Course Descriptions
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This is a listing of all credit-bearing courses offered by Bayan, generally organized by field, in fulfillment of degree program requirements in the M.Div. and M.A. degree programs at Chicago Theological Seminary. The courses are scheduled in the academic calendar in varying degrees of frequency, based on program requirements. Required core courses are more routinely offered, whereas elective courses are rotated to allow for greater variation and opportunity to study with diverse affiliate faculty. Most courses are offered once every two academic years.
Islamic Studies (Core Courses)
The Qur’an: Composition, Collection and Teachings (Ulum al-Quran)
Instructor: Shaykh Yousef Wahb
This course provides an in-depth understanding of Qur’anic sciences (‘ulūm al-Quran) including revelation, compilation, variant readings, and exegesis (tafsīr). Students will critically engage with traditional approaches to Qur’anic interpretation and context, and survey contemporary discussions in Qur’anic studies. This course aims to provide students with a rigorous understanding of the foundational frameworks of Qur’anic studies, and the tools to critically analyze contemporary discussions in textual criticism.
Islamic Rational Theology | Classical Period
Instructor: Shaykh Fouad Elgohari
This course is an introduction to classical Islamic theology. Students examine Muslim credal doctrines and the framework and tools used to ground those doctrines. The course looks at both an analytical study of Islamic theology, with topics on God, prophecy, free will, and epistemology within the schools of the Ashʿarīs and Māturīdīs, and surveys the history of various approaches to theology and philosophy in the classical period. Students also gain tools to understand and assess foundational theological positions through primary texts and historical analysis.
Islamic Law and Legal Theory
Instructor: Dr. Mariam Sheibani
This course introduces the sources, principles, and methods of classical Islamic jurisprudence and legal theory. Students study the major schools of legal thought, interpretive methodologies, and contemporary applications of Sharīʿah with attention to both structure and spirit. Students will also develop a familiarity with key concepts and terms to help orient their continued study of the field.
Paradigms of Islamic Spirituality
Instructor: Dr. Walead Mosaad
This course explores inner purification and moral refinement through the Qur’an, Prophetic tradition, as well as classical and post-classical Sufi literature. Students engage with diverse spiritual paradigms ranging from early Sufi figures like Abu Yazid al-Bistami, Imam al-Qushayri, etc to later synthesizations in Imam al-Ghazali, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Ibn Arabi, Rumi, and even surveying the various guilds of the post-classical period. Students will understand how the Islamic tradition shaped personal transformation and collective ethics over time as an integrative framework for both theoretical and practical disciplines.
History of Islam
Instructor: Dr. Mona Hassan
This course provides a comprehensive survey of Islamic civilization from the Prophet Muhammad’s time to the modern era. This course emphasizes political, cultural, and intellectual developments across regions and dynasties, including early Umayyad and Abbasid history, as well Ottoman and late era, pre-modern developments. Students will be given an introduction to Islamic historiography and the shaping of the collective memory within socio-cultural, political and intellectual structures.
Islamic/Muslim Studies (General Electives)
Islamic Ethics
Instructor: Dr. Ozgur Koca
This course surveys the literature in Islamic ethical thought, identifying key themes and topics for Muslims committed to living Islam as a way of life. Students explore how diverse Muslims have chosen to navigate the challenges of global modernity. They also examine how Islamic principles can help Muslims live with integrity in contemporary American society.
The Life, Times and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
Instructor: Dr. Jonathan Brown
This course focuses on the Prophet Muhammad’s life experience, teachings, and the historical context of pre-Islamic Arabia. It covers his leadership style, character, and the impact of his example, as well as contemporary commemoration within Islamic sacred history.
Universal Maxims in Islamic Law and Beyond
Instructor: Dr. Umar Qureshi
This course examines the al-qawāʾid al-fiqhiyyah—jurisprudential maxims that empower flexible legal reasoning. Through case studies, students learn to apply these universals to contemporary issues faced by Muslims in North America and beyond.
Comparative Islamic Legal Studies & Contemporary Application
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad Fadel
This course introduces Islamic family law (Qur’an, Sunna, Mālikī and Ḥanafī doctrines), modern reforms, and doctrinal evolution from revelation to present. Topics include marriage contract formation, rights and duties, dissolution, and child-related matters.
The Sufi Tradition – Literary and Cultural Dimensions
Instructor: Dr. Ozgur Koca
This course analyzes key Sufi texts and cultural works, examining figures like Rumi and the esoteric traditions that shaped Islamic art and literature.
Islam in America
Instructors: Dr. Su’ad Abdul Khabeer & Dr. Zareena Grewal
This course contextualizes Muslim American experiences, covering Civil Rights, immigration, counter-culture movements, and challenges around authority, media, identity, and global politics.
