Insights into the Hawza Ilmiyya: An Islamic Seminary of Higher Learning

1. Hawza Ilmiyya (حوزة علمیة) Taken from: http://www.theshiapedia.com/index.php?title=Hawza#cite_ref-0 Dr. A.S. Hashim

2. About this slide show: This slide show deals with: • A brief history of the Hawza • Sites of the main Hawzas • General Information about levels of teaching • Characteristics of Theological Education • Najaf • Qum • Subjects often taught

3. Hawza (حوزة) • Hawza Ilmiyya (Arabic: حوزة علمیة) refers to a seminary of Islamic school of higher learning. • It is a term used mostly by the Shi'a Muslims, to refer to institutions where clerics are trained. • Presently, the hawza in Qum and Najaf are preeminent, • though smaller Hawzas exist in various regions around the world. • Some of these locations include, Karbala in Iraq, Mash’had in Iran, Damascus in Syria, Pakistan, India, Europe and North America.

4. At First • The first hawza was established in 1054 by Sheikh Tusi in Najaf, Iraq. • He began training students in various branches of Islamic studies, such as: • jurisprudence ( fiqh ), • theology ( kalam ), • tradition ( hadith ) & • the interpretation of the Quran ( Tafseer ).

5. The Central Leadership • Throughout history Hawzas in the following held the central leadership • Najaf, • Hilla, • Karbala & • Samurra in Iraq; • In Iran, • Isfahan, • Qum, • Shiraz & • Mash’had

6. Seminary in Qum Seminary in Qum

7. Characteristics of Theological Education • Education in theological seminaries has certain characteristics which distinguish it from modern education. • The most important of those is that: • neither the period of education, • nor the manner of graduation is pre-planned and compulsory. • The theology student chooses his own teacher when he begins his theological education and continues to study with the same teacher as long as he himself deems it fit.

8. The absence of a system • Moreover, in the absence of a system of issuing graduation certificates, theology students are free to take their courses at their own pace. • The same freedom is apparent in teaching. A theology student who has been studying for a few years, has the right to enter debates with his teacher and take fault with his statements.

9. To prepare for lessons • To prepare for lessons, theology students usually: • consult various theology books and • go through the opinions of theological authorities. • Upon receiving a lesson, they debate the lessons among themselves in order to master essence of the lessons. • This studying method helps theology students to develop well in the art of debating and discussions.

10. At the Hawza

11. Hawza Ilmiyya of England

12. The Islamic Seminary of England

13. Najaf • The first formal hawza was established in 1054 by Sheikh Tusi in Najaf, Iraq. • He began training students in various branches of Islamic studies, such as jurisprudence, theology, tradition & the interpretation of the Quran. • The hawza ilmiyya remained the main center of learning for the Shi'as for over a thousand years • It declined in the 20th century starting with the establishment of modern Iraq in 1921. • The decline was accelerated as the Ba’th government tried to weaken the authority of the hawza & the marji’iyyat in Najaf. • Many senior clerics were arrested, killed or exiled. • During that period the number of religious students in Najaf fell from 10,000 to 2,000.

14. Qum • Though smaller Shi'a schools have been prevalent in Iran back as early as the 10th century • During the Buwayhi Dynasty (930–1054) , a considerable number of madrasahs (religious schools) were built in Qum & Ray • It was primarily during the Safawi Dynasty (1502–1736) that the hawza of the city became prominent. After the Safawi dynasty the hawza was inactive. • However the 20th century saw a re-establishment of the hawza in Qum, when Ayatollah Abd al-Karim Haeri Yazdi settled in Qum in 1920.

15. Teaching Methodology • Many of the traditional subjects taught at a Hawza are inter-connected and supplement each other. • There is no set syllabus as such, as each Hawza tends to create its own. • However, there are some standard texts in each subject area that are considered classical and that all Hawza students are expected to study. • While studying in a hawza, a student goes through the following stages: • the stage of Muqadamat (introductory studies), • the stage of Sutooh (intermediary studies) and • the stage of Dars al-Kharij, without any formal titles.

