ISL470 Islamic Spirituality I: Ihsan Essentials (8)

Abstract

This subject addresses the foundational concepts in Islamic spirituality of iman (faith), ibadah (worship), ihsan (spiritual excellence), ikhlas (sincerity) and istiqama (balance), together with their place in the Qur'an and the prophetic narrations (hadith). The spiritual meaning of the five pillars of Islam, what each practice signifies, their relationship to one another within the framework of seven levels of nafs (ego), and how they assist in the spiritual development of practitioners with also be discussed. The importance of the Sunnah (practical teachings of the Prophet Muhammad) will also be addressed.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Session 1
Distance*	United Theological College

*This subject offering contains a residential school. Please view following information for further details.

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: ISL470
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration	Grading System	School:
One session	HD/FL	Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

be able to explain human nature and the purpose of the various human faculties important in Islamic spiritualit
be able to describe the seven levels of the nafs (ego)
be able to describe the fundamental spiritual concepts of Islam
be able to explain the relationship between fundamental spiritual concepts spiritual practices of Islam.
be able to show a good understanding of the spiritual significance of the five pillars of Islam

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics:

Human nature and its faculties
The spirit, the heart and the soul
Ihsan (spiritual excellence) and the seven levels of nafs (egotistic-self)
Virtuous circle of development, ikhlas (sincerity) and istiqama (balance)
Three dimensions of worship, taqwa (righteousness) and Sunnah
Du'a (supplication) and zikr (remembrance)
Abstaining from sins and the different levels of tawba (repentance)
Spiritual significance of shahada (testimony), tafakkur (reflection) and yaqin (certainty)
Spiritual significance of salat (daily prescribed prayers)
Spiritual significance of sawm (fasting) and shukr (thankfulness)
Spiritual significance of zakat (alms giving) and sadaqah (charity)
Spiritual significance of hajj (pilgrimage) and sabr (patience)
Khuluq (good nature) and the Prophet Muhammad's moral example

Residential School

This subject contains a optional 2 day residential school. Residential school is optional. The purpose of the optional residential school is to provide an opportunity for exploration of the overall coursework covered. In addition to content review, this part of the course aims to facilitate an interactive session between the teaching academics and students. Students will be involved in small group discussion, lectures, visual presentations and one-on-one sessions with the subject coordinator and lecturers to address any issues that may arise. Material and summary content covered in this session will be a valuable contribution towards the major assessment tasks.
Students unable to attend the optional residential school will be provided with an alternate assessment.

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The information contained in the 2015 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 01 October 2015. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.