Studying with the Weekend Shari‘ah Course
From the very first command, the command to “read”, the mode of transmitting sacred knowledge has been one that links the student directly back to the Divine. This mode of transmission, the “Prophetic Link” (al-isnad), is a distinct characteristic which separates the religion of Islam from all others. It places the student of knowledge under the tutelage of a teacher, who learned from a teacher, who learned from a teacher, until finally reaching back to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.). It indeed plays a vital role in our imparting of sacred knowledge and is a key element in our way of life. As the great scholar Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak has so brilliantly stated:
“The Prophetic Link is a part of our religion.”
However, the importance of having this Prophetic Link in our system of learning is not restricted to only those who have dedicated their entire life for the sake of knowledge. Rather, this facet of education is central to even the acquisition of our religion’s basic essentials. Just as our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) received the most complex instructions through this Prophetic Link, it was also through this Link that he (s.a.w.) received the simplest of commands.
Recognizing that the pursuit of religious knowledge is personally incumbent on each and every individual, male or female, the challenge many of us are faced with is how to acquire that knowledge via this invaluable mode of transmission. Muslims find themselves vastly dispersed throughout the globe in places where not only a lack of Islamic scholarship exists, but a lack of Islam altogether. They do not have the convenience of going to the local Masjid for lessons on how to pray correctly; there is no Islamic seminary they can attend in order to learn the deeper meanings of the Qur’an. Unfortunately, these have become common themes in the life of Muslims all over the world.
The predicament at hand, then, is how to make religious knowledge accessible to the entire ummah, regardless of where they may be, in order to assist them in discharging their religious duty of learning? Additionally, how can this task be executed while preserving the Prophetic Link in the equation? Bearing these questions in mind, Darul Ulum Online has embarked in an effort to disseminate knowledge of the most essential nature to all those who desire it but are unable to absolve themselves of their day to day responsibilities in order to acquire it. A curriculum has been developed which will empower any aspiring student to accomplish their objective of learning the basic essentials whether they are full time employees for their respective companies or homemakers preparing the next generation of community leaders.
It is hoped that through this effort we can bond ourselves with a legacy of learning that has been and will continue to be unparalleled throughout history. Those who have excelled in this path have surely reached lofty stations with The Most High. The statement of Allah is undoubtedly genuine when He says in the holy Qur’an:
