Gateway to Sacred Knowledge
Year 2

Having studied the science of Shamā’il, the external and internal characteristics of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in year one of the GTSK, students will now be guided through the riveting and transforming journey of his blessed life. The Islamic tradition, as conveyed by, and inherited from our predecessors since the age of the Companions themselves is Prophet-centric; that is, the message, personality, and blessed essence of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ constitute its very core. Any attempt to learn and understand Islam, while circumventing knowledge of and connection to the Prophet ﷺ will ultimately prove fruitless. As such, this module is one of the bedrocks of the GTSK course. 

This module will introduce students to the life and times of the Prophet ﷺ through an overview of its two periods; the Meccan and Madinian, along with an in-depth analysis of the key phases and underlying themes of each period respectively, with a view to deducing contextually relevant guidance for our times. 

Key objectives and features of the module include:

• Analysis of the underlying themes of the Prophet’s life and their universal relevance.
• Insights into the metaphysical sublimity of the Prophet ﷺ with a view to cultivating a living spiritual connection with him ﷺ. 
• Deduction of contextually relevant guidance from the life and times of the Prophet ﷺ, empowering students to see the world through a prophetic lens.
• Using the lessons of Sīrah as a compass for navigating the challenges of the modern age, such as
  • Principles for nurturing deep-rooted faith and prophetic activism  
  • ‘Islamophobia’ and resistance to the Prophetic message 
  • The martial way, war, and conflict-resolution
  • Upholding faith and ethical living in the face of tribulation 
  • The formation of communities built on faith, love and sacred service 
  • Women, Marriage & Polygyny  

Steps to Sacred Living 2

Building on the essentials of purification and prayer covered in year one, this module in Sacred Law comprises two units. 

Unit 1: 

1. The Living Law – The Epistemic Foundations & underlying Principles of the Sharī’ah

This unit seeks to introduce students to the spirit of the Sacred Law of Islam, demonstrating its vastness, dynamism, and universal suitability. Often reduced to a list of ‘dos and don’ts’, with a drastically disproportionate emphasis on the ‘don’ts’, the Sharī’ah is undoubtedly one of the most misunderstood, maligned, and misappropriated concepts in the modern age. 

In the course of this study, students will be taken on a journey into the mind of the Muslim jurist. How is Islamic Law derived? What are the objectives and wisdoms of particular legal injunctions? What does the Sharī’ah seek to accomplish through its rulings?  This unit seeks to address such questions, by explicating the theoretical framework and underlying principles of the Sharī’ah, together with presenting contemporary case studies demonstrating the application of these principles.  

The content covered in this unit includes a study of:

• The higher objectives and wisdoms of Sacred Law
• The underlying governing principles of Islamic Law
• The application of legal principles to contemporary issues  

Unit 2:

2. Marriage, Gender & Social Relations   

Unit 2 of the Sacred Law module is essentially about equipping and empowering modern Muslims in the Western context to lead felicitous, free and beautiful lives through alignment with divine dictates. 

Taking the theoretical understanding of the higher objectives of Sacred Law from unit one, here, students will be immersed in a study of the legal injunctions and Adāb related to marriage, gender and social relations in Islam.  

The course will be delivered in accordance with the Hanafī school of Law, and is drawn primarily from the following legal manuals:

1. Al Hadiyyah al ᵓAlā’iyyah 
2. Ad-Durar al Mubāḥah fil Ḥaẓar wal Ibāḥa
3. Mafātīḥ ul-Jinān Sharḥ Shirᵓat-il-Islām 

Topics that will be addressed in varying degrees of detail include:

• Money Matters – Charity, Income and Employment
• Food – the Halal, the Haram and the Tayyib
• Clothing & Adornment 
• Gender Interaction 
• Social Relations and Duties
• Outward Sins 
• Inward Sins   

In an age underpinned by rampant confusion & rapid change, how do we remain spiritually and morally anchored in our tradition, while engaging wisely with the world around us? 

In this module students will be afforded the opportunity to explore contemporary challenges through the lens of classical Islamic scholarship. The module seeks to address key tensions between an authentic Islamic worldview and modern secular paradigms by engaging trending issues including:

• The ‘Problem’ of Evil and Suffering 
• Gender & Sexuality  
• Spiritual growth amidst digital distractions 
• The Crisis of Meaning