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Introduction to Iqbal Studies


Introduction to Iqbal Studies is the first regular course that has been developed for introducing an average learner to the relevance of Iqbal’s message to the world today.

The course has been designed by Khurram Ali Shafique (whose biography of Iqbal was nominated for the Presidential Iqbal Award recently). It is certified by Iqbal Academy Pakistan. and is being offered in coordination with Dr. Iqbal Society of North America (DISNA) and Topline Publishers Pakistan.

 

Registration Open!

For

July 2012 Session

REGISTER NOW!!

 

Registration is open (closes on June 23, 2012)

Course starts on Monday, July 2, 2012.


 

Course Outline:

  • Induction: abridged translation of an excerpt from Javid Nama, describing the ultimate ideal that Iqbal desires and foresees for humanity. It is a world where people live inside-out, bodies have become contained in souls rather than the other way round, there is no crime and everybody lives in material and spiritual bliss. Is this world possible? That is the question which is central to any genuine learning in Iqbal Studies, and learners will be encouraged to arrive at their own answers.
  • The Conquest of Nature: This is a poem in five segments describing, respectively (a) the birth of Adam; (b) the Devil’s animosity; (c) the Temptation; (b) the sweet challenge of the worldly life; and (e) Adam’s explanation to the Almighty on the Day of Judgment. In five short scenes, the poem gives us a complete overview of the past, present and the future of humanity as Iqbal perceives it. This is the broad outlines in which learners can fill in details as they move along in life and studies, even beyond and after the completion of this course.
  • The New Garden of Mystery: Iqbal summarized his philosophy in the form of nine questions that are cross-cutting across all fields of human knowledge – i.e., each of these questions can be answered through any discipline according to the scope of that discipline. Here, the learners will be encouraged to find answers from brief synopses of Iqbal’s works. The aim of this component is to give the learners a handy introduction to all the poetic works of Iqbal and also to show them the nine basic issues that can be used for summing up the entire philosophy of Iqbal – and possibly also the entire range of human knowledge in the present age.
  • The Sphere of Moon: This chapter describes the beginning of Iqbal’s spiritual journey in search of immortality under the guidance of the spirit of his mentor, Maulana Rumi, in Javid Nama. On Moon, which is the first stage of the journey, they come across seven visions: (a) the Hindu sage Vishvamitra; (b) the music of Sarosh, the angel who inspires poetic visions; (c) the poetry of Sarosh; (c) the Tablet of Buddha; (d) the Tablet of Zoroaster; (e) the Tablet of Jesus; and (f) the Tablet of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These visions are brief and engaging introductions to seven cultural forces shaping the human civilization even today. Learners will be encouraged to explore the relevance of these cultural forces, and to develop personal insights about them.
  • Application: These concluding lessons facilitate the learners to make some personal action plans in the light of Iqbal’s thought.


Course Material

The course material comprises mainly of three components: (a) the course manual; (b) videos; and (c) the blog.

  • Course Manual consists of 27 lessons (see “Course Outline” above to get an idea about the contents of these lessons). It is provided to participants in PDF and MSWord formats. They can take printout and do the activities.
  • A/V Mini-lectures. There are brief lectures to accompany many of the lessons. They are uploaded on YouTube for participants to view, and links are provided (Pakistani participants are provided the course manual as well as videos on a CD).
  • Blog/Discussion Group. Each lesson in the manual leads to an open-ended question involving reflection and thinking from the participants. They are required to post their answers as "comments" on the official blog of the course, or as posts on their own blogs if they have any. Timings are flexible (you can plan whether you want to do it on a daily basis or just once or twice a week). In case the blog doesn't suite you, you can join an email discussion group.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Will the course material be posted at home?

A. You can receive all the course material through the Internet. It will be emailed to you.

Q. If it's online, then why the specific dates?

A. Specific dates for the beginning and end of the course have been assigned mainly to ensure that most participants take part in the online discussion around the same time, and to assign a date when the professional obligation of the course facilitator comes to an end: if there is no end-date, then we would be obliged to remain engaged for an unlimited time, which might not be feasible.

 


 

Designed and Conducted by Khurram Ali Shafique, author of Iqbal: an Illustrated Biography


Certified by Iqbal Academy Pakistan - www.allamaiqbal.com

In coordination with Dr. Iqbal Society of North America (DISNA)

 


 



Pre-requisites

•Minimum age limit is 13+ (minors may be asked to take permission from their guardians). Minimum qualification is lower secondary (Grade 8).

•Presently the course is being offered in English only. However, it is designed with special consideration for the difficulties faced by many non-native speakers – we do not want language to become a handicap.



Duration:

It is a 10-week course offered four times a year.



Fee:

  • Foreign applicants: US$ 24 (Twenty-four US dollars) plus postage and handling of the certificate (optional)
  • Subsidised fee for Pakistani applicants: PKR 1000 (Rupees One Thousand)

 

How to get enrolled:

 

Foreign participants:

  • Foreign participants can register and pay through Paypal by clicking HERE.

Pakistani Students:

  • Email your name, email and address at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for registration. Please mention the course name in the SUBJECT line.
  • Pakistani students can send a crossed cheque in the name of "TOPLINE PUBLISHERS" to Topline Publishers, Office #03, Bright Corner, Opposite Askari Park, Off University Road, Gulshan – e – Iqbal, Karachi, Pakistan. Ph: (021)34937440
  • OR Send the money through Online Banking in the following account: Standard Chartered Bank, Account Title: Muhammad Ubaid, Account No.: 01-1839392-01
  • For details and queries, please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

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