Belief: Sawi On Jawhara al-Tawhid: Understanding Islamic Beliefs [Elective]

This Level Two class explores intermediate Islamic beliefs through a close study of Imam Sawi’s commentary on Imam Laqqani’s Jawhara al-Tawhid — a poem that covers mainstream Islamic beliefs about Allah Most High, His messengers (peace be upon them), and the Hereafter. Imam Sawi unpacks the expressions of the poem, making accessible the beliefs that we are all obligated to affirm while keeping in context the spirituality that is at the heart of our religion.

The study of this text is an essential gateway into deeper studies of Islamic Theology. Students will be introduced to key concepts, terminology, and definitions of this science, preparing them for further study. Students will learn what is necessary, possible, and inconceivable to affirm for Allah Most High, His messengers (peace be upon them), and key beliefs about the Hereafter.

This class is for students of knowledge with the ability to read and understand classical Arabic and prior study of Islamic beliefs, worship, and practical spirituality.

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Short Intro: This course explores intermediate Islamic beliefs through a close study of Imam Sawi’s commentary on Imam Laqqani’s Jawhara al-Tawhid — a poem that covers mainstream Islamic beliefs about Allah Most High, His messengers (peace be upon them), and the Hereafter.
Category Featured: No
Show in catalog: Yes
Total Lesson: 36
Number of hours: 80
Weightage: 16
Skill Level: Beginner
Monday: No
Tuesday: No
Wednesday: No
Thursday: No
Friday: No
Saturday: No
Sunday: No
About the text:

Imam Laqqani’s poem Jawhara al-Tawhid has been broadly accepted by the scholarly community as a summary work representative of mainstream Islamic beliefs. In the hundreds of years that have passed since its authorship, this work has attracted dozens of commentaries and super-commentaries.

Imam Sawi’s commentary is an excellent introductory work on science and is widely taught. In it, he unpacks the terse expressions of the poem and explains technical discussions with essential context as to how these beliefs relate to our relationship with Allah Most High.
About the Author:

Imam Ahmed ibn Muhammad al-Sawi was born in 1175 AH. He quickly memorized the Quran at a young age and thereafter enrolled in al-Azhar in the year 1187, at the age of 12 years. He further studied with many great scholars of his time.

He wrote several works; among them are Al-Fara'id al-Saniyyah ‘ala Matn al-Hamziyya, a commentary on the Hamziyya of Imam Busiri. Other notable works of his were Hashiyat ‘ala Tafsir al-Imamayn al-Jalalayn, an abridgment of larger commentary of his shaykh by the title of al-Fatuhat al-Ilahayyat; and Hashiyat ‘ala Anwar al-Tanzil lil Baydawi, a commentary on Imam al-Baydawi's Tafsir, and many other notable works.

While on his way to Medina in 1241 Hijri he became very ill. He was quoted as saying; "Time is nearing its end and my Beloved is calling for me." A short while after this he passed away on the 7th of Muharram 1241 AH and was buried there.

 
Who is this course for:
  • This course is for adults
  • It is particularly beneficial for students of knowledge
  • It is a Two elective course. In order to successfully complete this course, students should first take What Muslims Believe and Why: Dardir's Kharida al-Bahiyya
  • This course can also be taken by anyone who is interested in learning more about mainstream Islamic beliefs.
Learning outcomes:
  • Understand the key concepts, terminology, and definitions of Islamic Beliefs
  • Explain what is necessary, possible, and absurd to affirm for Allah Most High
  • Explain what is necessary, possible, and absurd to affirm for His messengers (peace be upon them).
  • Understand the key transmitted beliefs of the Hereafter

Beliefs: Bajuri's Hashiya al-Sanusiyya Explained: Allah's Attributes and Proofs for His Existence

This is a Level Three course in the Islamic Studies Curriculum.

