Program

1. A Healthy Heart

Islam wants me to be truly happy and free. Allah is the Source of all peace, joy and love. And only Allah is the Owner and Giver of all things. How, then, do I connect with Allah? With my heart. My spiritual heart (qalb) is the core of my humanity. From it flows my rational balance, spiritual intelligence and individual will. Through my spiritual heart, I know, experience and seek Allah, the Infinite.

Caring for my spiritual heart deserves my greatest investment. I must free myself from attachments that are harmful and hurtful to find true happiness and freedom. I must learn and strive to purify my heart.

Join us as we discuss the incredible principles and practices of the Islamic science of purifying the heart, or Tazkiyat al-Nafs. We will study – among many topics – freedom and happiness, the nature of the human being, Allah’s Names and Attributes, the evils and virtues of the heart, the importance of good companions, the benefits of tests and trials, the inner dimensions of worship, and the various ways to cleanse, nourish and strengthen the spiritual heart.

2. A Sharp Mind

Islam wants me to think clearly, reason well, and make sound choices that will draw benefit to my life in this world and my Hereafter. Allah is the Knower of all, the Most Wise. Where do I find this knowledge? Proper and correct Aqida (Belief) and Usul al-Fiqh principles (Principles of Jurisprudence) are essential.

Aqida, yes, but even Usul al-Fiqh? But can this knowledge be of benefit to non-scholars? Even children? Yes, it can be. A number of principles can be extracted from these sciences to enrich the way that we reason, and to help us at our own level – adults, teens, youth and children – make day-to-day decisions that optimize our welfare in this world and the Next.

Join us as we learn to appreciate the beauty and wonder of our Shari‘a, to see how it caters to every dimension of the human being, to understand that every law of Allah helps us be happy and free, and how we can use certain principles to think sharply and act smartly.

3. The Messenger ﷺ and Me

Do I love my Messenger ﷺ with all my heart? For he ﷺ is the Beloved of Allah, the best of His creation, His most perfect representative (khalifa), and my door to an experiential relationship with Him and to beautiful character.

Indeed, the value of my faith rests on my emotional and spiritual relationship with our Master Muhammad ﷺ. How do I develop this special relationship with him ﷺ? The first step is to learn about his specialness ﷺ – to learn about his reality ﷺ.

If I study the events of his biography (sira) through the lens of his specialness ﷺ, his biography ﷺ will come to life. My heart will begin to perceive his majesty and beauty ﷺ. And I will learn precious and personal lessons for how to live my own life.

Join us as we embark on a unique journey into the Prophetic Biography (sira) in which we hope – with Allah’s grace – to transform our relationship to the Messenger ﷺ through love, hope, and longing, and begin to walk to Allah following his footsteps and heart-steps ﷺ.

4. My Journey Through the Qur'an

Allah speaks to me through the Qur'an. It is His letter of love to me. The Qur'an is my light, companion, strength, cure and remedy for everything that affects me.

But is my relationship to the Qur'an like this – living, soothing, rich, and moist? And, if not, how can I unlock my heart to build an intimate and personal connection to Allah’s words? I must first understand the depth of His words. Building a relationship with the Qur'an requires that I understand who Allah is, and feel how His words speak to my soul, address the greatest questions in my life, and provide me with constant guidance for my mind, heart and body.

Join us as we study a selection of ayat – which also means miracles – from the Qur'an, see their spiritual depth, beauty, wisdom and practicality, and see how the ayat can miraculously change my relationship with myself and my Lord, and transform my character.