Allah says in the Qur’an, “Travel in the land and see the consequences of those who were before you…” 30:42 This verse encourages a reflection upon history, an awareness of what people did, and what the effects of their actions were.  History in the Quranic understanding has pedagogical content. The ruins of idolatrous peoples teach us about the tragic results of disbelief. But what can we learn from the vagaries of our own history as Muslims? Before we can even answer that question, what is our history and how did we get to where we are today? In this course, hosted by the Boston Islamic Seminary at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, we will delve into the history of Muslim societies with combined academic and devotional lenses, learning both about what happened and its relevance for us today. The first part, to be conducted in Fall 2018, will cover the time right before the birth of the Prophet SAW to 1258 CE, when Baghdad fell to the Mongols. The course will present a grand narrative but localize crucial human moments. It will look critically at how Islam actually spread at various times and how Muslims dealt with different ideas, cultures, and religions. It will try and convey an understanding of what our political institutions and theory were and how they changed over time. It will ask how Muslims continually made faith relevant in their lives. And it will try and figure some of what we can do now in light of past failures and successes. Date/Time March 16-17 and March 23-24, 2019, from 10:00am-5:30pm Tuition The Boston Islamic Seminary offers competitive tuition rates when considered against other non-degree academic programs offered by a variety of institutions throughout Greater Boston. Standard tuition is $850 per course, however, in our startup phase, we are offering all courses at a substantial discount. General rate: $270. Student rate: $150. Register here. Financial aid is also available. Apply here.