Living Islam: The Spiritual Art of the Everyday
How Islamic spiritual teachings can be meaningfully integrated into daily life, cultivating greater presence, purpose, and inner transformation through everyday actions
The syllabus.
This course offers an immersive exploration of the everyday acts that shape, nurture, and sustain our relationship with the divine. Centering our gaze on the sensory “stuff” of daily life, we will consider how inner beauty is forged not despite but through the body and its myriad created (and creative) gifts. Each week, we take up one embodied practice or faculty and unfurl its spiritual depth, reflecting on what it might disclose about ourselves and about the God who has supremely beautified our forms (Q 40:64; Q 64:3). By illuminating the Divine Hand at work in our every day, the hope is that we may bear active, attentive witness to the proximate splendours of our material world, and thus become better readers of the quotidian signs (āyāt) by which we live, move, and have our being.
Texts
A range of articles relevant to each week’s theme(s). See below.
Suggested Readings:
- Martin Nguyen, Modern Muslim Theology: Engaging God and the World
with Faith and Imagination (Bloomsbury, 2018).
- Atif Khalil, “Sufism and Qurʾānic Ethics,” in Routledge Handbook of
Sufism, ed. Lloyd Ridgeon (Routledge, 2020), pp. 159–171.
- Atif Khalil, “The Embodiment of Gratitude (Shukr) in Sufi Ethics,” Studia
Islamica 111 (2016): 159–178.
- Rowan Williams, Being Human: Bodies, Minds, Persons (SPCK, 2018).
(Note: though much of this book is written from a Christian perspective, its
themes and insights are applicable to any sustained religious
consideration of what it means to be human).
September 18
Theology as Praxis: On See(k)ing God in All Things
Readings:
- Martin Nguyen, “A Case for Thinking and Living Theologically: Faith,
Imagination, and Malcolm X,” Ḥāshiya 1 (2025–2026).
- Munjed M. Murad, “Sufi Views of Nature,” in Handbook of Sufi Studies
Volume 2: Sufi Cosmology, ed. Christian Lange and Alexander Knysh
(Brill, 2022), pp. 189–204.
September 25
On Walking
Readings:
- Seyyed Hossein Nasr, “The Wisdom of the Body,” in Seyyed Hossein
Nasr, Religion and the Order of Nature (OUP, 1996), pp. 235–269.
- Hina Khalid, “What Walking Can Do For Our Souls,” Renovatio 7.1 (2023).
https://renovatio.zaytuna.edu/article/what-walking-can-do-for-our-souls
October 2
On Speaking
Readings:
- Hina Khalid, “The Power of Human Speech,” Renovatio 9.2 (2025).
https://renovatio.zaytuna.edu/article/the-power-of-human-speech
October 9
On Looking
Readings:
- Richard McGregor, “Seeing is Believing: Sufi Vision and the Formation of
the Ethical Subject,” in Mysticism and Ethics in Islam, ed. Bilal Orfali, Atif
Khalil, and Mohammed Rustom (AUB Press, 2022), pp. 181–196.
October 16
On Listening
Readings:
- Christian Lange, “Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751/1350) on the Virtues of
the Eye and the Ear,” in Islamic Sensory History, Volume 2: 600–1500, ed.
Christian Lange and Adam Bursi (Brill, 2024), pp. 389–400.
An optional fun reading:
- Tanvir Ahmed and Shahzad Bashir, “Abū l-Majd Tabrīzī (d. after
736/1336) on the Debate between the Ear and the Eye,” in Islamic
Sensory History, Volume 2: 600–1500, ed. Christian Lange and Adam
Bursi (Brill, 2024), pp. 159–169.
October 23
On Caregiving
Readings:
- Mohammed Rustom, “On Listening: Hearing God’s Voice in the Face of
Suffering,” Sacred Web 45.
- Mona Siddiqui, “Introduction,” in Mona Siddiqui, Hospitality and Islam:
Welcoming in God's Name (Yale University Press, 2015).
October 30
On Smells, Smiles, and Tears
Readings:
- Adam Bursi and Anya King, “Al-Kindī (d. after 256/870) on the Effects of
Music, Colors, and Scents,” in Islamic Sensory History, Volume 2:
600–1500, ed. Christian Lange and Adam Bursi (Brill, 2024), pp. 209–219.
- William Chittick, “Weeping in Classical Sufism,” in Holy Tears: Weeping in
the Religious Imagination (Princeton University Press, 2005), pp.
132–144.
A working command of the vocabulary of Islamic metaphysics — wujūd, māhiyya, the gradation of being — used precisely, not loosely.
The capacity to read primary texts of Ibn Sīnā and Mullā Ṣadrā with comprehension rather than reverence alone.
An understanding of why the tradition treats metaphysics as the science of realities — and what that claim asks of the knower.
Direct exchange with Professor Nasr in open Q&A after every session — the part no book can replace.
