Marion Katz
Skinner 201C
x2721; mkatz@
Course objectives: This course is intended to familiarize
you with a broad range of the most important Islamic beliefs,
practices, and issues of debate. It should equip you to recognize,
understand and appreciate the different expressions of Islam that
you will encounter in the future, both in your community and in
world events; it should also give you critical perspective on
coverage of Islam in the Western press.
Course requirements: Everyone's enjoyment of the course
will depend on your coming to class prepared, having read the
assigned material and pondered it sufficiently to comment on it
constructively. Written work will include three short papers (3-4
pages) and one longer paper (5-7 pages).
Calculation of final grade:
Class participation: 15%
Short papers: 20% each
Longer paper: 25%
Monday, September 13
Introduction
Wednesday, September 15
The world at the rise of Islam
Reading: Selections of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry
Monday, September 20
No class (Yom Kippur)
Wednesday, September 22
Life of Muhammad (PBUH)
Reading: Rahman, Ch. 1 (pp. 11-29); "The Life and Work
of the Prophet" (from Peters, Reader on Classical Islam)
Monday, September 27
The Prophet in Islamic devotion
Reading: Mevlud from Atom from the Sun of Knowledge;
Mi`rajnameh
*Audio of poetry on the birth of the Prophet (PBUH)
*Legal
debate on the legitimacy of celebrating the Prophet's birthday
Wednesday, September 29
The Qur'an 1: signs of God
Reading: Rahman, Ch. 2 (pp.30-42); Koran, Ch. 16, 55, 91,
96, 100
*Listen
to Qur'anic recitation
Monday, October 4
The Qur'an 2: fitra, khilafa, judgment
Reading: Koran, Ch. 52-53, 56, 76, 81-84, 88, 92-96, 101-104,
107-108
Wendesday, October 6
The Qur'an 3: sacred history
Reading: Koran, Ch. 2, 11-12
Monday, October 11
October break
Wednesday, October 13
Five Pillars 1: confession of faith, prayer, fasting, almsgiving
Reading: "Ramadan in Cairo," from Abu-Zahra, The
Pure and the Powerful, pp. 289-301;"Day of Ramadan,"
from Assia Djebar, Women of Algiers in Their Apartment;
Ch. 1 and 4 from Michael Wolfe, The Hadj
*Prayer times, qibla, and other useful information
Monday, October 18
Five Pillars 2: pilgrimage
Reading: Daa'iya Taha, "The Sacred Journey," from
My Soul Is a Witness: African-American Women's Spirituality;
Saida Miller Khalifa, selection from The Fifth Pillar (in
One Thousand Roads to Mecca)
Wednesday, October 20
After the death of the Prophet
Reading: Esposito, "The Muslim Community in History,"
(pp. 34-68 of Islam: The Straight Path)
*Useful
maps for Islamic history
Monday, October 25
The death of al-Husayn and the rise of Shi'ism
Reading: Ayoub, Redemptive Suffering in Islam, pp.
120-147; Fernea, Guests of the Shaykh, pp. 105-115
*Samples of Shi'ite lamentations
*Religious narratives about Shi'ite shrines
*Pictures
of Shi'ite shrines
Wednesday, October 27
Islamic law (shari`a) 1: origins and structure
Reading: Rahman, Ch. 3-4 (pp. 43-84)
Monday, November 1
Islamic law (shari`a) 2: case study
Reading: Hattox, Coffee and Coffeehouses, chapters
TBA
Wednesday, November 3
Islamic law (shari`a) 3: women's issues
Reading: Barbara Freyer Stowasser, "The Status of Women
in Early Islam," from Muslim Women, ed. Freda Hussain
Monday, November 8
Islamic law (shari`a) 4: jihad, inner and outer
Reading: Ethics of War and Peace, ed. Terry Nardin,
Ch. 7-8
Wednesday, November 10
Theology
Reading: Rahman, Ch. 5 (pp. 85-99); "Qur'anic passages
relating to predestination and free will"
Monday, November 15
Sufism 1: origins
Reading: Early Islamic Mysticism, Ch. 4 (pp. 151-170),
Ch. 9 (pp. 266-280), pp. 242-250; selection on the life of Abu
Said from Peters, Reader on Classical Islam
Wednesday, November 17
Sufism 2: a classical expression
Reading: Attar, Conference of the Birds
Monday, November 22
No class (AAR conference)
Wednesday, November 24
Thanksgiving break
Monday, November 29
Sufism 3: theory
Reading: Rahman, Ch. 8 (pp. 128-149); Early Islamic Mysticism
, Ch. 3 (pp. 97-150)
Wednesday, December 1
Sufism 4: practice
*Listen to dhikr on the Web
Monday, December 6
Sufism 4: organization (tariqa)
Reading: Rahman, Ch. 9 (pp. 150-166)
*Chishti
Order
Wednesday, December 8
Islamic philosophy 1
Reading: Ibn Tufayl, "Hayy ibn Yaqzan"
Monday, December 13
Islamic philosophy 2
Reading: "Life of Ibn Sina"; excerpt from Ibn Sina,
Mi`rajnameh; Rahman, Ch. 7
Wednesday, December 15
TBA