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Course Structure
| Study Mode | Online |
| Course Duration | 15 Lessons |
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Start Date |
18 October 2026 |
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End Date |
31 January 2027 |
| Day | Sundays |
| Time | 7-8pm (UK) |
| Cost | Free |
| Instructor | Shaykh Ali Laraki |
| Text | Bidaya al-Hidaya |
All lesson recordings available on-demand!
This 15 lesson course offers a structured study of Imam Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī’s Bidāyat al-Hidāyah, focusing on spiritual development, worship, ethical conduct, and purification of the heart. Students will examine sacred knowledge and righteous action, exploring daily worship, avoidance of sin, and qualities such as sincerity, humility, gratitude, patience, and taqwā. Emphasis is placed on outward conduct, inward spiritual states, and etiquette in relationships with Allāh, teachers, parents, family, friends, and wider society, providing practical guidance for transforming knowledge into worship and noble character.
Topics Covered
| Lesson 1 |
Introduction to Imam al-Ghazali and Bidayat al-Hidaya • A brief biography of Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali and his scholarly and spiritual legacy. • Purpose, structure and significance of Bidayat al-Hidaya. • Sacred knowledge, sincerity, righteous action and intention in seeking knowledge. |
| Lesson 2 |
The Etiquette of Waking and Ritual Purification • Waking from sleep and using the lavatory. • Ablution (wudu) and the ritual bath (ghusl). • The spiritual significance of physical purification. |
| Lesson 3 |
The Etiquette of the Mosque and the Early Morning • Dry ablution (tayammum) and setting out for the mosque. • Conduct in the mosque until sunrise. • Remembrance of Allah and establishing a daily routine centred on worship. |
| Lesson 4 |
Organising One’s Day: Knowledge, Worship and Work • The time between sunrise and midday. • Seeking useful knowledge, worship and good works. • Earning a lawful livelihood and balancing worldly responsibilities with spiritual aspirations. |
| Lesson 5 |
The Etiquette of Prayer, Fasting and Sleep • Preparation for the daily prayers and the etiquette of sleep. • Ritual prayer; leading and following in congregational prayer. • The etiquette of Friday and fasting, including their spiritual dimensions. |
| Lesson 6 |
Guarding the Limbs: The Eyes, Ears and Tongue • The relationship between outward actions and inward states. • Sins of the eyes and ears. • Lying, breaking promises and backbiting. |
| Lesson 7 |
The Sins of the Tongue • Disputation, argumentation and competitive debate. • Ascribing goodness to oneself, cursing and supplication against creation. • Jesting, ridiculing others and cultivating beneficial speech. |
| Lesson 8 |
Guarding the Body from Sin • Sins of the stomach and lawful versus unlawful consumption. • Sins of the private parts, hands and feet. • Self-discipline and personal responsibility. |
| Lesson 9 |
The Sins of the Heart: Envy and Ostentation • Inward purification (tazkiyat al-nafs). • Envy (hasad): causes, manifestations and remedies. • Ostentation (riya), sincerity (ikhlas), gratitude and contentment. |
| Lesson 10 |
The Sins of the Heart: Conceit, Arrogance and Pride • Conceit (ujb), arrogance (kibr) and looking down upon others. • Recognising one’s dependence upon Allah. • Humility, self-awareness and repentance. |
| Lesson 11 |
The Etiquette of Companionship with Allah • Proper conduct (adab) with Allah Most High. • Reverence, humility, trust in Allah and submission to His decree. • Gratitude, patience, sincerity and consciousness of Allah. |
| Lesson 12 |
The Etiquette of the Scholar and the Student • Responsibilities of scholars and teachers. • Respect for teachers and the etiquette of seeking knowledge. • Knowledge, character and spiritual transformation. |
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Lesson 13 |
The Etiquette of Parents, Acquaintances and Friends • Respect, gratitude and service to parents. • Conduct towards people one does not know. • Choosing beneficial and trustworthy companions. |
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Lesson 14 |
The Qualities of True Friendship and Brotherhood • Intellect, sound judgement and good character. • Uprightness, freedom from greed and honesty. • Choosing companions who support spiritual development. |
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Lesson 15 |
The Rights of Friendship and the Path to Guidance • Loyalty, generosity, forgiveness and sincere counsel. • The etiquette of dealing with acquaintances and avoiding harmful influences. • Final reflections: integrating obedience, avoidance of sin and noble character into everyday life; course questions. |
Certification
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Following successful completion of your course, you’ll be awarded a Lote Tree College certificate - a testament to your dedication, consistent attendance, active participation, and commitment to seeking sacred knowledge.
