Course Overview

  • Synopsis

    This course explores examines the classical text 'Al-Waraqāt' by Imām al-Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī, exploring Islamic legal sources, evidentiary principles, and scholarly methodologies for deriving rulings from the Qurʾān and Sunna.

  • Aims

    This course aims to educate students on Uṣūl al-Fiqh, examining the Qurʾān and Sunna as legal sources, and exploring methodologies for deriving rulings. Students will study classical traditions and develop skills to interpret Islamic legal texts.

  • Entry Requirements

    This course is intended for all students of knowledge.

Course Structure



Study Mode Online
Course Duration 8 Lessons
Start Date 8 January 2025
End Date 26 February 2025
Day Wednesdays
Time 6-7pm (UK)
Cost Free 
Instructor Ustadh Dr Karim Gábor Kocsenda
Textbook Al-Waraqāt' by Imām al-Ḥaramayn  al-Juwaynī

All lesson recordings available on-demand!

Topics Covered



Lesson 1
Uṣūl al-Fiqh Definition & Aḥkām (Islamic Legal Rulings)
Lesson 2 Types of Speech and Their Usage in the Qurʾān and Sunna
Lesson 3 Literal and Figurative Meaning, Command and Prohibition
Lesson 4 General and Specific Utterances, Summarised and Elaborated Speech
Lesson 5 The Prophet’s ﷺ Actions (Afʿāl)
Lesson 6
Abrogation (Naskh) & Methods of Interpretation
Lesson 7 Consensus (Ijmāʿ), Reports (Akhbār), and Analogy (Qiyās)
Lesson 8 Prioritising Evidences & Legal Reasoning (Ijtihād)

About the Text

Kitāb al‑Waraqāt fī Uṣūl al‑Fiqh | Imām al‑Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī

 

The course content is based on Imām al‑Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī's classical text Kitāb al‑Waraqāt fī Uṣūl al‑Fiqh.

Al Waraqāt is a renowned Islamic classical text on the subject of Uṣūl al‑Fiqh. It paves the way for a foundational education on the sources of Islamic Law and the procedures by which the law is derived from the source.

It is called Waraqāt because it is concise, with the Arabic text (matn) fitting on roughly five pages. It is part of a series of Islamic classical texts, known as summarised works mukhtasarat, that are considered essential study for every serious seeker of Islamic Knowledge who wants to follow the methodology laid out by the scholars of Islam to facilitate the acquisition of beneficial knowledge.

Imam Dhia' ul-Dīn 'Abd al-Malik ibn Yūsuf al-Juwaynī al-Shafi'ī (419–478 AH) was a Persian Sunni scholar famous for being the foremost leading jurisconsult, legal theoretician and Islamic theologian of his time. His name is commonly abbreviated as al-Juwayni; he is also commonly referred to as Imam al-Haramayn meaning "leading master of the two holy cities", that is, Mecca and Medina. He acquired the status of a mujtahid in the field of fiqh and usul al-fiqh.

Highly celebrated as one of the most important and influential thinkers in the Shafi'i school of orthodox Sunni jurisprudence, he was considered as the virtual second founder of the Shafi'i school. He was also considered a major figurehead within the Ash'ari school of theology where he was ranked equal to the founder, Imam al-Ash'ari. He was given the honorific titles of Shaykh of Islam, The Glory of Islam, The Absolute Imam of all Imams.

Learning Outcomes

Learn traditional Islamic knowledge in a thorough, practical and transforming way

  • Identify and explain the primary sources of legislation in Islam.

  • Analyse the principles and methods used to derive laws from Islamic sources.

  • Apply principles of Islamic legal theory (Uṣūl al-Fiqh) to interpret and understand Islamic texts.

  • Evaluate the qualifications and conditions required of scholars to derive Islamic rulings.

  • Compare the methodologies of various Islamic schools of law in deriving rulings and their connection to Islamic beliefs (ʿAqīda).

Course Fees

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Ustadh Dr Karim Gábor Kocsenda

Senior Instructor

Ustadh Karim Kocsenda is a product of both traditional Islamic pedagogy and Western academic training, positioned at the intersection of classical scholarship and contemporary academic inquiry. He holds traditional ijāzāt (teaching authorisations) in Arabic grammar from al-ʿAllāmah Muḥammad ad-Dīn al-Ābbayrī al-Shinqīṭī (Mauritania) and Ḥanafī jurisprudence from both Muftī Shāh Jahān al-Hāshimī (the Ḥanafī Grand Muftī of Dubai) and Sayyid Najīb Sharīf (Pakistan). His asānīd (chains of transmission) in the narrative sciences are on the authority of the renowned Damascene historian and linguist, Dr. Muḥammad Muṭīʿ al-Ḥāfiẓ. Ustadh Karim completed his PhD at the University of Nottingham (UK), with research focused on Shaykh al-Islam Muṣṭafā Ṣabrī and debates about human freedom and theodicy in 20th century Islamic thought. He has contributed to academic discourse for over a decade, authoring numerous scholarly articles and participating in conferences and roundtable discussions on Islamic theology, psychology, and philosophy. Ustadh Karim’s teaching experience spans diverse settings, including advanced naḥw and ṣarf in a year-long Arabic specialisation program and private instruction in logic, kalām, and fiqh. He excels in curriculum development, creating engaging materials which emphasise critical thinking and scholarly rigour. Beyond his academic contributions, he is deeply committed to mentoring and coaching young adults, combining exceptional interpersonal skills with cultural fluency to foster their intellectual and personal growth.
Ustadh Dr Karim Gábor Kocsenda

Testimonials

Amer Nazri | Animation Director

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FAQs

  • How long is this course?

    This course is based on 8 lessons. Students can join any time and access all previous lessons.

  • 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.

  • Do I require additional resources?

    No.

  • Will there be recording available if I miss a class?

    Yes. Recordings of each lesson will be uploaded within 48 hours. All recordings will remain accessible for the academic year.

  • Will I get a qualification or ijazah?

    If you complete the course, you will receive a certificate of completion.

  • 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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