This course is designed as a general survey of primary texts (in translation) that are illustrative of recurrent themes in Islamic religious thought and history. This course attempts to develop a broad understanding of the religious interpretations and texts that underlie the diverse expressions of Islam in a wide range of historical, social, and cultural contexts. This course will focus on the examination of religious sources that have fundamentally contributed to Muslim self-definitions (Qur’ān, Ḥadīth, sūra “biography of the Prophet Muḥammad, fiqh “Islamic Law”, tafsīr “Qur’ānic commentary” ). Since examination of primary texts does not reduce the need for historical study of Islamic civilization, this course will utilize a chronological narrative to emphasize the ways in which these sources have contributed to and continue to inform the development of Islamic social, cultural and political institutions. The goal of the present course is to develop a depth of understanding and penetration into Islam’s intrinsic religious sensibilities through self-conscious reflections on Islamic social, cultural and intellectual traditions.
- Teacher: Tariq al-Jamil