About the Text
Ghazali's The Beginning of Guidance (Bidayat al-Hidaya)
Imam Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī’s Bidāyat al-Hidāyah (The Beginning of Guidance) is a concise yet deeply inspiring manual on the pursuit of divine guidance through God-consciousness (taqwā). Al-Ghazālī emphasises that every great spiritual journey has both an ultimate destination and a beginning, and that establishing a firm foundation is essential for attaining lasting success.
The work sets out the essential foundations of this beginning, presenting guidance not merely as an abstract ideal but as something cultivated through daily practice, discipline and conscious effort. Structured around a detailed daily routine, Bidāyat al-Hidāyah offers practical instruction alongside powerful reminders and heartfelt counsel, encouraging the reader to transform knowledge into action.
The work is divided into three principal sections: obedience to Allah, refraining from disobedience, and the etiquette of companionship with the Creator and His creation. Together, these sections provide a comprehensive framework for spiritual development, addressing both outward conduct and the inward states of the heart. Among Imam al-Ghazālī’s final works, the text reflects a lifetime of scholarship, spiritual experience and profound insight, making it an ideal introduction to the themes developed throughout his larger works.
This edition presents the work with facing Arabic and English text, together with helpful notes and transliterations of the supplications contained within the text, making it accessible to both students and readers seeking to engage more closely with Imam al-Ghazālī’s guidance.
About the Author
Imam Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī (d. 505 AH / 1111 CE) was one of the most influential scholars and spiritual authorities in Islamic intellectual history. A renowned theologian, jurist, philosopher and spiritual guide, his scholarship encompassed Islamic law, theology, philosophy, ethics and the purification of the soul.
Known as Ḥujjat al-Islām (The Proof of Islam), al-Ghazālī devoted his life to the pursuit and transmission of sacred knowledge, while emphasising the inseparable relationship between sound knowledge, sincere worship and spiritual transformation. His works have continued to shape Islamic thought and spiritual practice for centuries.
Among his most celebrated works are Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn (The Revival of the Religious Sciences), al-Munqidh min al-Ḍalāl (The Deliverer from Error) and Bidāyat al-Hidāyah. His enduring legacy lies not only in the breadth of his scholarship, but in his ability to connect intellectual understanding with the cultivation of the heart and the practical realities of living a life devoted to Allah.
Learning Outcomes
Learn traditional Islamic knowledge in a thorough, practical and transforming way
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Understand the purpose of sacred knowledge, sincere intention and righteous action in the pursuit of spiritual development.
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Explore the essential practices and etiquettes of daily worship, including purification, prayer, fasting and the organisation of one’s daily routine around obedience to Allāh.
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Identify and examine outward and inward forms of disobedience, including sins of the limbs and diseases of the heart such as envy, ostentation, conceit and arrogance.
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Understand the principles of spiritual purification (tazkiyat al-nafs) and the cultivation of sincerity, humility, gratitude, patience and God-consciousness (taqwā).
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Apply the principles of adab and companionship in relationships with Allah, teachers, parents, family, friends and wider society.
Course Fees
Our courses are free!
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Shaykh Ali Laraki
Senior Instructor
Testimonials
Amer Nazri | Animation Director
Kamran Ahmed | Finance Director
FAQs
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How long is this course?
This course is based on 15 lessons (1 hour each).
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What do I need to access this course?
All you need is a reliable internet connection and access to a personal computer, tablet or phone – our online courses are responsive and designed to work across all platforms. We also recommend that you study the courses somewhere quiet so that you can concentrate and get the most out of the rich, helpful information they contain.
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Do I require additional resources?
You can purchase the recommended text for reading (ink in 'About the Text' section above)
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Will there be recording available if I miss a class?
Yes. Recordings of each lesson will be posted within a day. All recordings will remain accessible for the academic year.
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Will I get a qualification or ijazah?
If you complete the course, you will receive a certificate of completion.
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I'm not in the UK, does that matter?
No, absolutely not – in fact that’s one of the main reasons we developed our online courses, so that more people from around the world could benefit from our training.
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