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Full Course Description
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Course Title
“Approaching the Qur’an: An Introduction to the Sciences of Tafsir”
Course Overview
This course is a guided study of the introduction (muqaddimah) to Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbī’s monumental al-Tashīl li-ʿUlūm al-Tanzīl. Rather than attempting a comprehensive study of ʿulūm al-Qurʾān, we will use Ibn Juzayy’s introduction as a springboard for understanding how the Qur’an came to us, how it is structured, what it is about, and how we should approach it as readers.
The course will explore the history of revelation, the structure and organization of the Qur’an, its major themes and purposes, the nature of interpretive differences, and practical principles for engaging the Qur’an through reading and reflection.
The ultimate goal is not simply to learn about tafsir, but to develop a more informed, thoughtful, and fruitful relationship with the Qur’an.
Pedagogical Emphasis
This course is:
Foundational: Building a framework for understanding the Qur’an before diving deeply into tafsir
Practical: Equipping students with tools they can use in their own reading
Traditional: Rooted in the classical Islamic sciences and the work of Ibn Juzayy
Integrative: Connecting the history, structure, themes, and interpretation of the Qur’an
Course Objectives
Participants will:
Understand the history and process of Qur’anic revelation and compilation
Develop a basic understanding of the structure and organization of the Qur’an
Identify the major themes and purposes that run throughout the Qur’an
Understand why scholars differ in their interpretation of Qur’anic verses and how to approach those differences
Become familiar with foundational principles of tafsir
Develop a practical method for approaching and reading the Qur’an
Cultivate a deeper appreciation for the Qur’an as a book of guidance, not merely a text to be studied
Required Text
Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbī, al-Tashīl li-ʿUlūm al-Tanzīl — particularly the Muqaddimah.
The Arabic text will serve as our primary framework, and a translation of the relevant material will be provided to students. Supplementary material will be introduced where helpful.
Course Content
1. The Qur’an: Revelation & Transmission
2. The Architecture of the Qur’an
3. The Themes & Purposes of the Qur’an
4. Understanding Differences of Opinion in the Qur'an & The Science of Tafsir
5. How to Read the Qur’an
6. From Tafsir to Transformation
Instructor - Imam Sami Zaharna
Imam Sami Zaharna serves as the Lead Imam of the Muslim Family Center. He obtained his Shahādah ʿĀlamiyyah from Al-Salam Institute, where he studied numerous foundational and advanced texts in the Islamic sciences under qualified scholars. Imam Sami combines traditional scholarship with a focus on helping contemporary Muslims engage the Islamic tradition in practical, grounded, and spiritually meaningful ways.
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Course Title
“The Garden of the Seekers: A Practical Path to Allah”
Course Overview
This course is a guided study of Fath al-Quddūs ʿalā Tahdhīb al-Nufūs fī Tartīb al-Durūs, the abridgment of Imam al-Nawawī’s Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn by the great scholar and saint Yusuf al-Nabhānī.
Imam al-Nabhānī distilled the nearly 1,900 hadiths of Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn into approximately 800, while reorganizing its chapters into a curriculum of 24 sections to highlight what he believed every seeker of Allah in his time most needed to hold onto. The result is not simply an abridgment, but a deliberate curriculum for the spiritual formation of the seeker.
This course is an invitation to take up this book not merely as a collection of hadith, but as a roadmap for the seeker of Allah—a guide to belief, worship, character, spiritual discipline, relationships, and the purification of the heart.
The great scholar of hadith and spiritual sage of Aleppo, Shaykh ʿAbdullah Sirāj al-Dīn al-Ḥasanī, emphasized the centrality of Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn in the path to Allah, assigning it as a daily wird for his students.
The message is simple: if you want to be a seeker of Allah, hold fast to this book.
Course Objectives
Participants will:
Become familiar with the central Prophetic teachings needed by every seeker of Allah
Explore the qualities, practices, and spiritual disciplines that cultivate a sound heart
Develop a practical framework for living according to the Prophetic model
Understand the relationship between worship, character, and spiritual purification
Learn how to approach Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn as a lifelong companion and daily wird
Cultivate a deeper love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and a greater desire to follow his way
Required Text
Yusuf al-Nabhānī, Fath al-Quddūs ʿalā Tahdhīb al-Nufūs fī Tartīb al-Durūs
For the English text, students will use Turath Publishing’s Riyad as-Salihin: The Meadows of the Righteous — Abridged and Annotated, which is based on Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabhānī’s abridgment and includes the Arabic text, English translation, and commentary.
Course Content
Belief in Allah
The Virtue of Seeking Knowledge
Repentance
Prayer (Salah)
Funeral Prayer
The Virtue of the Qur’an and Dhikr
The Virtue of Zakah and Charity
Fasting
Hajj
Fear of Allah, Uprightness, Moderation, and Upholding the Sunnah
The Virtue of the Prophet ﷺ and His Family
The Virtue of Striving in the Way of Allah
Obeying Those in Authority and Related Matters
The Virtue of Zuhd (Asceticism) and Waraʿ (Piety)
The Rights of Family
The Rights of Muslims
Virtues and Good Character
Good Conduct in Trade
The Rulings of Consumption
The Ethics of Animal Treatment
The Many Paths to Good
Various Hadith on Diverse Topics
The Signs of the Last Day
Jannah
Instructor - Imam Sami Zaharna
Imam Sami Zaharna serves as the Lead Imam of the Muslim Family Center. He obtained his Shahādah ʿĀlamiyyah from Al-Salam Institute, where he studied numerous foundational and advanced texts in the Islamic sciences under qualified scholars. Imam Sami combines traditional scholarship with a focus on helping contemporary Muslims engage the Islamic tradition in practical, grounded, and spiritually meaningful ways.