SMCE3020 F26 Introduction to Islamic Philosophy & Mysticism

• Delivery: Online
• Duration: 6 weeks
• Day of the week: Wednesdays
• Dates: October 28th to December 2nd
• Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
• Location: Online via Zoom
• Cost: $150
• Level of Interfaith Dialogue (for learners taking the Diploma in Interfaith Dialogue): Dialogue of Theological Exchange

Course Overview

This six-week course provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the rich intellectual heritage of Islamic philosophy and mysticism. Designed specifically for non-specialists and those interested in deepening interfaith understanding, the course maps the vibrant landscape of Islamic thought, exploring how reason, revelation, and spiritual intuition intersect. Students will explore a high-level map of the tradition’s Greek roots alongside the foundational questions that animated classical thinkers.

Avoiding dense technicality, the course clarifies the boundaries between major intellectual disciplines—such as Kalam, Philosophy, and Mysticism, including Sufism and the Shiʿī tradition of ʿIrfān (gnosis)—and examines the distinct methodologies of major philosophical schools like the Peripatetic (Masha), Illuminationist (Eshragh), and Transcendent Theosophy (al-ḥikmah al-mutaʿāliyah) traditions. By examining these profound concepts through accessible texts, poetry, and art, learners will gain the essential vocabulary and conceptual framework needed to understand the Islamic intellectual worldview and participate in constructive, enriching inter-faith dialogues.

SMCE3020 is an elective course within the Diploma in Interfaith Dialogue. Learners who wish to complete this program can learn more on our website. Enrolment in this course is open to all learners.

SMCE3020 is part of the Micro Certificate in Muslim Studies co-delivered with the Shi’a Research Institute

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, learners will:

Identify the core definitions, boundaries, and historical development of Islamic Philosophy, Theology (Kalam), and Mysticism (Irfan/Sufism), including their early encounters with the Greek intellectual tradition.

Distinguish between the major schools of Islamic philosophical thought, including the Peripatetic (Masha), Illuminationist (Eshragh), and Transcendent Theosophy (al-ḥikmah al-mutaʿāliyah) traditions.

Explore how foundational Islamic sources, such as the Quran and Hadith, inspired and shaped both philosophical inquiry and mystical practice.

Recognize how the profound intersection of philosophy, emotion, and art within the Islamic intellectual tradition is actively lived and expressed through day-to-day life.

Acquire a foundational vocabulary of key Arabic and Islamic philosophical and mystical terms to confidently navigate future independent reading or lectures.

About the Instructor

Faezeh Izadi

Faezeh Izadi is a Sessional Instructor and a scholar of Islamic thought with over a decade of teaching experience at the university and secondary levels. Her research focuses on Shi‘i intellectual history, Islamic and Western moral philosophy, and philanthropic studies. Faezeh’s scholarship has earned several prestigious honors, most notably a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship and the AMI Scholarship for young scholars of Twelver Shīʿism.

As the co-founder of the Muslim Impact Lab—a multidisciplinary initiative designed to bridge scholarly research with tangible social impact—and a former Public Humanities Fellow at the Calgary Institute for the Humanities, Faezeh is dedicated to bridging the gap between scholarly research and community action.

Faezeh’s pedagogical approach is rooted in fostering epistemological humility and imaginative inquiry, encouraging students to engage deeply with complex religious and philosophical traditions. Her expertise is informed by four years of traditional Islamic seminary training in Qom, alongside dual Master’s degrees: one in Religious Studies from Queen’s University and another in the Comparative Study of Religions and Mysticism from the University of Kashan. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Religious Studies at the University of Calgary.

Questions?