Theology part 1: who/what is “God”?
Week 1: Who is Allah? The Attributes and Names (sifat and asma' ) of God
How is God described in the Qur'an?
What are the "Names/Attributes" of God?
How do the Names and Attributes help us relate to God? The moral and spiritual function of the asma'
Are God's attributes human-like? The problem of anthropomorphism
Week 2: Can we actually understand what God is? The transcendence of God
Can God be described in similar terms to human beings in any way?
The Qur'ans negative descriptions of God: what God is not
The absolute transcendence and unknowability of the Divine vs. our need to relate to and understand God.
Week 3: The Unity, Oneness, and Uniqueness of God (tawhid)
The Qur'ans critique of polytheism (shirk) and insistence on Oneness of God.
What does tawhid mean? What are its different aspects? (oneness, unity, uniqueness)
What are the implications of tawhid? How does it impact the way we relate to God and live our lives?
Week 4: The Existence of God
How do we know God exists?
Can we prove God's existence, or is it simply a "leap of faith?
What types of evidences and proofs are there for the existence of God?