Introduction to Islamic Worship (Shafi'i) - Part 1

• Benefit from Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller’s critically praised translation of Imam Nawawi’s most accessible work, al-Maqasid
• Gain a solid grounding in the basics of Islamic belief and a thorough understanding of purification and prayer
• Develop an appreciation for the intricacy of the science of Islamic law (fiqh) as recorded by the imams of the Shafi’i school

• There are no required prerequisites, but Essentials of Islam (Shafi'i) or similar introductory is good preparation.
• Estimated Commitment Per Week: 3-4 hours for core requirements
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• LESSON 1
  The Fundamentals of Faith & Sacred Law (Part 1)
  • introduction to the text
  • beliefs about God and His Prophets
  • on transmitted beliefs

  LESSON 2
  The Fundamentals of Faith & Sacred Law (Part 2)

  • the fundamentals of Islam
  • the terminology of the Sacred Law
  • the remembrance of Allah & judging by the outward

  LESSON 3
  Purification: On Water & Purifying Articles from Filth

  • the definition of purification
  • on the types of filth, how they are transformed, & purification of articles and vessels (from filth)

  LESSON 4
  On Minor Ritual Impurity & the Fiqh Related to the Lavatory

  • on making ablution & related matters
  • the fiqh related to wiping footgear and using the lavatory

  LESSON 5
  On Major Ritual Impurity & Lifting this State

  • the causes of major ritual impurity
  • the purificatory bath & dry ablution
  • menstruation & postnatal bleeding

  LESSON 6
  The Time of Prayer

  • start of the chapter on prayer
  • making up missed prayers

  LESSON 7
  The Sunnas Related to the Prayer

  • the sunna prayers and the sunnas of the prayer
  • the conditions & integrals of the prayer

  LESSON 8
  The Forgetfulness Prostration, Group Prayer, & Shortening or Joining Prayers

  • when the forgetfulness prostration is required and how to perform it
  • the group prayer
  • issues related to shortening or joining prayers

  LESSON 9
  The Prayer of Peril, the Friday Prayer, & the Eid Prayer

  • issues regarding these prayers
  • when and how they are performed

  LESSON 10
  Other Sunna Prayers

  • regarding the eclipse, drought and funeral prayers
  • when and how they are performed

The great scholar, hadith master, biographer, lexicologist, and saintly mystic Imam Nawawi is perhaps best known for his hadith books Riyadh al-Saliheen (The Gardens of the Righteous), Kitab al-Adhkar (Book of Remembrance), and his eighteen-volume Sharh Sahih Muslim (Commentary on the Sahih Muslim). But Imam Nawawi was also one of the foremost students and intellectual heirs of Imam al-Shafi'i, and his texts are referenced more often than the early works of Imam al-Shafi'i himself.

One of Imam Nawawi’s most accessible texts is Al-Maqasid: ma yajibu ma’rifatuhu min al-din (The Objectives, what is necessary to know of the religion). Filled with hundreds of rulings on some of the most commonly asked questions, this book has stood the test of time because of its utter usefulness. And the lucid translation into English by Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller has been critically praised for its clarity, brevity, practicality, and precision and has been acclaimed as an extremely valuable textbook for courses on Islam.

This course on intermediate Shafi'i fiqh will use Al-Maqasid to give you a solid grounding in the basics of Islamic belief and a thorough understanding of the rulings of purification and prayer. In accordance with traditional modes of teaching, Shaykh Hamza Karamali will unpack the words of Imam Nawawi, explaining his intent and adding important details from classical works such as Bushra al-Karim and the Hashiya of Imam Bajuri. Weekly live sessions will be conducted by Shaykh Abdul-Kareem Yahyaa. By the end of the course, you will develop an appreciation for the intricacy of the science of Islamic law (fiqh) as recorded by the imams of the Shafi'i school.

• Recorded lessons will be conducted by Shaykh Hamza.
• Live sessions will be conducted by Shaykh Abdul-Kareem.
• All live sessions will be recorded, so that you can hear lessons you miss or review key concepts.
• Printable course slides will add structure to lessons.
• Photographs and diagrams are used extensively to clearly illustrate fiqh details.
• Self-study drills help you retain key lesson points.
• A final course-level assessment tests your overall understanding of the material.
• Students are recommended to have Imam Nawawi's Al-Maqasid (tr. Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller) as an accompanying text.
• You can post questions and engage in discussion in the course forum.
• Shaykh Abdul-Kareem will hold weekly office hours.

• Taken this course? Submit a review.
• "...I was given a comprehensive overview of the essentials of Islamic prayer, which has given me more certainty and confidence in my worship. The text the course was based on, "Al Maqasid", was an excellent guide. The only reason I wouldn't recommend it was because it required quite a bit more reading and study than some of the other, beginning-level SunniPath courses, which could be difficult for someone with a tight schedule...Hamza Karamali is a wonderful and selfless teacher. I really enjoy learning from him. He is an incredibly busy person, yet he still found time to e-mail me personally when I needed advice."
  Paula Marie Miller, 41
  Science Teacher, Iowa City, USA
• "I would recommend this course to others because it covers concisely the info needed to get the basics of both aqeedah and fiqh."
  Imaan Joshi, 34
  Doctor, Sydney, Australia
• "I would recommend this particular course (Introduction to Islamic Worship) because it gives a very good understanding of purification and prayer, and because the teachers and assistants are very motivating and skilled...Shaykh Abdul Karim Yahya was very motivating, and particularly his using scenarios to test our understanding of the subject was very beneficial."
  David Vingen, 21
  Warehousing, Lillesand, Norway