Overview

The development of the religious sciences over the course of our academic history have led to a diaspora of thought within the various fields of study pertaining to the religion. From the early centuries of Islam, we have seen the foundations of religious studies take their shape, and subsequently, the future generations of scholars built their ideas upon these foundations, enhancing the curriculum of study for Muslims to comprehend the religion, reaching out to the most intricate nuances of thought within the sciences of the religion. However, all of this variety and diversity comes at a cost. The lack of apparent uniformity.

For decades, we have been clouded with the delusion that uniformity in our specific preferences of religious expressions will lead us to the collective unity of the Muslim Ummah, enabling us to solve all the issues we face as a community. Let’s burst the bubble. Differences are here to stay. What we can do to curb the negative consequences of human differences is to be ethical about our dealings with fellow Muslims, by consistently seeking knowledge of the religion and through active, healthy social interactions and collaborations.

That being said, let’s take this opportunity to learn more about the origins of legal differences within the Islamic discourse, getting to know how scholars navigate themselves through the different opinions within religious issues and finally, understanding our personal, ethical responsibilities in dealing with the differences we encounter on a daily basis as we go on with our lives as Muslims.

Points of discussion include:

• The Evolution of Fiqh: The History & Development of Islamic Law
• Factors Affecting The Study of Fiqh: Geography, Politics, Economy & Trends
• Answering That Question: Why Do Scholars Differ in Opinion?
• Case Studies: Causes & Methodologies in Dealing with Differences
• Definitive & Subjective: Sources & Their Interpretations
• Preference & Reconciliation: Addressing Perceived Contradictions within Sources of The Religion
• Elementary Etiquette: Ethics in The Pursuit of Truth

This MasterClass, let’s re-discover the ethics of dealing with differences, while seeking solidarity within our Muslim community, developing ourselves to be well-informed, productive individuals and collectives, striving towards success in this life, and in the next.