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2-Day Seminar · Virginia

The Muslim Guide to Finding Calm in Chaos

Connecting Qur'anic wisdom to the ideological battles of our time.

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Liberalism·Declinism·Christian Zionism·Media Narratives·Gaza·LGBTQ+·Eschatology·Islamic Philosophy· Liberalism·Declinism·Christian Zionism·Media Narratives·Gaza·LGBTQ+·Eschatology·Islamic Philosophy·
Culture Wars · 2025

Seminar Topics

Six deep-dive sessions covering ideology, history, philosophy and scripture — equipping you to navigate the battles of our time with clarity and conviction.

01
American Culture Wars

A comprehensive examination of the ideological conflicts that have shaped American society — from the culture wars of the 1960s to the battles playing out on campuses and in legislatures today.

  • The origins and evolution of culture war politics
  • Tracing parallels: Vietnam protests and Gaza campus activism
  • How ideology shapes media, education and law
  • What it means for Muslims living in America
02
History of Palestine

From Canaan to the Nakba — a rigorous historical account of how the land of Palestine was settled, contested and transformed, and how Israel came into existence.

  • Pre-modern history of the region
  • The Balfour Declaration and Mandate period
  • The Nakba and the dispossession of Palestinians
  • Countering false historical narratives
03
The Gaza Imperative

An honest reckoning with the moral and political dimensions of the conflict in Gaza, and what it demands of Muslims in America — practically, spiritually and politically.

  • Understanding the contemporary situation
  • Media narratives and how to respond
  • Moral frameworks: Islamic ethics in geopolitical conflict
  • Practical civic and advocacy responses
04
Islamic Theo-Philosophy

Engaging the great questions of existence, knowledge and ethics through the lens of the Islamic intellectual tradition — building a worldview capable of withstanding modern ideological pressure.

  • What is a worldview and why it matters
  • The Islamic cosmological and moral framework
  • Responding to secularism, atheism and relativism
  • Certainty in an age of uncertainty
05
Qur'anic Studies

A Tafsīr of Sūrah Āl ʿImrān — drawing on classical exegetical tradition to unlock timeless lessons on hardship, resilience and divine aid that speak directly to the trials of our moment.

  • Introduction to classical Tafsīr methodology
  • Lessons on tribulation and divine wisdom
  • Community, solidarity and the mu'min's response
  • Connecting Qur'anic guidance to contemporary events
06
Comparative Eschatology

How do Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions understand the end of days — and how do those beliefs shape geopolitical positions, support for Israel, and the logic of Christian Zionism?

  • The Bible, the Bullet and the Border Wall
  • Christian Zionism: theology and political impact
  • Islamic eschatology and current events
  • Cross-tradition dialogue and divergence
Sample Schedule
Featured Lectures
Lecture 1
From Canaan to the Nakba
The Epic Story of Palestine
Lecture 2
The Bible, the Bullet, and the Border Wall
Christian Zionism and the Palestinian Question
Lecture 3
Is the Empire Unraveling?
The American Project at the Crossroads of History
Lecture 4
Silenced
Tucker Carlson, Cancel Culture & the First Amendment
Faculty
Speakers
HT
Hamza Tzortzis
Founder & CEO · Sapience Institute
FT
Fahad Tasleem
Research Fellow · Sapience Institute
AA
Anwar Arafat
Imam · Islamic Assoc. of Greater Memphis
AJ
Abdullah Jamil
Community Leader & Educator
HI
Hamza Ibn Mohamed
Arabic & Islamic Studies · Al-Waraqaat Institute
Culture Wars · 2025

Featured Speakers

Scholars, researchers and community leaders joining us for a powerful 2-day seminar on navigating ideological chaos with clarity and conviction.

HT
★ Speaker 01
Hamza Tzortzis
Founder & CEO · Sapience Institute
Hamza Andreas Tzortzis is the founder and CEO of Sapience Institute and author of the bestselling 'The Divine Reality: God, Islam and The Mirage of Atheism', translated into over 10 languages. He holds an MRes, MA and PgCert in Philosophy from the University of London and is currently pursuing his PhD on the Qur'ān and its verses pertaining to nature.
Theology & Apologetics
FT
★ Speaker 02
Fahad Tasleem
Research Fellow · Sapience Institute
Fahad Tasleem is a research fellow and instructor at The Sapience Institute and author of "No Doubt: Finding Certainty in an Age of Uncertainty". His research at Sapience focuses on Islamic Theo-Philosophy & Spirituality, helping Muslims engage confidently with the modern world.
Islamic Philosophy
AA
★ Speaker 03
Anwar Arafat
Imam · Islamic Assoc. of Greater Memphis
Anwar Arafat has served as Imam in Memphis since 2014, previously serving in Salt Lake City, UT. He earned a bachelor's in Islamic Studies and a master's in Islamic Leadership at TISA in Dallas, Texas, and serves as U.S. Outreach Specialist for iERA, an international Dawah organisation.
Dawah & Outreach
AJ
★ Speaker 04
Abdullah Jamil
Community Leader & Educator
Abdullah Jamil, a psychology graduate from George Mason University with a focus on behaviour and sociology, studied Arabic and Quran in Egypt. He founded an organisation supporting incarcerated youth in their Islamic development and aiding their reintegration through college essay assistance, resume help, and community mentorship.
Community & Youth
HI
★ Speaker 05
Hamza Ibn Mohamed
Instructor · Al-Waraqaat Institute
Ustadh Hamza Ibn Mohamed specialises in Arabic and Islamic studies, including Quranic Tafsir and Usul al-Fiqh. He studied under Dr. Mohamed Hasan Uthman and Shaykh Saami Al-Mecci, holding several ijazats in Arabic. He is known for his online classes and participation in Islamic events worldwide, with a focus on knowledge dissemination.
Qur'anic Studies
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More Speakers Announced Soon

Additional speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Pre-Requisite Series
The Human Project

This series is a pre-requisite for the class — try your best to watch before attending.

Click to Watch
Part 1
What Is a Worldview?
Part 2
Does Everyone Have a Worldview?
Part 3
The Main Components of a Worldview
Part 4
Comparing the Worldviews
Part 5
Rationality and First Principles
Part 6
What Is the Fitrah?
Culture Wars · Online

Online Course

The full Culture Wars curriculum — available on demand. Go deep on every topic at your own pace, from wherever you are.

Free to Watch

The Human
Project

A pre-requisite series for the Culture Wars course — building the foundational worldview you need before diving into the seminar material. Watch all 6 parts free.

Click to Watch
Part 1
What Is a Worldview?
Part 2
Does Everyone Have a Worldview?
Part 3
The Main Components of a Worldview
Part 4
Comparing the Worldviews
Part 5
Rationality and First Principles
Part 6
What Is the Fitrah?

★ Notify Me When It Launches

Join the waitlist and we'll let you know the moment the full course goes live.

★ Join the Next Event

All proceeds support Sapience Institute's mission in America

Floor seating · Snacks & refreshments · Light dinner available
Sapience Institute
Support Sapience

If you are interested in becoming a major donor to support Sapience's efforts in America — please reach out to us at a.jamil@sapienceinstitute.org. We are currently seeking serious, committed major donors.

Culture Wars
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© 2025 Culture Wars · Sapience Institute · a.jamil@sapienceinstitute.org