Hina Khalid is an author and scholar of religion whose work explores theology, philosophy, and spirituality across Islamic, Christian, and Indic traditions.
In their own words.
The most valuable aspect of the course was:
“Discovering that Islam is so much deeper than I thought it was. I've been searching for the longest time for something within Islam that was intellectually satisfying… I really hope you'll do more of these courses!”
“Studying with Professor Chittick was deeply transformative and an immense privilege.”
“This was a wonderful, intellectually stimulating course! I especially appreciated the interactions with other students and Dr. Faruque’s responses to my questions, as well as the care taken to accurately present alternative viewpoints.”
The thing I liked about this most was:
“Its profound exploration of the spiritual and intellectual foundations of reality in Islam—particularly how metaphysical principles connect the Divine, cosmos, and human soul.”
“It was a great honor and privilege for me to be able to attend Professor Chittick’s class. His mastery and knowledge of the subject of cosmology made the class very interesting.”
Professor Faruque’s course marked a shift from viewing AI as a technical challenge to an ontological one. In an era where “Dataism” threatens to reduce the human soul to a series of algorithms, this course provided a vital intellectual defense of the anthropocosmic self. Professor Faruque brilliantly articulated that while AI can process information, it cannot embody knowledge as a “mode of being.”
“The most valuable aspect of this course for me was gaining a deeper understanding of the foundations and significance of Muslim metaphysics.”
“I felt transported to a different realm during every class, which almost never happens in an academic course. My heart and intellect were both fully engaged. This was due to Professor Chittick's deep knowledge, mastery/love for the subject, and exceptional skills as an orator.”
“This course needs to be translated into other languages spoken in the Muslim world and made more accessible to those audiences.”
“I’m very grateful to attend his astonishing lectures this fall initiated by the Tokat Institute. Barakallah.”
“The most valuable aspect of this course was that Professor Chittick presented Islamic cosmology on its own terms rather than through a diluted Western philosophical lens.”
“This course helped me find answers to many questions that we need to address now and in the near future. Dr. Faruque delivered the course in a highly credible and professional manner.”
“Clarified my understanding of what Islamic metaphysics is, which I hadn’t understood, and the destructive influence of empiricism and related modern ideas/mindsets. This is a very freeing thing!”
“Dr. Chittick's presence and vast knowledge of the subject is invaluable.”
“The instructor’s openness to welcoming questions, critiques, and additions was what truly made the course engaging and valuable. The instructor's efforts and knowledge are undoubtedly appreciated.”
“Prof. Rustom, with his cheerful manner and fluent expression, made even difficult concepts understandable in simple language.”
“In this course Professor Chittick offered us a compact and stimulating presentation of Islamic cosmology. His lectures were well-informed and gave us a clear window into the basic concepts related to the field.”
“The themes covered, the resources (articles, books, and lecture slides) shared, and the thought-provoking lectures were all deeply enriching.”
“Very pleasurable to hear God spoken of in the context of an academic frame.”
“The depth of reflection that was nurtured in the course was very helpful. An excellent course!”
“The way the epistemic foundations of AI were expounded upon helped one see the trajectory of how we have arrived at this point, and how AI is a result and manifestation of this convoluted way of understanding consciousness, humanity, God, nature, and existence. I am grateful to Professor Faruque for sharing his views and perspectives on this topic, as well as his knowledge, which spans technology, religion, and spirituality.”
“I would highly recommend it to others.”
“Very happy with the course and I hope there will be more similar courses in the future.”
“The most valuable aspect of this course was the presence, wisdom, experiences, and discourses of beloved Mohammed Rustom. Following that is the amazing book he has written. What a gem. Great translations. Organized beautifully. The third aspect is the community of beloveds who joined, shared, and contributed with their presences and questions.”
“Absolutely amazing! please offer more of the same! Please!”
"The most valuable aspect of the course for me was understanding how Islamic teachings integrate spiritual, emotional, and physical healing. It helped me see health not just as a medical condition, but as a holistic balance rooted in faith, ethics, and compassion."
"Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for the positive influence you've had in my life and the lives of those around me. Your lectures continue to inspire me to explore alternative paths and to support others in their healing journeys."
"The course provided a powerful argument in support of alternative healing through holistically making the learners identify with the entirety of life than just material and physical form."
“I have greatly benefited from the alternative approaches to healing and well-being that your lectures provide. Your insights have opened my eyes to the deeper connections between mind, body, and spirit.”
“Your insights and scholarship have tremendously enriched my understanding of the subject. I have found your teaching style to be both informative and inspiring, and I appreciate the effort you put into making complex topics accessible.”
“I can’t overstate how amazing your class was and its impact on me. ‘Ayn Al-Qudāt is now a household name in our family. My oldest daughter and I would read passages from Inrushes of the Heart (incredible title), many of which are both beautiful and thought-provoking.”
