Understanding Islam

Encore Course - Spring 2013Gulf Coast State College

Medhat Elmesky, InstructorIslamic Understanding Institute

Understanding Islam Course Structure

• Class Timeline– January 18th - February 22nd

– Fridays from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM

• The course structure will include:– Instructor-led sessions– Invited guest speakers– Panel discussions with local Muslim professionals– Classroom small group discussions & final presentation– Question and answer time

Course Content

Week 1: January 18, 2013• Introduction to the course

– Course objectives– Course structure– The meaning of Islam

Week 2: January 25, 2013• Articles of Faith in Islam

– Belief in the oneness of God, the prophets, the revelations, the angels, the Day of Judgment, and predestination

• The Sources of Islam– The Glorious Quran– The prophetic Sunnah

Course Content

Week 3: February 1, 2013• The five pillars of Islam and a Muslim’s spiritual life

– Shahada (declaration of faith)– Prayer– Fasting– Zakah (Alms)– Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Week 4: February 8, 2013• Islam as a complete way of life

– Personal Life– Family life (Marriage, wife rights, husband obligations, etc.)

• Distortions about Islam

Course Content

Week 5: February 15, 2013• Islamic contributions to society

– Islamic Arts and Architecture– Medicine and science

Week 6: February 22, 2013• Course conclusions and small group presentations

– “My New Understanding of Islam”

Understanding Islam Course Objectives

• Through this course, you will:– Become acquainted with the basic teachings of Islam.

– Reflect upon some of the eternal questions of humanity from the Islamic perspective: From where? To where? And why?

– Understand Islam as a complete way of life that is relevant to every phase of human existence.

– Learn how Islam contributed to the society in the past, through to the present, and into the future.

– Be able to clarify and answer some distortions around issues in Islam.

The Meaning of “Islam”

• Arabic root of the word “Islam”: S L M– Meaning: Peace, Submission

• ISLAM• MUSLIM = One who submits to God• YUSLIM = To submit• ASLAMA = Submitted

Purpose

• To Attain Peace with:– God– Self– Other Creations of God

• (Humans, Animals, Vegetation, Ecology)

• Through submission to God – By choice, in trust & love– Affirmed by acceptance & obedience

Peace in Central Islamic Terms

• One of God’s divine names (attributes)– “The peace”: A divine name

• Paradise = abode of peace

• Peace be with you– Meaning - Greeting of angels to believers– Mutual greeting of dwellers of paradise– Standard greeting of all Muslims

• “As salamu alaikum”

Broad Objectives of Islamic Law

• Safeguarding faith (2:256)

• Safeguarding Life (5:32)

• Safeguarding the Mind

• Safeguarding Honor (17:70)

• Safeguarding Property and Wealth