Islam in Blackamerica: From Slavery to Hip-Hop
Instructors: Dr. Sherman Jackson & Dr. Rudolph Ware
This course surveys Islam’s encounter with Black America—from slavery through Hip-Hop—focusing on race, religion, culture, politics, and efforts to indigenize Islam.
Islam and Human Rights
Instructor: Dr. Hamid Mavani
This course explores theoretical and conceptual issues between human rights and Islamic legal-theological ethics. It examines points of tension and convergence, Muslim responses, and evaluates rights organizations in geopolitical contexts.
Global Islamic Movements and Ideologies
Instructor: Dr. Ozgur Koca
This course introduces 20th and 21st-century Islamic thought, including figures like Qutb, Mawdudi, Nasr, al-Qaradawi, Khomeini, and Ramadan, and their responses to modernity, colonialism, and post-colonialis
Islamic Theology (Concentration Electives)
Logic & Dialectic
Instructor: Shaykh Fouad Elgohari
This course introduces students to the foundations of Aristotelian logic and Islamic dialectics (jadal). Students explore definitions, propositions, syllogisms, fallacies, and methods of disputation, alongside modern critical-thinking applications relevant for theology and philosophy.
Islamic Rational Theology II: Post-Classical Period
Instructor: Shaykh Fouad Elgohari
This advanced course focuses on Sa’d al-Din al-Taftazani’s Sharḥ al-ʿAqāʾid al-Nasafiyyah, exploring the refinements of Sunni kalām (theology) during the post-classical period and its engagements with early modern philosophical currents.
Philosophy of Religion
Instructors: Dr. Omar Qureshi & Dr. Taysir Safi
This course examines major themes in the contemporary Philosophy of Religion, such as epistemology of belief, fideism, divine hiddenness, free will, and the problem of evil. It frames these discussions within an Islamic context and emphasizes rigorous academic standards.
Islamic Leadership (Concentration Electives)
Preaching and Public Presentation of Islam
Instructor: Dr. Jihad Turk
This course develops skills in effective preaching and public presentation of Islamic teachings. It covers sermon preparation, delivery, and the ability to address contemporary issues such as freedom of expression, pluralism, gender, governance, social justice, peace, and ethics for Muslim communities and broader public contexts.
Non-Profit Leadership and Management
Instructor: Necva Ozgur
This course explores organizational leadership and governance within an Islamic framework. Topics include board development, staff management, strategic decision-making, transparency, financial oversight, fundraising, marketing, and community engagement.
Fundraising Strategies for Religious Non-Profits
Instructors: Dr. Shariq Siddiqui & Tayyab Yunus
Students learn to design and execute fundraising strategies tailored to religious non-profits. The course covers digital campaigns, social media tools, donor engagement, grant writing, budgeting, and creating actionable fundraising plans.
Community Organizing for Muslim and Interfaith Leaders
Instructor: Dr. Rami Nashashibi
This course examines community organizing principles through the lens of social justice and faith-based leadership. Students study strategies for mobilization, advocacy, and coalition building in Muslim and interfaith contexts.
Social Integration and Civic Engagement
Instructor: Nadia Roumani
This course focuses on Muslim American social integration and civic engagement, exploring pathways for religious communities to participate effectively in public life while navigating cultural and political dynamics.
Intentional Community Building & Radical Healing in/through the Black Muslim Imagination
Instructor: Dr. Kameelah Oseguera
This course uses Appreciative Inquiry and strength-based approaches to envision and cultivate thriving Black Muslim communities, fostering spaces for healing, cultural expression, and collective empowerment.
Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice in Muslim Communities
Instructor: Dr. Jihad Saafir
Students learn conflict resolution frameworks, mediation skills, and restorative justice practices rooted in Islamic teachings, applying them to community contexts for peacebuilding and dispute resolution.
Public Narrative for Faith Leaders
Instructor: Tayyab Yunus
This course trains students in crafting and delivering compelling public narratives to inspire action and align communities with shared values, drawing on Marshall Ganz’s framework and faith-based leadership strategies.
Organizational Leadership, Operational Strategies and Project Management
Instructor: Ivana Zajkovska, MA
This course covers essential skills in organizational leadership, operations management, and project planning to equip students for effective leadership in Islamic institutions and social good initiatives.
Islamic Education (Concentration Courses)
Foundations of Islamic Education
Instructor: Dr. Susan Douglass
This course introduces the classical philosophy and practices of Islamic education, tracing historical models and their relevance today. Students examine key texts, educational structures, and approaches to integrating Islamic knowledge in modern contexts.
Introduction to the Islamic Cultural Heritage
Instructor: Dr. Susan Douglass
This course explores the cultural legacy of Islamic civilization through classical texts, art, architecture, and material culture. Students engage with literature, poetry, scientific writings, and artistic expressions to understand their educational value.
