This course will help students build a foundational understanding of how Islamic law (Shari’ah) operates within the Shia tradition. It will provide clarity on how rulings are derived, the role of a marja‘, and how to apply Islamic law to daily life with confidence. Students will walk away with the tools to practice their faith with greater awareness, intentionality, and submission to Allah through knowledgeable obedience.

Students will explore the origins, structure, and objectives of Islamic law as understood in Shia jurisprudence. They will learn about the five legal rulings (obligatory, recommended, permissible, disliked, forbidden), the sources of law (Qur’an, Sunnah, consensus, intellect), and the methodology of ijtihad used by scholars to derive rulings. The course will also introduce the concept of taqlid (following a jurist), the difference between fiqh (law) and akhlaq (ethics), and how Islamic rulings are both spiritually purposeful and practically applicable. Through real-life examples, students will begin to see how Shari’ah is not just a legal system but a divine path to personal and societal balance.

This session is ideal for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of Islam beyond rituals and into the structured system that governs ethical and lawful living. It is especially beneficial for youth, new Muslims, and those who want to move from cultural assumptions to informed religious practice. Students, community leaders, and anyone interested in how Islamic law applies in modern times through the Shia lens will find this course enriching.

Hajj Jalal Moughania

Haj Jalal Moughania is an international lawyer, speaker, author, and law professor. Professor Moughania teaches Islamic law to juris doctorate candidates at Wayne State University Law School. He recently introduced ‘Islamic Law’ into the curriculum at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, a leading Catholic university in Michigan.

In his study of Islam, Moughania has written and translated several original works on Islam such as Grand Ayatollah M.S. Al-Hakeem’s ‘Marjaeya: A Candid Conversation’ and Ayatollah Chamseddine’s ‘The Course of History: A Study in the Peak of Eloquence’. He is the co-author of ‘The Pope Meets the Ayatollah: An Introduction to Shia Islam’ and author of the historical narratives ‘Ali: The Elixir of Love’, ‘Husayn: The Saga of Hope’ and ‘Fatima: The Flower of Life’.

Moughania regularly speaks at conferences, centers of worship and universities around the world. He is a cofounder of the Mainstay Foundation and serves on its Board of Directors. He is a principal attorney and general counsel at his law firm – ATLAW.

Moughania holds a doctorate in law and certificates in Economic Development and Public Policy from Oxford and Harvard.

  • Start Date: Wednesday, September 17th, 2025
  • End Date: to be added
  • Start Time: 05:30 PM ET
  • Duration: 60-minutes
  • Offered: In-Person Only
  • Location: The Mainstay Foundation
    • 15170 N. Commerce Dr. Dearborn, MI 48120