The Art of Companionship: Ethics, Duties & Sacred Bonds

Instructor: Ustadha Kouthar Muttardy

What does Islam teach us about being a good friend, companion, brother, sister, and member of a community?

Over this 10-week course, Ustadha Kouthar Muttardy will guide students through the ethics, responsibilities, and spiritual dimensions of companionship through two classical works: Imam al-Shaʿrani’s Etiquettes of Companionship and Imam al-Ghazali’s The Duties of Brotherhood.

Students will explore the qualities that sustain sincere relationships: loyalty, generosity, good counsel, patience, forgiveness, appropriate boundaries, and a genuine concern for the spiritual well-being of others. The course will also examine the responsibilities we owe one another and how Islamic adab can guide us through the challenges that naturally arise in human relationships.

At its heart, this course asks what it means to build friendships and communities rooted not merely in shared interests, but in mutual growth and companionship for the sake of Allah.

Location: ADAMS Sterling
Schedule: Tuesdays, 7:00–9:00 PM
Start Date: September 22, 2026
Duration: 10 weeks
Audience: Open to all adults
Texts: Etiquettes of Companionship and The Duties of Brotherhood