HBKU’s College of Islamic Studies hosts workshop for madrasa students

The College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) hosted a ‘Winter Intensive School’ from December 25 to 30 for participants of the Madrasa Discourses Project, an initiative founded and led by Dr Ebrahim Moosa and Dr Mahan Mirza, faculty members at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, US.The course, open to a select number of madrasa graduates from India and Pakistan, aims to equip future religious leaders with the tools to confidently function, debate, and contribute to Islamic thought within the contemporary global context. The participants were challenged to consider theological and moral teachings in light of pluralistic societies, scientific and technological advancements, and promotion of human dignity and development. Some 40 madrasa graduates attended the School at CIS, which complemented the course’s intensive training held via videoconferencing over a three-year period, and offered an annual opportunity for participants to gather and actively engage in guided readings and open debates on contemporary societal and global concerns.