16. Samples of teaching in Hawza Mantiq Irfan Usul al-Fiqh Falsafa Fiqh Lugha Tafseer Aqaid Ulum al-Quran Tarikh Ilm al-Rijal Ilm al-Hadith

17. Subjects taught: Mantiq المنطق • Mantiq (Logic) المنطق: is a similar science to what is called Traditional Logic at Western universities. • Mantiq is usually one of the first subjects to be taught at a hawza • Mantiq is seen as a tool necessary for correct thinking and deduction when studying all other Islamic sciences.

18. Subjects taught: Usul al-Fiqh اصول الفقه • Usul al-Fiqh(Principles of Jurisprudence)اصول الفقه: is the study of principles used by Islamic jurists to derive legal rulings. • It is a specific discipline within the Shi'i seminary system; • Next to Islamic law itself, Usul al-Fiqhاصول الفقه is the center-piece of a seminary education in the Sh'i world. • Mastery of Usul al-Fiqh is one of the most important requirements for being a religious jurist

19. Subjects taught: Fiqh الفقه • Fiqh (Jurisprudence) الفقه : is one of the major science around which most of the other subjects revolve. • The study of the practical laws of Islam and how to derive them is divided by areas of jurisprudence such as purification, prayers, fasting, hajj, marriage, trade, etc. • A branch of Fiqh that was once never recognized as a subject on its own is Qawaid al-Fiqhiyyaالقواعد الفقهيه.

20. Subjects taught: Tafseer al-Quran تفسير القرآن • Tafseer al-Quran(Quran Exegesis)تفسير القرآن: is widely studied by all Hawza students • And one who chooses to specialize in this field becomes a commentator of the Quran.

21. Subjects taught: Ulum al-Quran علوم القرآن • Ulum al-Quran (Quran Sciences) علوم القرآن: is a science where students study the Quran holistically. • For example, the Quran's history, how it was revealed, • the reasons that prompted revelations, • how it was compiled, by whom and when, • its preservation through the ages, • the variations in its readings, • the classification of verses into various categories such as abrogating verses vs. abrogated verses, and so forth.

22. Subjects taught: Ilm al-Hadith علم االحديث • Ilm al-Hadith(Science of Hadith)علم االحديث: is a field that discusses the history of traditions, • their compilation and • classification, • their collection and preservation, and so forth.

23. Subjects taught: Ilm al-Rijal علم االرجال • Ilm al-Rijal(Science of People)علم االرجال: as an off-shoot of Ilm al-Hadith, • studies the individual lives of narrators to check their trustworthiness. • This in turn is used as one factor (amongst others) in concluding the authenticity of narrations.

24. Subjects taught: Tarikh التاريخ • Tarikh (History) التاريخ: is the study of pre-Islamic and post-Islamic history.

25. Subjects taught: Aqa’id العقائد • Aqa’id (Theology) العقائد: is also called Ilm al-Kalam or Usul al-Din. • Shi'a theology usually discusses issues around five principles: • Tawhid, • Adalah, • Nubuwwah, • Imamah and • Ma'ad

26. Subjects taught: Lugha اللغه • Lugha(Language Studies)اللغه: is the study of the Arabic language and consists of: • grammar, • syntax/morphology, • rhetoric and • vocabulary building.

27. Subjects taught: Falsafa فلسفه • Falsafa(Philosophy)فلسفه: allows students to get a deeper understanding of the philosophy of Islam. • A large part of Islamic philosophy deals with theoretical metaphysics and mysticism, • the practical aspects of which are covered in Irfan

28. Subjects taught: Irfan عرفان • Irfan(Islamic Mysticism)عرفان: is generally divided into • theoretical irfan and • practical irfan. • Theoretical Irfan is the study of Islamic metaphysics and Transcendent Philosophy. • Practical Irfan is sometimes called sayr wa suluk (Spiritual wayfaring).

29. In Conclusion • General discussion of the Hawza: • A general view of its history • Development • Manner of teaching • Manner of graduation is not pre-planned and compulsory • Freedom to choose • Subjects taught

30. THANK YOU Be in Allah’s Care Dr. A.S. Hashim