Courses and progression
This page walks you through the suggested progression by level.
Suggested progression by level
Foundations of Islam
Worship and legislation
Sirah, ethics and history
Islamic sciences and coexistence
Applied understanding
Advanced synthesis
Subjects and learning pathway
All listed courses are being taught by Al-Azhar
University professors.
Islamic Creed and Worldview
These courses introduce students to the foundations of Islamic belief, offering a clear understanding of essential doctrines, religious terminology, and the ethical worldview that flows from faith. They establish a solid conceptual basis for later study of fiqh, the Quran, hadith, and contemporary Islamic thought.
Includes: Creed (simplified level), Introduction to religious terminology, Universal values in
Islam.
Quran and Tafsir Studies
These courses develop students’ understanding of the Noble Quran as revelation, as well as its sciences and methods of interpretation. Students engage with introductory Quranic sciences, the causes of revelation, and the explanation of selected passages, including short surahs and verses with legal implications.
Includes: Introduction to the Sciences of the Noble Quran, Quranic sciences: causes
of revelation, Tafsir of short surahs, Tafsir of legal verses.
Prophetic Biography and Islamic History
These courses explore the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ during the Meccan and Medinan periods, along with major figures, key events, and the development of Islamic civilisation. They provide students with both a chronological and civilisational understanding of early Islam and its historical legacy.
Includes: Prophetic Sirah ﷺ (Meccan period), Prophetic Sirah — Medinan
period, Prominent figures in Islamic history, Introduction to Islamic history and civilization.
Fiqh and Applied Islamic Law
These courses train students in practical rulings related to acts of worship, transactions, personal status, and selected contemporary issues. They show how Islamic law structures spiritual life, social relations, family life, and modern realities, especially in Western contexts.
Includes: Fiqh of acts of worship (purification, prayer, fasting); Acts of worship (zakat and pilgrimage);
Fiqh of transactions (social and economic ethics); Personal status; Contemporary legal issues (in the West).
Legal Theory, Objectives, and Juristic Method
These courses present the principles that underpin Islamic legal reasoning. Students study the history of legislation, the foundations of fiqh, the objectives of sharia, and the ethics of disagreement. The aim is to understand not only the rulings themselves, but also how they are developed, interpreted, and applied.
Includes: History of legislation, Foundations of fiqh and objectives of sharia, Fiqh of
disagreement.
Hadith and Prophetic Tradition
These courses introduce students to the role of hadith in Islam, as well as scholarly methods for preserving, classifying, and understanding prophetic traditions. They provide the foundations needed to grasp the importance of hadith as a source of guidance alongside the Quran.
Includes: Hadith and its sciences.
Ethics, Character, and Social Conduct
These courses aim to build moral character by linking faith to personal conduct and social responsibility. Students study individual and collective ethics, good manners, social ethics, and principles of leadership and management, so that knowledge is reflected in virtuous conduct and beneficial engagement in society.
Includes: Ethics and conduct, Social ethics, Leadership and management in Islam.
Dawah, Dialogue, and Communication
These courses prepare students to present Islam with wisdom, clarity, and effectiveness in varied contexts. They include the study of da‘wa, interfaith dialogue, refuting misconceptions, and presenting Islam in contemporary settings, especially in Europe and France.
Includes: Refutation of misconceptions 1, Responding to
misconceptions (2), Interfaith dialogue, Da‘wa and communication strategies, Islam in Europe /
contemporary context.
Contemporary Thought and Intellectual Trends
These courses examine intellectual currents and trends that influence Islamic thought and contemporary debates. They help students critically analyze ideas, current challenges, and issues related to Muslim societies in light of a structured Islamic perspective.
Includes: Islamic schools of thought.
Research and Academic Inquiry
These courses develop students’ ability to study a topic related to Islamic studies in a structured and rigorous way. Through the research project, students learn to formulate a research problem, organize sources, analyze relevant data, and present conclusions with clarity and method.
Includes: Research project.