The Absolute Essentials of Islam

This weekend course offers a clear, structured, and spiritually grounded introduction to the core elements of Islam every Muslim must know — what they believe, how they worship, and how they refine their character. Centered on the celebrated classical primer al-Risālah al-Jāmiʿah (“The Encompassing Epistle”) by Imām Aḥmad ibn Zayn al-Ḥabshī — a direct heir to the tradition of Imām ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAlawī al-Ḥaddād — this work has served as a foundational guide to the religion for over three centuries across the Muslim world.

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What makes this offering distinct is that it follows the Hanafi adaptation of the text by Shaykh Jaʿfar Saʿīd Anātī, a saintly scholar from the historic port city of Massawa in present-day Eritrea. Having studied in Zabid and Madinah al-Munawwarah, Shaykh Jaʿfar retained the structure and style of Imām al-Ḥabshī’s original work, while replacing the section on legal practice with the essential rulings according to the Ḥanafī school of law — making it uniquely accessible to our context.

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This course is ideal for:

• Muslims seeking to revisit the foundations of their faith and practice

• Converts and newcomers looking for a structured entry point

• Parents and educators who want to pass on reliable knowledge

• Anyone hoping to build a solid base for future Islamic studies