School Leadership, Board Management, and Change Agency
Instructor: Habeeb Quadri
This course covers leadership and governance in Islamic educational institutions. Topics include board development, policy implementation, change management, and fostering sustainable growth in school settings.
Cultivating the Campus Environment – Professional Learning Communities
Instructor: Dr. Omar Ezzeldine
Students learn strategies to build professional learning communities that foster collaboration among faculty, staff, and students. Emphasis is placed on creating growth-oriented school cultures grounded in Islamic principles.
Instructional Strategies and Critical Perspectives for Teaching in 21st Century Islamic Schools
Instructor: Dr. Seema Imam
This course examines modern teaching strategies, curriculum design, and culturally responsive pedagogy in Islamic schools. Students learn how to integrate Islamic ethics with best practices in education.
Curriculum Design, Development and Integration
Instructor: Karima Alavi, MA
This course equips students to design interdisciplinary curricula that integrate Islamic knowledge across subjects. Students develop skills in lesson planning, resource selection, and curriculum mapping for faith-based schools.
Secondary Instructional Methods and Materials
Instructor: Karima Alavi, MA
Students focus on classroom management, engagement strategies, assessment tools, and instructional methods for secondary school contexts, emphasizing effective teaching within Islamic frameworks.
Islam, Antiracism Pedagogy and Multicultural Education
Instructor: Dr. Jihad Saafir
This course examines anti-racist pedagogical approaches and multicultural education through an Islamic lens. Students develop critical awareness of structural inequalities and tools to address them in educational settings.
Positive Youth Development
Instructor: Ivana Zajkovska, MA
This course explores adolescent development and the role of educators in fostering resilience, identity, and leadership skills among Muslim youth using strength-based approaches.
Islamic Chaplaincy (Core & Electives)
Theories and Practices of Spiritual Care
Instructor: Tahara Akmal
This course examines the interrelationship of spirituality, care, and counseling. Students learn methods of spiritual assessment, approaches to religious problems, and caregiver self-care practices relevant to chaplaincy contexts in healthcare, education, and other institutions.
Self-Development and Self-Care
Instructor: Dr. Kameelah Mu’min Oseguera
This course focuses on chaplains' self-care and self-awareness, equipping students with tools for emotional resilience and reflective practices needed to sustain long-term effectiveness in pastoral and spiritual care roles.
Fiqh for Chaplains: Facilitating Life Cycle Rituals
Instructor: Shaykh Fouad Elgohari
Students gain grounding in Islamic legal rulings (fiqh) surrounding essential life-cycle events: birth, aqiqah, marriage, conversion, funerary rites, and daily acts of worship. Emphasis is placed on practical application for chaplaincy settings.
Chaplaincy in Contexts
Instructor: Dr. Ingrid Mattson
This course offers case studies in hospital, hospice, military, prison, and university chaplaincy contexts, examining the unique challenges of interfaith collaboration, institutional structures, and spiritual support.
Marriage, Family and Ethics of Gender among Muslim Americans
Instructor: Dr. Metra Azar-Salem
Students explore marriage, gender roles, and family ethics within Muslim American contexts, emphasizing cultural sensitivity, ethical guidance, and practical tools for chaplains counseling individuals and families.
Islam, Medical Ethics & Spiritual Care
Instructor: Dr. Aasim Padela
This course examines Islamic bioethics, cultural competence, and medical ethics within clinical settings. Students learn to navigate end-of-life care, consent, and ethical dilemmas while offering spiritually informed support.
Counseling Muslims
Instructor: Dr. Hamada Altalib
This course provides basic mental health concepts, counseling skills, and collaboration methods with healthcare teams to effectively serve Muslim clients in various chaplaincy contexts.
Counseling Muslim Youth
Instructor: Dr. Omar Mahmood
This course focuses on child and adolescent development, equipping chaplains to address identity struggles, mental health concerns, and family dynamics in their work with Muslim youth.
Care and Counseling for Bereavement
Instructor: Najah Bazzy
Students learn approaches to grief counseling and bereavement care grounded in Islamic ethics, with attention to both individual and communal expressions of grief and mourning.
Muslim Adolescent Identity Development
Instructor: Dr. Jihad Saafir
This course examines adolescent identity formation in Muslim youth, focusing on environmental and social factors that influence religious identity continuity and psychosocial well-being.
Religious Care for Communities in Crisis
Instructor: Imam Khalid Latif
This course equips chaplains to provide spiritual care during crises such as natural disasters, violence, and community trauma, emphasizing emotional support, resource coordination, and resilience-building.
