciation for the work that was rendered by the four imams
  •         Answers for all objections on taqlīd that are commonly  raised
  •          An understanding of the causes of differences
  •         A clear direction on how to further pursue fiqh

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  •         Introduction
  •         Taqlīd  explained
Lesson 2
  •         The life of Imām Mālik ibn Anas
Lesson 3
  •         The fiqh of Imām Mālik ibn Anas
Lesson 4
  •         The life of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah
Lesson 5
  •         The fiqh of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah
Lesson 6
  •         The life of Imām al-Shāfiʿ ī
Lesson 7
  •         The fiqh of Imām al- Shāfiʿ ī
Lesson 8
  •         The life of Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal
Lesson 9
  •         The fiqh of Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal
Lesson 10 Differences of the imams

  •         Causes of differing opinions and views
Lesson 11
  •         Differences: A source of mercy
  •         Prejudice towards a school
Lesson 12
  •         Final Exam

Fiqh Courses

Please select a course in the above tabs to view details

Fiqh 1

Course Objective: To acquaint students with the knowledge of:

  •         The concept of taqlīd and its importance
  •         The biography of the four imams
  •         The reason why the four imams differed in their conclusions

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:

  •         Comprehension and appreciation for the work that was rendered by the four imams
  •         Answers for all objections on taqlīd that are commonly  raised
  •          An understanding of the causes of differences
  •         A clear direction on how to further pursue fiqh

Lesson Plan:

Lesson 1
  •         Introduction
  •         Taqlīd  explained
Lesson 2
  •         The life of Imām Mālik ibn Anas
Lesson 3
  •         The fiqh of Imām Mālik ibn Anas
Lesson 4
  •         The life of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah
Lesson 5
  •         The fiqh of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah
Lesson 6
  •         The life of Imām al-Shāfiʿ ī
Lesson 7
  •         The fiqh of Imām al- Shāfiʿ ī
Lesson 8
  •         The life of Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal
Lesson 9
  •         The fiqh of Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal
Lesson 10 Differences of the imams

  •         Causes of differing opinions and views
Lesson 11
  •         Differences: A source of mercy
  •         Prejudice towards a school
Lesson 12
  •         Final Exam

Fiqh 2

Course Objective: To acquaint students with the knowledge of:

  •         The various viewpoints surrounding particular fiqh issues and which viewpoint is correct based on what premise

Learning Outcome: Upon completing this course students will have:

  •         Complete clarity and no confusion remaining over why there are differences on the select issues
  •         Direction over which viewpoint to adopt and the rationale behind it
Lesson 1
  •         Reciting behind the imam during ṣalāh
Lesson 2
  •         The distance between the feet during a congregational prayer
Lesson 3
  •         Saying Āmīn aloud
Lesson 4 When to raise the hands during ṣalāh
Lesson 5
  •         The number of rakaʿāt of the witr prayer
Lesson 6
  •         Performing taḥīyat al-masjid during the Friday sermon
Lesson 7
  •         Combining two prayers while travelling
Lesson 8
  •         The number of rakaʿāt of the tarāwīḥ prayer
Lesson 9
  •         Final Exam