As-Salamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatu Allah wa Barakatuh. I am a muslim student living in England. A few weeks ago I found out that the only lecturer on Islam in the university is an Israeli Jewish. Am I allowed to take a course with him?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

If you have enough knowledge to counter the misconceptions that the Jewish teacher may perhaps present about Islam, then it is permissible for you to attend his lectures, or it may even be emphatic for you to attend in such a case so that you counter his misconceptions for other students and defend the religion of Allaah. However, if you do not have enough knowledge to counter his misconceptions, it is not permissible for you to attend.

In any case, you and your fellow Muslim students should contact the university administration and request that a Muslim teacher teaches you that subject because of you not feeling secure – in light of the enmity between Muslims and Jews – that that teacher will not distort the image of Islam in one way or another, and you should clarify to them that it is not fair and just that someone who teaches a particular religion does not belong to that religion and that you have the right to object to this matter.