A harmonious society requires an ethical foundation. One of the greatest pillars of that foundation is humility. Humility is a deeper quality than it appears. Not only does it foster good relations between people, it also affirms our accepting that strength and power come from Allah and not from our imposing ourselves on people. The Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah upon him, said, "No one humbles himself for the Sake of Allah, except that Allah elevates him". This Hadith reminds us of the fact that Allah elevates whosoever He pleases and He debases whosoever He pleases. It also reminds us that humility is one of the keys to elevation.This session will examine these and many other aspects of humility.

Justice could be described as a balance that is essential for the maintenance of equilibrium in the creation. Our religious teachings provide a valuable source of instruction concerning the various types of justice and the incumbency of our being just people. This session will examine different aspects of justice and offer valuable practical advice as to how we can become more just and the importance of doing so.

All of our personal and social problems are rooted in the states of our hearts. Just as the body has ailments that force us to the doctor, the heart also has ailments that should force us to the doctor. Traditionally, purification of the heart was a central focus of Muslim civilization. Manuals, texts, glosses, and commentaries fill our libraries with the strategies, techniques, and methods for purifying hearts. Many Muslims don’t have access to this rich tradition of spiritual healing that could, if rediscovered and used, heal our persons and societies from many of the destructive forces impacting us. This lecture will discuss some of the dominant ailments of the heart and the strategies the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and our tradition provide us with to address them.

Scholars are in consensus that the principle aims and objectives of our religion are preservation of faith and practice, of life, of reason, of property, of family, and of human dignity. This lecture will examine these six aims and how they apply to each Muslim as understood by one of the greatest living authorities on the subject.

The foundations of Islamic law (usul al-fiqh) is one of the most sophisticated and nuanced intellectual traditions ever formulated. Many of our current problems, if addressed methodologically from an usuli perspective, could be addressed more effectively with the creative solutions that come from that perspective. Dr. Jackson, an expert on one of the greatest usuli scholars of all time, Imam al-­‐ Qarafi, will discuss the importance of institution building that will enable us as a community to produce people trained with the necessary tools to address our more pressing issues. He will also examine the three issues our Prophet, peace be upon him, highlighted in his farewell address – women’s rights, economic injustice, and racism – from that perspective.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of our age is the coarseness and incivility that defines both our private behavior and public discourse. The integrity of our families is being torn asunder by the inability of spouses parents and children to speak gentle words. In fact, gentleness, far from being a virtuous trait, is deemed a sign of weakness. This session will examine the importance of gentleness in Islamic teachings and offer positive steps towards it realization in our lives and relationships.

Great civilizations are built on the foundation of what Ibn Khaldum called ‘umran or high culture. The markers of this culture are often found in literature, poetry, music, art, and architecture; they can also be found in ethical conduct of citizens. In many Muslim countries today one can still savor the remnants of Muslim high culture, and even in the twilight of its decline, it still outshines the allure of popular culture. Is it possible for modern Muslims to engage in the revival of the spirit of civilization when we have become some of the world’s biggest consumers of popular culture?