Seerah: Lessons from the Prophet's Life

Course Syllabus

This course - the first course in the Seerah and islamic History certificate program - will begin with an evaluation of the popular books mentioning the strengths and weaknesses of each one, and a commentary on how the seerah was written throughout history.

This course will also focus on lessons that are relevant and applicable to our times, it will approach the Seerah in a non traditional fashion. The course will enable students to examine the Seerah on their own, after getting a general idea of how to approach the sources and develop the ability to look at it for guidance and direction.

First Week:

Introduction: Understanding the books of seerah, and famous weak narrations. The description of pre-Islamic Arabia, description of the Prophet's (P.B.U.H) lineage, birth, appearance, household and how that affects the veracity of his message.

Second Week:

The Meccan Period Part I: The revelation, early Dawah methods, the nature and message of the Meccan Quran, the Hijra to Abyssinia.

Third Week:

The Meccan Period Part II: How the Prophet (P.B.U.H) dealt with negative publicity (media), lessons from the boycott of the Muslims.

Fourth Week:

The Journey's of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) Part I: The lessons from the night Journey and the Hijrah.

Fifth Week:

The Journey's of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) Part II: the lessons from the battles of Badr and Uhud.

Sixth Week:

The Medinian Period Part I: The political and social ingredients to building a society.

Seventh Week:

The Medinian Period Part II: The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, and the conquering of Mecca

Eight Week:

The Death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H): The state of the Arabian peninsula, the death and burial of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) 

Seerah and Islamic History Certificate Program

The certificate program in Seerah and Islamic History consists of four courses: one course offered during each of Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer terms of 2007-2008. Each course is 12 contact-hours. 

The Seerah and Islamic History certificate consists of the following courses: 

• Seerah: Lessons from the Prophet’s Life [Fall 2007] 
• Khulafa Al-Rashideen : Heirs to the Prophet [Winter 2008] 
• Early Muslim History: Backdrop to Islamic Civilization [Spring 2008] 
• Post-Ottoman Muslim History: Islam in a New World [Summer 2008]