ARA 101 Arabic for Beginners ( Level1)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Arabic language skills are significant for students who wish to study Islam and Muslim civilizations. Through lectures, reflection, and interactive activities, beginner students learn Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), the standardized, literary Arabic that is used in formal settings. They build their vocabulary, develop, and apply their Arabic communication skills, both orally and in writing. Throughout the course, students will engage in immersive and interactive learning
activities, building a solid foundation in Arabic while comprehensively understanding Islamic values and history. Tailored to meet the needs of beginners, the course seamlessly integrates practical language skills with Islamic studies, ensuring students acquire both linguistic competence and cultural insight. Read More
IJC 106 Islamic Thought
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The field of Islamic Thought includes the disciplines of Islamic theology, political thought, philosophy, law, ethics, exegesis, mysticism, and subjects such as historiography and heresiography. In this course, students explore the broad contours of these disciplines in classical, medieval, pre-modern, and modern periods. This enables them to carry out advanced research in more narrowly defined areas of specialization. Students examine the religious basis and pillars of Muslim thought, including the Qurʾan and the Prophetic tradition, and the engagement of Muslim intellectuals with these foundations and other intellectual traditions. They draw connections between theoretical developments and themes in various scholarly disciplines and contemporary events in the Islamic world, including the emergence of modern Islamic republics, the rise of Islamism in its political and militant forms, the Arab Spring, and contemporary theological and legal debates between Muslims.
IJC 101 Introduction to Qur’an
COURSE DESCRIPTION
According to Islamic tradition, the Qurʾan is not simply an Inspired Scripture. It is a Divine Book that the Angel Gabriel brought down from heaven to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and its message is the key to paradise. As students progress through this course, they explore the Qurʾan, the Divine Word, to over one and a half billion people around the globe. Through lectures, interactive learning activities, research, and discussions, students explore various aspects of the sacred scripture, including its messages, the historical context in which it was revealed, and how Muslims have approached and interpreted it. Topics of learning and discussion include the translatability and untranslatability of the Qurʾan, the relationship between the Qurʾan and culture, and the links between the Scripture and the Prophetic Sunnah. Students will also learn about the stories and parables in the Qurʾan and their significance. Read More
IJC 203 Sociology
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides an introductory exploration of the dynamic field of sociology, offering students a comprehensive understanding of society through the lens of scientific inquiry. Through an engaging curriculum, students will delve into various sociology concepts, methodologies, and theories. The course aims to elucidate the complexities of human behaviour across different social contexts. Through interactive lectures, collaborative learning activities, independent and group research, and case studies, students will better appreciate the interplay between individuals and the larger social structures that shape their lives.
Key topics examined include social inequality, discrimination, racism, power dynamics, environmental degradation, crime, gender-related issues, and the
diverse methodologies used to investigate critical social phenomena, ranging from intimate familial dynamics to global societal challenges. By fostering
critical thinking and analytical skills, this course equips students with the necessary tools to comprehend their place within the world and the intricate
relationships between individuals and social systems. Moreover, it establishes a solid foundation for further academic pursuits in sociology.. Read More
IJC 302 Philosophy
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course introduces students to the discipline of philosophy, especially in the Western tradition. For comparison purposes, students also explore philosophical issues from traditional Islamic perspectives. Students develop introductory knowledge of various schools of thought in the discipline through lectures, independent research projects, interactive learning activities, and drawing from historical and contemporary written and multimedia resources. Topics include epistemology or theory of knowledge, philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, morality, value theory, the nature of truth, freedom and determinism, right and wrong, and the existence of God, among others. Students explore traditional philosophical systems (primarily Western, but also Islamic) with emphasis on how these systems approach and attempt to solve the problems confronting humans today.