This course is a traditional word-by-word exposition of Imam Bajuri’s commentary on Imam Sanusi's Umm al-Barahin (The Foundational Proofs), which covers the core beliefs of mainstream traditional Islam along with their key proofs.

Students will learn Islamic theology: the attributes of Allah Most High, those of His messengers (peace be upon them), matters of the unseen, and their logical proofs, culminating in how all of these meanings are contained in the Statement of Divine Oneness, there is no god but God.

The value of a subject is known by what is studied, and there is none greater than establishing and defending belief in Allah Most High and the points of knowledge to which He has granted eternal consequence.

Imam Bajuri’s commentary on Imam Sanusi’s Umm al-Barahin establishes not only what we believe in but also why it must be true with logical rigor. Additionally, students will learn how to unpack the terse expressions of classical texts, preparing them for further study in the Islamic sciences and in Islamic theology in particular.

Display on Both categories: Yes
Short Intro: This intermediate-level course covers not only what we believe in but also why it must be true with logical rigor. You will learn how to unpack the terse expressions of classical texts, preparing you for further study in Islamic theology.
Category Featured: No
Show in catalog: Yes
Total Lesson: 35
Number of hours: 42
Weightage: 0
Skill Level: Beginner
Monday: No
Tuesday: No
Wednesday: No
Thursday: No
Friday: No
Saturday: No
Sunday: No
About the text:

This text is a traditional word-by-word exposition of one of the most popular manuals in Islamic theology, Imam Bajuri’s (d. 1276 AH / 1860 CE) commentary on Imam Sanusi’s Umm al-Barahin.

Imam Sanusi’s primer focuses on the main proofs for the issues of belief in Allah Most High.

Imam Bajuri’s commentary, though brief, is deep, and precise. It unpacks the theological issue in the text with clarity and nuance. Most importantly, it breaks each of these proofs down and shows how those conclusions were reached.

Imam Bajuri writes in a method that forces the student to think and ask “why?” This course not only teaches the proofs of God Most High, but also the method a student of knowledge should embody in everything they engage with.
About the Author:

Imam Ibrahim al-Bajuri was a prolific scholar, authoring works in many different Islamic disciplines. His works are authoritative, and deeply admired, taught, and used as references. Among the subjects he wrote in were: theology, logic, hadith, Islamic law, estate division, Arabic morphology, Arabic grammar, and Arabic literature.

His works have been highly regarded by generations of teachers and students for their precision, comprehensiveness, and depth of scholarship.

He studied and taught at al-Azhar, becoming its foremost scholar and rector (Shaykh al-Azhar) in 1263 AH / 1847 CE, a position that he retained until his death. His commentary on the Umm al-Barahin is one of his most widely studied works.

Among his other most significant works is his Hashiya on Imam Laqani’s Jawhara al-Tawhid (Tuhfa al-Murid), in Islamic beliefs; his Hashiya on Ibn Qasim’s Sharh Matn Abi Shuja`, in Shafi`i fiqh; his commentary on Imam Busiri’s Burda, in praise of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), just to name a few.
Who is this course for:
  • This course is for adults.
  • It is particularly beneficial for knowing the proofs of God Most High
  • This is a Level Three course. In order to successfully complete this course, students should have taken any of the Level Two Islamic Beliefs courses at SeekersGuidance, or similar.
  • This course is useful for anyone who wants to understand the rationale proofs related to our belief in Allah Most High; the method and nuances of the science of Islamic beliefs; and to appreciate the depth and nuance of the Islamic intellectual tradition, and learn to think and analyze issues as scholars do.
Learning outcomes:
  • Explain the logical proofs for the attributes of Allah Most High.
  • Break down the proofs for the existence of Allah Most High step by step.
  • Explain the attributes of His Messengers (peace be upon them) and their proofs
  • Understand how all of these meanings are contained in the statement of Divine Oneness: there is no god but God
  • Understand how to unpack the terse expressions of classical Islamic texts and works on theology.
  • Cultivate a deep method in thinking required from a student of knowledge