Join us on Thursday evenings for an introductory course exploring the development of Islamic Fiqh, the evolution of juristic thought, and the reasons behind scholarly differences.
Beginning with the Prophetic era, students will explore how legal understanding was rooted in revelation, moral purpose, and practical application. The course then examines the era of the Companions, where interpretive judgment (ijtihād) was exercised in new contexts as Islam expanded beyond the Hijaz. From there, we trace the institutionalization of Fiqh during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, when legal methodology, scholarly circles, and regional practices began to crystallize. We then explore the evolution of Fiqh towards modernity and the contemporary context, while briefly addressing the diasporic experience.
A major focus of the course is the emergence of the legal schools (madhāhib)—how they formed, what distinguished them methodologically, and how they reflected different approaches to textual evidence, reasoning, custom, and public welfare. Students will study the intellectual contributions of the great jurists, the role of hadith transmission, the development of uṣūl al-fiqh, and the scholarly etiquette that governed disagreement (ikhtilāf). We will discuss answers to the following questions: Must we commit to a madhab? Are we in a post-madhab era? How do madhāhib (legal schools) maintain their relevance and legitimacy across time, cultures, and space?
Rather than presenting Fiqh as a set of static rulings, this course highlights it as a dynamic scholarly tradition; deeply principled, methodologically rigorous, and historically conscious. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to appreciate legitimate juristic diversity, avoid oversimplification, and engage Islamic law with intellectual humility and confidence.
The class will be taught by Shaykh Ehab Kilany in Arabic, with live English translation by Shaykh Hosam Helal, making it accessible to a wide range of students.
Please note: Certificate of Completion will be offered for those that successfully pass the assessment
Instructor: Shaykh Ehab Kilany (Arabic), translated by Shaykh Hosam Helal (English)
Schedule: Thursdays after ʿIshāʾ, 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM
Start Date: January 15
End Date: February 12th
Location: Prayer Hall - 2200 South Sheridan Way, Mississauga ON L5J 2M4
Fee: $50.00
Please email programs@isnacanada.com for all questions.