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ISLAMIC STUDIES

Major combinations:
NQF Level: 5: ARB1501, ICS1501
NQF Level: 6: ICS2602, ICS2603, ICS2601
NQF Level: 7: ICS3701, ICS3706, ICS3707 and any TWO of the following Religious Studies modules: RST3708, RST3709, RST3711, RST3712 and RST3713

An Introduction to Islam - ICS1501
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to allow students to gain knowledge of the major features of Islam. It will provide insight into the life of the Prophet which includes the major events in the Meccan and Madinan periods of the Prophetﾒs life. Students will gain knowledge and insight into the fundamental sacred sources of Islam, namely the Qurﾒan and Hadith. The principal features, style and content of the Quran will be elucidated. The Hadith will be defined and its principal sources and main scholars identified. Students will gain knowledge and insight into the main features of its faith and practice namely, Iman (faith), Islam (the five pillars of the religion) and Ihsan (spirituality). Contemporary discussions around the religion such as, democracy, gender, human rights and jihad will be unpacked engaged with.
Lived Islam in Africa - ICS2601
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to enable students to gain an insight into how Islamic educational, ethical, and cultural practices are cultivated in specific African contexts. Students will gain insight into the meaning of Islamic education and the norms and values it establishes. Students will then gain knowledge on how those norms and values shape Muslim culture in Africa. Students will be able to study this relationship between education, norms, and culture in North African, East African, West African and South African Muslim contexts.
History of Islam - ICS2602
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: ICS1501 or ICS101X
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to provide students with an overview of the history of Islam, with an emphasis on its development in Africa and, in particular, South Africa. The student will gain knowledge of the major empires in Islam, namely, the early Caliphate, the Ummayad, the Abbasid and the Ottoman. They will gain knowledge of Islam in the modern period as well. Students will then gain insight into the unfolding of Islam in North, East and West Africa. They will then gain knowledge regarding the unfolding of Islam in South Africa.
Foundation Sources of Islam - ICS2603
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ICS1501 or ICS101X
Purpose: The module will enable students to gain knowledge and insight into the foundational sources of the Quran and the Hadith within the African context. Students will gain insight into the role the Quran as the first source of Islam, the various sciences of the Quran as well as the historical tradition of Quran commentary. Students will gain knowledge regarding the role of hadith as the second source of Islam, the principal Hadith scholars as well as the role of Hadith literature in Islamic history. Students will gain insight into African Muslim traditions of scholarship in the field of the Quran and the Hadith.
Islam, colonialism and decoloniality - ICS3701
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to enable students to gain an insight into Muslim discussions around colonialism and decoloniality, particularly in African contexts. Students will gain insight into the meaning of colonialism, decolonization and decoloniality. Students will gain knowledge regarding the impact of colonialism on the Muslim world, particularly in Muslim Africa. They will also gain insight into how Muslim thinkers, especially in Africa, responded to colonialism. Students will also gain insight into how contemporary Muslim thinkers engage with the concept of decoloniality.
Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Mysticism - ICS3706
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: ICS1501
Purpose: To enable students to reflect and explore key concepts in Islamic philosophy and mysticism in order to develop the self and societies.
Islamic Law and Jurisprudence - ICS3707
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: ICS1501
Purpose: To gain insight into the sources of Islamic law, its development and current status.
Qur'Anic Sciences - ICS4801
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module equips students with a firm understanding of the Qur'anic sciences; methods of assessing trends in contemporary Qur'anic sciences; the interaction between Qur'anic sciences and current social and human sciences; and the methodological tools developed and used in Qur'anic sciences.
Hadith Literature and Criticism - ICS4802
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module equips students with a firm understanding of Hadith literature and criticism; methods of assessing specialized literature pertaining to Hadith literature and criticism; insights into Muslim and Western approaches to research within Hadith literature and criticism; and of metatextual issues like the criteria for authenticating Prophetic literature as well as reasons for the differences evident in the available corpus materials
Contemporary Islam - ICS4803
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module allows students to specialize in Contemporary Islam, in the subfields of either Shari'ah and Islamic jurisprudence; Philosophy, theology and mysticism; or Islam and the state in the Horn of Africa.