Living Islam (Hanafi)

• Be inspired to live in accordance with the example of our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in the modern age
• Learn the limits of the Shariah that relate to life and conduct according to the Hanafi school of law
• Understand how to deal with practical everyday life situations that people often wonder about
• Appreciate the wisdom underlying the rulings of the Shariah and understand the relevance and applicability of the Shariah in changing times and circumstances
• Embody the important qualities of zuhd (abstinence) and war’a (scrupulousness) through learning about the lawful and unlawful

• There are no required prerequisites.
  
• Estimated Commitment Per Week: 3-4 hours for core requirements
• Learn how to make sure your computer is ready.

• LESSON 1: Introduction: The Halal & Haram - Divine Limits
  
  • Understanding the rulings of the Sacred Law
  • The wisdom and spiritual purpose behind the rulings
• LESSON 2: Food and Drink
  
  • Rulings of eating and drinking
  • The sunnas entailed
  • The importance of wara'
• LESSON 3: Dress & Adornment
  
  • The standards of the Shariah
  • On the application of the sunna of dress in the modern age
  • The halal and haram aspects explained
• LESSON 4: Gender Interaction
  
  • General principles of interaction
  • The sunnas entailed
  • Rulings related to the halal & haram
  • Contemporary issues
• LESSON 5: Social Conduct (Part 1)
  • General principles of conduct
  • The related halal and haram rulings
  • Modern-day application of the sunna
• LESSON 6: Social Conduct (Part 2)
  
  • The rights of others
  • Having adab with one's family, neighbors, and friends
  • The sunna of emotional intelligence
• LESSON 7: Work, Money, and Earning a Living
  • General principles and rulings
  • Contemporary issues
  • The resulting impact on one's spiritual life
• LESSON 8: Holding One's Tongue (Part 1)
  
  • General principles of speech
  • The sunnas of speech and associated rulings
  • Importance of being aware of the sins of speech
• LESSON 9: Holding One's Tongue (Part 2)
  • Sincere repentance after error
  • On beneficial speech
  • The nature of sincere counsel
• LESSON 10: Refraining One's Limbs
  
  • The sins of the limbs
  • Using each limb for the pleasure of Allah
• LESSON 11: Guarding One's Heart (Part 1)
  
  • The sins of the heart
  • Non-attachment to that which harms one
  • The ideal one seeks to achieve
• LESSON 12: Guarding One's Heart (Part 2)
  
  • Importance of turning to Allah
  • Sincerity & love for the Divine
  • Achieving the station necessary

Weekly live sessions will also cover and explain key hadiths related to the week's lesson from Riyad al-Salihin.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Whatever I have prohibited, leave it completely, and whatever I command you, do of it as much as you are able" [Sahih Muslim]. The hadith commentators and jurists explain that this and other texts establish that avoiding the haram (unlawful) is even more important than doing that which is obligatory and has a greater spiritual impact. Allah Most High also tells us that the most powerful means of drawing closer to Him is through doing the obligatory and avoiding the unlawful when He says in the Hadith Qudsi "My servants draw close to Me with nothing more beloved to Me than that which I have made incumbent upon them" [Sahih Bukhari].

This course aims to present the limits of the Shariah that relate to life and conduct according to the Hanafi school of law. You will understand how to deal with common issues that come up in your daily lives in a nuanced, knowledge-based manner in accordance with the example of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. You will also appreciate the wisdom underlying the rulings of the Shariah and understand the relevance and applicability of the Shariah in changing times and circumstances.

This course will be based on information taken from a number of books of the Hanafi school, including al-Durar al-Mubaha fi’l Hadhr wa’l Ibaha by Imam Nahlawi, al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya by Ala’ al-Din Abidin, al-Hadhr wa’l Ibaha by Salah Abu’l Haajj, al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya by Imam Birgivi, the commentaries on al-Tariqa by Imam Khadimi and Imam Abd al-Ghani al-Nablusi, and Kitab al-Kasb by Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan and Imam Sarakhsi. Weekly live sessions will also cover and explain key hadiths related to the week's lesson from Riyad al-Salihin.

Ibn Abidin mentions that many Hanafis called the chapter related to the lawful and unlawful the "Chapter of Abstinence (zuhd) and Scrupulousness (wara`)." This indicates why this chapter is so important to learn. In order to embody the important qualities of zuhd and war’a, a Muslim must learn about the lawful and unlawful.

• Recorded lessons and live sessions will be conducted by Shaykh Faraz.
• Printable course slides will add structure to lessons.
• Self-study drills help you retain key lesson points.
• A final course-level assessment tests your overall understanding of the material.
• All live sessions will be recorded, so that you can hear lessons you miss or review key concepts.
  
• You can post questions and engage in discussion in the course forum.
• Shaykh Faraz will hold weekly office hours.

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