Each seminar is a stand-alone seminar, and they do not need to be done in order.
1. Prophetology & Epistemic Attacks of the Quraysh
Prophethood is one of the Usul al-Din, but what exactly is the nature of prophecy and revelation? How did the Quraysh of Makkah react to the verses of the Quran and the claim of prophethood by the Holy Prophet (p)? How did they try to epistemically question the value of revelation, and what lessons can we learn from these events regarding the epistemic attacks on Islam today?
2. The Oppressed Prophet (p)
The life of the Prophet (p) and the Muslims in Makkah is depicted as a life of an oppressed nation. Muslims are tortured, imprisoned, sanctioned, forced to exile and there are assassination attempts on the Prophet (p) during these years. What expectations does the Prophet (p) and the Quran have from the Muslims during this period of weakness and oppression? What were the Muslims focusing on during this era if there are no extensive laws of Islam being revealed in this era?
3. The Wars of the Prophet (p)
Many orientalists and Islamophobes depict the Prophet’s (p) life in Medina as a violent life of a warlord. Is this accusation valid? If not, then what were the factors that led to the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Khaybar and other expeditions? Did the Muslims initiate any of these fights, and if so, how can that be justified?
4. The Marriages of the Prophet (p)
Since the dawn of modernity, many orientalists and Islamophobes have depicted the Prophet (p) as an immoral person. One of the reasons for this accusation is due to his many marriages. Who were the wives of the Prophet (p), why was he allowed to marry more than four women, and under what circumstances did these marriages take place? What expectations does the Quran lay out for the wives of the Prophet (p) and what moral implications do those expectations have for us today as a community?
5. The Seerah of the Prophet & Islam in the 21st Century
“The Islam of a person cannot be perfected until they study the life of the Prophet (p).” – Shahīd Ṣadr (d. 1980). There has perhaps never been an era when Islam was under attack as it is today. Since modernity, all sorts of political, violent, emotional, and academic efforts have been made to falsify the religion of Islam. How can studying the Seerah of the Prophet (p) help us address the problems of the 21st century?