In a world of a thousand idols, where is our Abraham?
Broken
Idols
Not all false gods are made of stone. Today they're made of money, power, thoughts, and pixels. This is your roadmap through the many idols of today, back to your One true Lord.
Why shirk?
Why not murder? Why not theft? Why not adultery, abuse, or fraud?
Why is shirk the sin of all sins, and why can't those who don't believe enter heaven? The root of that question is why this class is more important now than ever.
Because shirk is the rejection of Allah, and the rejection of Allah is the rejection of morality itself.
This class explores the concept of shirk, the many forms it takes, and the key to protecting ourselves from it.
"But I'm Muslim, is that not enough?"
He ﷺ was not talking about bowing to pagan statues, but to a shirk that Muslims can fall into without ever noticing.
O people, beware of this idolatry, for it is more hidden than a crawling ant!
The hint of pride that slips into our worship.
How we perform Islam online, and in public.
False beliefs about Allah we let creep into our hearts.
Recognising the signs of shirk is the first step to protecting yourself from it.
Break the idols of our time
Ibrahim (AS) challenged shirk head on, breaking the idols of his time. But the idols of our time take on many forms: ideologies and cultural trends rooted in worship of the self and base desires.
Taking on these modern idols demands knowing shirk inside and out. That's what this class equips you to do.
Money
Power
Thoughts
Pixels
In Broken Idols you will cover
What is shirk
A precise definition, before anything else can rest on it.
The origins of idolatry
How humanity first turned from tawhid, and why it repeats.
What people worship besides Allah
The catalogue of rivals, ancient and contemporary.
Scholarly discussions on the nature of shirk
Where the classical scholars agreed, and where they differed.
Why shirk is the greatest evil
The moral logic behind the one unforgivable sin.
Infiltration of idolatry into Muslim culture
The practices we inherited without ever examining.
Shirk al-Khafī
Hidden shirk: the ant no one hears.
Shirk in pop culture
Law of attraction, horoscopes and astrology, numerology, superstitions.
Specialist in creed
Dr Zohair Abdul-Rahman
With a broad scope of interests in the classical sciences, he has studied under top scholars worldwide, earned certifications in ʿaqīdah and hadith, and is currently pursuing his PhD in Islamic Theology.
As a specialist in creed, Dr Zohair has published numerous papers on shirk, tawhid and modern ideologies.
What people say after a day with us
I came in thinking I understood tawhid. I left with a list of things in my own life I'd never once questioned.
Rigorous, but never above your head. Dr Zohair takes the scholarly discussion and makes it land in your own week.
One day, and my whole reading of the modern world shifted. Worth clearing the calendar for.
One day. One subject.
Everything it touches.
Seats are limited, and early bird pricing closes Friday 21 August.
Class
Broken Idols
City
London, UK · venue TBD
Date
Sunday 13 September
Time
10:00 – 19:00
Format
One day class
Teacher
Dr Zohair Abdul-Rahman
Before you book
Do I need any prior study to attend?+
No. The class starts from the definition of shirk and builds up. If you've studied ʿaqīdah before, the scholarly discussions and the material on hidden shirk will still be new ground.
Where in London is it held?+
The venue is TBD. Once confirmed, everyone who has registered receives the address and travel details by email well ahead of the day.
What does the day look like?+
One full day of teaching, 10:00 to 19:00, with breaks for salah and food. All eight topics are covered in person with Dr Zohair.
Is it suitable for brothers and sisters?+
Yes, the class is open to all, with the usual AlMaghrib seating arrangements at the venue.
When does early bird end?+
Friday 21 August. After that the early bird rate is gone, and seats are held on a first-come basis until the room is full.
Broken Idols · London
Sun 13 Sept · Early bird ends 21 Aug