Supporting the Spiritual Care Team: Interventions for the Clinical Environment
Instructor: Dr. Metra Azar-Salem
This course focuses on chaplain self-care and team-based interventions in clinical settings, addressing compassion fatigue, burnout, vicarious trauma, and moral injury among spiritual care professionals.
Interfaith & Intra-faith Studies
Sunni-Shi’a Relations and Intra-faith Issues
Instructor: Dr. Syed Hadi Qazwini
This course examines the historical emergence of sectarian divisions within Islam, exploring doctrinal, legal, and sociopolitical developments that shaped Sunni-Shi’a relations. Students study contemporary efforts for intra-faith respect, dialogue, and cooperation within Muslim communities.
Abrahamic Faiths in Conversation
Instructor: Dr. Reinhard Krauss
This course explores Islam, Christianity, and Judaism as living traditions, analyzing their historical interactions and shared contributions to civilization. Students engage in comparative theological discussions and study models of interfaith dialogue and collaboration.
Muslim Spirituality Among the Religions of the World
Instructor: Dr. Ozgur Koca
This course situates Islamic spirituality within a global context, comparing Islamic mysticism with other religious traditions’ approaches to the divine. Students gain tools for interreligious engagement grounded in Islamic perspectives on the human search for meaning and transcendence.
Our Interfaith Heritage: Lessons from Medieval Spain
Instructor: Munir Shaikh, MA
This course examines convivencia (coexistence) in medieval Spain, a period marked by interfaith interactions among Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Students analyze cultural exchange, intellectual achievements, and tensions during this era, drawing lessons for contemporary interfaith work.
Arabic
Intermediate Arabic 2A and 2B
Instructor: Dr. Mahbuba Hammad
This course develops students’ skills in reading, speaking, listening, and writing Arabic. It covers complex grammatical structures, vocabulary rooted in Qur’anic and classical texts, advanced verb tenses, and introduces authentic materials to build comprehension and fluency.
Advanced Arabic 3A and 3B
Instructors: Dr. Rabia Bajwa & Elijah Reynolds
This advanced-level course focuses on reading and understanding classical Islamic texts, modern scholarly works, and formal Arabic discourse. Students enhance their grasp of idiomatic expressions, rhetorical devices, and linguistic nuances essential for academic and theological study.
Doctor of Ministry in Islamic Leadership (Core & Electives)
Prophetic Leadership
Instructors: Dr. Jibril Latif & Dr. Jihad Turk
This course compares modern leadership models with the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the ethical and spiritual paragon. Students analyze prophetic leadership principles and synthesize strategies for applying them in contemporary contexts.
Islamic Constitutionalism, Comparative Legal Paradigms, and American Law
Instructor: Dr. Asifa Qureishi
This course explores concepts of constitutionalism in Islamic history, the impact of colonialism on modern Muslim-majority nations, and the intersections of Islamic law with U.S. constitutional frameworks, particularly regarding religious freedom and minority rights.
Legal Arbitration and the U.S. Muslim Community
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad Fadel
Students study Islamic arbitration and dispute resolution frameworks, exploring how they function within American legal structures. Practical focus is placed on integrating Islamic principles of justice into mediation and arbitration processes in the U.S. context.
Global Islamic Ideologies and Movements
Instructors: Dr. H.A. Hellyer & Dr. Zachary Wright
This course investigates major Islamic movements and ideologies of the modern era, including political Islam, revivalist trends, and Sufi traditionalism. Students analyze their global impact and implications for Muslim leadership and community building.
Islamic Psychology Foundations for Leadership
Instructor: Dr. Hamada Al Taleb
This course explores Islamic psychological concepts, human motivation, and mental well-being. Students learn to integrate Islamic perspectives on the soul and behavior with contemporary psychology for effective leadership and pastoral care.
Encountering Modernity: Implications for Faith Leadership
Instructor: Dr. Omar Qureshi
This course examines how Islamic metaphysics and ethics intersect with modern societal challenges, including identity, social justice, and pluralism. Students explore leadership approaches that balance tradition and contemporary realities.
Islam and Wealth
Instructor: Dr. Jibril Latif
This course addresses Islamic principles of economic justice, wealth management, zakat, waqf, and ethical investment, equipping leaders to navigate finance in ways that align with Islamic ethics in modern financial systems.
Managing Conflict and Building Shūrā
Instructor: Dr. Najeeba Syeed
This course trains leaders in Islamic models of conflict resolution, mediation, and consultative governance (shūrā), providing tools for addressing disputes constructively while fostering inclusive decision-making.
Doctor of Ministry Core Courses
Instructors: Bayan & CTS Faculty
Core courses include Public Ministry: Orientations, Applied Research Methods, and Leadership in the Public Square. These are required components of the Doctor of Ministry program designed to integrate advanced leadership training with applied research.
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