English for Islamic Studies

Advance Islamic Studies focuses on the three most important points in understanding the Islamic resources. These Islamic resources are:

• The Holy Qur’an
• The narrations of the Prophet (S) and his Purified Household (a.s.) (These narrations are studied in-depth to ensure accuracy.)
• The use of logical methodology with an open-mind. 

There are laws which govern and regulate every type of system. Islam is a religious system. Therefore, there are laws in Islam which address the aspects of the life of a Muslim.  These laws may be religious, economical, social, political, judicial, or pertaining to any other aspects. All of these laws form an Islamic legislation or legal system called the shari’ah’.  As within any legal system, these laws are regarded at the highest level within a community.  Thus, the learning of these laws is regarded very highly in the educational system of an intellectual society.
A campus or seminary for higher studies of Islamic law in the Shia educational system is called Hawza.  These higher levels of study are called Hawza studies.  Primarily, Hawza studies used to focus on the study of jurisprudence or deducing the Islamic laws.  However, in the last era, the Hawza studies began to include studies of other Islamic sciences, such as theology and philosophy.
Once a student reaches the level of understanding the procedure for deducing laws, or is able to analyze the Islamic resources properly and in-depth, then he becomes qualified to continue further in Jurisprudence in order to become a supreme judge or a jurist (mujtahid)).  Such a student may also choose to continue further research in any of the other Islamic sciences in order to become a Shia Muslim theologian, an ideologist, a moralist, or an interpreter of the Holy Qur’an and narrations of the Prophet (S) and his purified household (a.s.).