How life originated is one of the biggest mysteries of science. (Pedro Szekely/"Jellyfish")

In the Islamic tradition, creation is described as a moment of creation from nothing. What does contemporary science theorize? (NASA/"Pacman Nebula")

To provide people with practical and relevant guidance while at the same time staying true to its foundational principles, Islam allows the wisdom and moral strength of religion to be applied in modern times. (Lυвαιв/“A Mother's Love”)

How ought we place the history of Islam within the context of world history? In this section we will discuss the rise of Islam in the post-Axial age and the importance of local context in the generation of values and beliefs. (Ah Wei/“Enjoy the Sunshine”)

To what extent were foreign influences influential in the shaping of classic Islamic thought? In this section, we look into how Greek thought affected islamic philosophy and science and how Persian culture affected islamic political thought. (Lazhar Neftien/“Old Jerusalem”)

Is the Islamic tradition more than a mere set of orthodox doctrines transmitted from generation? In this section, students will read debates between logicians and compare positions on the question of eternity of the world with theologians. (UNAMID/“Eid ul-Fitr...")

Why would the Abrahamic story of creation be true while the others are not? Is the story literal or allegorical? In this section, we begin by reading creation myths from around the world, comparing these myths to the Abrahamic story of creation as well as to the new story of the universe being told by science. (Tanti Ruwani/”Wishing a Prayer”)

How has the Muslim tradition understood the place that independent reasoning occupies in the pursuit of theology? This section introduces students to the rational foundations of Islamic theology, which has also been called philosophical or dialectical theology. (Mark Fischer/“Mosque Book”)

What are some of the contemporary approaches to the study of history? What is the relationship of history to epistemology and hermeneutics? This section explores the connection between history and philosophy focusing on the differences between the study of history today versus how it was pursued in the past. (Scott Koch/Fez Gate)

How have different aspects of the scholarly tradition been conditioned by human reason? This section engages different theories of ethics that help us systematically arrive at “the good.” Behind different ethical theories lie competing theories of knowledge and of human nature. (Chris Ford/”Moroccan Light”)