New Course Proposal Scott Lucas Dept. of Near Eastern Studies Religious Studies Program Summary of the proposed course TRAD 101: The Religion of Islam The goal of the proposed course The Religion of Islam is to provide a sound introduction to the fundamental concepts and schools of thought within the Islamic religion. The course draws from the entire fourteen-century history of Islam and devotes particular attention to the formative period from 600-900 CE. Students will learn the differences between Sunni and Shi i Islam, major positions of the three primary theological schools, and spend a week exploring the rich mystical tradition. They will also engage in the analysis of key Islamic texts, such as the Qur an and the teachings of the Prophet (hadith), and architectural marvels, such as the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Taj Mahal. The course concludes with modern political Islamic movements in the Middle East and the Muslim community in the United States. Students who complete this class successfully will have examined Islam as a distinct array of ideas, customs, values, and artistic expressions that have developed over time due to a wide variety of social changes. This course challenges and assesses students in several ways. The weekly discussion sections ensure that students engage the assigned readings and articulate their understanding of them in an intimate setting. The two papers require that they critically examine foundational texts of the Islamic tradition and represent their thoughts in lucid prose. The exams transcend mere memorization of facts and challenge students to explain in short essays what social and political forces shaped the emergence of diverse schools of thought over the course of the venture of Islam. Honors students are required to write an original 10-15 page research paper and work in close communication with their professor in lieu of the second short paper. This paper is qualitatively superior to the short paper since Honors students will be required to employ the resources of the library for research in Islamic Studies, such as Index Islamicus and the Encyclopaedia of Islam. They are enrolled in the professor s weekly discussion section, where they will be assigned additional readings and class presentations on a regular basis. Another benefit of this proposed course is that it will enable the Tier Two NES 334 Islamic Thought course to be devoted largely to primary sources in translation of the Islamic tradition. Currently, the absence of an introductory class devoted to the religion of Islam has necessitated that the Islamic Thought class be taught with less focus on primary sources in translation and greater attention to history than its title would indicate. The implementation of a Tier One course on Islam thus allows students to choose between a thoroughly introductory course on the Islamic religion and a course that engages more intensely works from the Islamic intellectual traditions. The addition of a Tier One Religion of Islam class not only promises to increase the exposure of Islam to a wider array of students, but will enhance the curriculum of Islamic Studies in the Near Eastern Studies department and the Religious Studies Program.
This proposed Religion of Islam course differs significantly from two related GEN ED courses, TRAD 101 Middle East Humanities and INDIV 103 Islamic Civilization. The existing TRAD 101 course devotes approximately one week to the religion of Islam and focuses primarily upon the diverse cultures of and conflicts in the modern Middle East. The Islamic Civilization course divides its syllabus between past Islamic empires and contemporary issues in the modern Middle East. My proposed course examines the Islamic religion in far greater depth than either of these two existing courses, and also examines Muslim communities outside the boundaries of the Middle East, where, in fact, most Muslims today reside. For example, we will spend two weeks investigating the Qur an in contrast to the single lecture allotted to this key Islamic book in the Islamic Civilization course, and students will learn about Muslim communities in places such as India, Indonesia, and America that lie outside of the boundaries of the Middle East. Finally, please note that this proposed Religion of Islam course, should it be accepted, would not be a prerequisite for the current Tier Two Islamic Thought class.
Course Proposal Scott Lucas Syllabus for TRAD 101: The Religion of Islam The Religion of Islam introduces students to the beliefs, intellectual diversity, and cultures of Islam. It provides an overview of the life and teachings of Muhammad, major themes of the Qur an, and the primary differences between Sunni and Shi i Islam. Students also receive an introduction to the legal, theological, and mystical traditions of Islam, along with their historical development. The course concludes with a presentation of Islamic cultures in the Middle East, south and southeast Asia, and America. Students who complete this course will have a solid understanding of many of the beliefs and values of most Muslims, as well as a clear idea of the plurality of traditions within the religion and cultures of Islam. They will also attain a greater awareness of their own cultural beliefs and be introduced to important sources of information on topics related to Islam. Requirements: Two 3-4 page papers (30%), Midterm (30%), Final exam (30%), Class participation (10%) Honors requirements: One 3-4 page paper (10%), Midterm (25%), One 10-15 page research paper (25%), Final Exam (30%), Class participation (10%) Paper grades will be determined on the basis of the following four criteria: 1) Does the paper answer the assigned question? 2) Does the paper demonstrate a thorough reading of the assigned texts by means of numerous citations of the material? 3) Does the paper begin with an introductory paragraph and follow a coherent structure? 4) Is the paper free from grammatical and syntactical errors? Note: Students have the opportunity to revise their first paper in order to improve their grade and enhance their writing skills. Required Books: Brown, Daniel. A New Introduction to Islam. Blackwell Press, 2004. Halm, Heinz. Shi a Islam: From Religion to Revolution. Marcus Weiner, 1997. Week 1: Preliminaries a) Introduction: Sources of Information on Islam b) Islam as a tradition & Islamic cultures Week 2: Life of the Prophet Muhammad a) Mecca: Brown, pp. 10-18, 69-77 b) Medina: Brown, pp. 77-83
The Religion of Islam, page 2 Week 3: The Qur an (1) a) Theology: Brown, 53-68; E-Res: Theological verses b) Ethics: E-Res: Ethical verses Week 4: The Qur an (2) a) Marriage & Divorce: E-Res: Family law verses b) Warfare: E-Res: Warfare verses Week 5: The Hadith a) Prophetic ethics: E-Res: Ethical hadith b) Prophetic laws: E-Res: Legal hadith PAPER #1 DUE (Topic: Qur an) Week 6: The Muslim Community a) Historical overview of the expansion of Islam: Brown, pp. 175-93 b) Division: the first two civil wars: E-Res: Hugh Kennedy, The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates, pp. 50-90 Week 7: Review & Midterm Week 8: Sunni Islam a) Caliphate: Brown, pp. 97-115 b) Schools of Law: Brown, pp. 116-30 Week 9: Shi i Islam a) Theories of the Imamate: Halm, pp. 3-37 b) Schools of Law: Halm, pp. 88-115 Week 10: Theology a) The Mu tazila: Brown, pp. 135-43 b) The Ash ari and Hanbali reactions: Brown, pp. 143-49; E-Res: The Creeds of Ibn Hanbal and al-ash ari Week 11: Sufism a) Origins: E-Res: Sufi verses and hadith b) Sufi brotherhoods & Orders: Brown, pp. 154-62 PAPER #2 DUE (topic: Differences between Sunni and Shi i Islam) Week 12: Islamic cultures in the Middle East a) Islam in the Arab world b) Islam in Iran & Turkey
The Religion of Islam, page 3 Week 13: Islamic cultures in South & Southeast Asia a) Mughal Art and Architecture b) The spread of Islam in Malaysia and Indonesia: E-Res: Ira Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, pp. 467-88 Week 14: Political Islam a) The Muslim Brotherhood & Wahhabis: Brown, pp. 200-20 b) The Iranian Revolution: Halm, pp. 118-62 Week 15: Islamic cultures in America a) Malcolm X & the Nation of Islam: E-Res: Speeches of Malcolm X b) Islam in American mosques and universities