This course conceives of the Qur’ān as a living text in constant flux through interactions with the lived experiences of Muslims and other religious traditions. It focuses on developing an understanding of the Qur’ān’s form, style, and content through a close reading of comparable religious texts. Major topics covered include the Qur’ānic theory of prophecy, its treatment of the Biblical tradition (both that of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible), and its perspective on pre-Islamic religion. The central goals of the course include the ability to (a) analyze primary these religious sources from a critical and literary perspective and (b) construct coherent arguments based on concrete evidence from the textual sources. In a class of this nature, class participants will likely hold or develop a wide variety of opinions about the topics covered. The goal is not to adopt a single opinion concerning the interpretation of a particular text, but rather to support one’s personal conclusions in a clear and coherent manner based on concrete evidence from the course materials.
- Teacher: Tariq al-Jamil