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‘Problematic’ Hadiths Explained: Navigating the Prophet’s Legacy With Confidence

Examine how scholars have addressed hadiths that appear to conflict with science, our beliefs about God, and moral sensibilities about gender. The course is now available on-demand, allowing you to access it anytime, anywhere.

In today’s online world, faith-shaking doubts often begin with a single hadith that is quoted without context or assumed to represent a holistic picture of the legacy of our Prophet ﷺ.

Course Features

This course is available on-demand, giving you the flexibility to learn whenever it suits you.
Access all course materials anytime, anywhere
Engage with practical exercises for real-world application
Download resources and readings for reference
Stream course recordings at your convenience

Explore ‘Problematic’ Hadiths Explained: Navigating the Prophet’s Legacy With Confidence and start learning today:

Course Description

Have you ever come across a hadith of the Prophet ﷺ that made you pause — even feel disturbed or confused? A narration that just didn’t sit right… about women, science, history, belief, or something else?

You’re not alone. In today’s online world, faith-shaking doubts often begin with a single hadith — quoted without context or assumed to represent a holistic picture of the legacy of our Prophet ﷺ.

In this course, Dr. Mariam Sheibani examines how scholars dealt with “problematic hadiths” carefully, critically, and faithfully since the beginning of Islam. Participants will learn the framework scholars used and apply this framework to three detailed case studies.

Through these case studies, participants will understand how ‘problematic’ hadiths should be interpreted when they appear to clash with science, our beliefs about God, or our moral sensibilities about gender. In the process, students will develop ways to navigate the legacy of our Prophet ﷺ, paving a path to cultivating a deeper conviction and connection with the Prophet ﷺ.

In this course, you will:

Gain foundational understandings about hadith, its history, and responses to common and orientalist criticisms.
Explain how hadiths are authenticated and what the authenticity of a hadith implies about a statement’s likely attribution to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and its application in Muslim practice.
Learn a framework outlining a methodology for interpreting hadith that appear ‘problematic, contradicting, or anomalous’ (mukhtalif or mushkil).
Confidently apply the ‘Problematic Hadith Framework’ to three case studies examining hadiths about theology, science/archeology, and gender.
Form a deeper connection with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through reflecting on your relationship with his teachings and contemplating the intended wisdom of his words.

Course Outline

Session 1: Principles for Understanding Prophetic Guidance

This session explores three foundational questions:

What is hadith? How does it relate to the Sunna?
How are hadiths authenticated? What do the categories of authenticity actually mean?
Is an authentic hadith always applied, and a weak hadith discarded?

Session 2: A Framework for Interpreting ‘Problematic’ Hadith

This session focuses on three guiding questions:

What makes a hadith “problematic” (mushkil)?
How are the steps in the scholarly methodology for interpreting ‘problematic’ hadiths?

This framing methodology is illustrated by applying it to a series of examples.

Session 3: Theological Troubles? — When a hadith appears to conflict with belief

This session analyzes the first of three case studies, the first being the narration in which the Prophet ﷺ asks a slave girl, “Where is God?” She replies, “In the heaven,” and the Prophet ﷺ affirms her as a believer. [Muslim]

This hadith was debated among theologians for centuries and to the present day because it seems to imply that God is spatially located. Studying this narration provides a window into the rich interpretive methods scholars have used to explain it.

Session 4: Scientific Clash? — When a hadith appears to conflict with science

This session tackles the second case study, the heavily debated hadith: “Allah created Adam in His form; his height was sixty cubits (30 meters).” [Bukhari and Muslim]

It explores both the meaning of Adam’s creation “in His form” and his 30-meter stature, which is scientifically and archaeologically contested. This case study offers insight into how to reconcile hadith with science as it continues to evolve.

Session 5: Demeaning Women? — When a hadith appears to conflict with moral sensibilities and lived experience

This final session examines the hadith most frequently inquired about, which states that “Women are the majority of hellfire” and “Women are deficient in intellect and religion,” as the common translation goes. [Bukhari and Muslim]

This case study demonstrates how the scholarly methodology applied in earlier sessions can help interpret hadiths that appear to conflict with moral sensibilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the course open to everyone?

Yes, the course is open to all. Both men and women are welcome.

Will recordings be available?

Yes, recordings are available to registered participants within 24 hours of the live session.

Students will have lifetime access to all recordings and course materials.

What texts are used as a basis for the course?

To prepare this course, Dr. Sheibani combines insights drawn from diverse hadith sciences and commentaries, academic and historical studies, and over 20 years of study of hadith with leading scholars in the field.

What is the expected commitment for the course?

Creating a community for collaborative learning and reflection is a core principle of Dr. Mariam’s work. Expectations for this course entail:

Attendance of the live weekly session is the core commitment. While we anticipate that participants may have challenges attending live from time to time, we strongly encourage live attendance of the sessions. Recordings will be made available for those unable to attend live.
Engagement: Participants will be asked to fill out pre- and post-course questionnaires in which they can pose their questions before the course and evaluate their learning after the course.
Active participation in the live session is encouraged (but not required). We recognize that while some course participants learn best through discussion, exchange in community, and engaging with the instructor, others participants prefer to simply absorb the content. The course is structured in a way to support both learning styles.

Are there any resources provided for the course?

The course will include five engaging live sessions and a workbook with reflective learning activities. Participants will also have access to the course recordings and session slides.

Prior to the course, students are encouraged to explore the recommended videos and articles shared under “Pre Course Preparation” in the course portal.

I'd like to take the course but I can't afford the tuition. Do you provide scholarships?

Participants unable to afford the course tuition are encouraged to apply for our limited number of scholarships. The application closes on August 16, 2025, after which scholarship applications will not be accepted. All applicants will be notified by August 20, 2025.

We encourage applicants to apply only when there is a cause or reason that, without a sponsorship-supported placement, would mean they are not able to attend the course or if allocating their resources to finance the course would result in a loss of essential resources. No participants will be turned away for lack of funds.