Learning the essential tenets of our faith is what many scholars have called the “greater fiqh” (the greater understanding, al-fiqh al-akbar). It is the greater part of our religion because belief comes before action. To worship properly, we must know what is being worshiped, God’s basic characteristics (sifāt Allah), and His habitual actions (sunnat Allah). To worship properly, we must know the person who first taught us how to worship, his characteristics (ṣifāt al-nabī), and his habitual actions (sunnat al-nabī). Without the greater understanding, we may be liable to worship blindly or in ignorance. This reading group is meant to bring us closer to this deeper understanding, and to this end, we are in need of qualified and competent guides. We will be relying on the works of two illustrious scholars of the late 19th century. The main text is a short treatise penned by the famous scholar of al-Azhar, Ibrahīm al-Bājūrī; while its commentary by a scholar from West Java, Indonesia, who taught in Mecca and was widely recognized as a major authority of Shāfiʿī fiqh in the Muslim world, al-Nawawi al-Bantani al-Jawi. His commentary is part of the basic education of thousands of students of religion in Indonesia, and is well-regarded as a concise, eloquent, and clear exposition of the main tenets of Islam.

This reading group aims to provide the participant with a strong grasp of Islamic beliefs and their basis in reason and revelation. A combination of traditional and contemporary approaches will enable us to appreciate the depth of Islamic classical learning and how it provides unique insights into our present challenges.