Definition:

The PhD Comparative Hadith Studies is the highest academic and specialized program in the field of Hadith studies which holds an inter-Islamic religions approach. Students carry out a collection of research works as well as taught courses and after successful completion of the program they receive PhD in Comparative Hadith Studies.

Aims:

• Instructing researchers and experts in the field of Hadith Studies

• Training lecturers for graduate and postgraduate levels to work in universities and seminary schools

• Expanding the boundaries in the relevant area

• Training disseminators who have authority in the area of Hadith Studies

• Laying the groundwork for training Mojtahid in the area of Comparative Hadith Studies

• Educational Objectives:

• Attaching importance to students’ moral and spiritual development

• Encouraging students in research through allocating a minimum of 30 per cent of course unit time to research work (apart from dissertation)

• Nourishing effective researchers so that they can acquire the latest related developments

• Facilitating students’ access to the latest methods and tools used in research

• Expanding students’ skills in teaching, disseminating, translating and authoring

• Strengthening students’ proficiency in debates, criticizing and evaluating various fields and responding to modern questions and doubts regarding Hadith Studies.

• Attaching importance to innovation and putting forward of theories and knowledge in Islamic Theology

• Having attention to enter-religion coherence (for Islamic sects) through focusing on Ahl-e Bayt’s principles and teachings regarding Hadith studies.

Admission:

Students’ master degrees must be in the field of Hadith Studies. The process of admission is based on the Admission General and Specific Regulations

Students with other academic backgrounds must pass the prerequisites according to the regulations

Program Structure:

• PhD Shiite History contains 60 credits

• The program is studied over a maximum of 5 years

• Students must submit an 20-credit dissertation

• Theoretical and practical credits are respectively 16 and 32 hours.

• Students can take between 6 to 10 credits each semester except for the 18-credit dissertation

Course Unit Structure:

Importance and Necessity:

Many of the Shiite and Sunni commentaries have interpreted the Quranic verses separately and through special religious approaches; thus there are numerous differences in the commentary of Shiite, Sunni and other Islamic sects and it is necessary to analyze these Quranic verses comparatively so that the true commentary of the verses can be clarified and a step toward unity of Muslim is taken.

Role and Effectiveness:

Comparative Commentary makes students proficient at Shiite and Sunni commentary sources and also helps them become familiar with modern arguments in the field of commentary and areas such as Hermeneutics and the language of the Quran, and consequently it prepares students to work in Shiite and Sunni academic institutions as lecturer and defend the commentary viewpoints of the Ahl-e Bayt more effectively.

Course Units:

a.Seminary Course Units (Jurisprudence and Principles of Islamic Law):

Note: the Syllabus of Seminary Course Units is in accordance with Jurisprudence and Principles of Islamic Law introduced by the MIU.

b.Prerequisite Course Units:

c.Specialized Course Units: