How We Know What We Know

An Introduction to Knowledge within the Islamic Tradition

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This course introduces the topic of knowledge (‘ilm) within the Islamic tradition. It covers core aspects of the Islamic conception of knowledge, its sources (reason, revelation, inspiration), and how these sources are utilised in the various Islamic disciplines. Starting with the philosophical outline of human natural faculties and our ability to apprehend various objects of knowledge, and proceeding to the practical implications to understanding and evaluating scholarly opinions. Using major classical manuals of Islamic philosophy (ḥikma), Islamic theology (kalām), Islamic legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh), and logic (manṭiq), the course extracts some of the most important modes of thinking from our tradition to help those interested in an informed way to practice their religion. The course enables Muslims to formulate proper questions, appreciate and evaluate Islamic scholarly views and the methodology implicit in them.


The course introduces key scholars within the fields discussed and provides recommended readings for further understanding of the topics covered.


Course Overview

Watch this course overview from course tutor Dr Najah Nadi


Your Instructor


Najah Nadi
Najah Nadi

Dr Najah Nadi is a traditionally trained academic with over two decades of learning experiences and over a decade of teaching experience. Her research focuses on Islamic classical theories of knowledge across disciplines of philosophy, theology, law, and spirituality, as well as fatwas and fatwa institutions.

Dr. Najah holds a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford, focusing on the scholarship of the immanent Persian polymath Saʿd al-Dīn al-Taftāzānī (d. 792/1390). She also holds an M.A. in Religious and Theological Studies from Boston University, as well as a B.A. in Islamic Studies from al-Azhar University in Cairo. Dr. Najah has completed several years of traditional training at al-Azhar Mosque, receiving teaching licenses (ijāzāt) in various Islamic sciences. Dr. Najah has served as a junior fellow at the Holberg seminar on Islamic history at Princeton University from 2015-2019, a fellow of peace and reconciliation at Virginia Theological Seminary from 2017-2021. Her teaching courses include Islamic legal theories, classical logic and ontology and Islamic spirituality and ethics.

See Dr Najah's full bio here.


Curriculum


  Introduction
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


Who is this Online Course for?
Those interested in learning the basic concepts relating to Muslims theory of knowledge.
Are there any prerequisites?
No. A general familiarity with Islam is sufficient.
Can I contact the tutor?
Yes, via email: [email protected]
Are there any exercises?
Yes, there are exercises after each lecture.

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