Upcoming Events
Summary of Current Educational Events
Innovation and Creativity in Islam
Islam produced global, dynamic civilizations of distinctive hues and flavors. Their richness and plurality was made possible by deep knowledge of legal principles. Two of the most important and misunderstood components of Islam are the concepts of bidaa (innovation) and ijtihad (critical legal thinking). The purpose of this series is to introduce some of the legal tools that Muslims have historically used to assess innovations and adapt to change. The context of our discussions will be Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah's paper "Innovation and Creativity in Islam".
WHEN: Every Saturday at 1 PM
WHERE: McLennan Library, Room M3-17A
The Essentials of Islamic Belief
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
WHEN: Every Tuesday at 6:00pm
WHERE: McLennan Library, M3-17A
The Journey: The Life of the Apostle of God
WHEN: Every Monday at 6 PM
WHERE: SSMU Building, Room Lev Bukhman (203)
Summary of Current Charity Events
Project Downtown
Project Downtown is an initiative to reach out to the less fortunate in our community by distributing lunch in the downtown Montreal area. This initiative is to show compassion, caring, and to give back. Don’t miss out on giving charity with your time!
You will be assigned a group, pick up lunches from SSMU, and be designated a certain area in the downtown area to distribute the food. This is a weekly project but you can come as often as you wish! It will take approximately an hour in total.
WHEN: Friday at 2:30pm (after Jummah/Friday Prayer)
WHERE: Meet at SSMU Musallah (B09)
