Syllabus, Intro to Islam (undergraduate)

Introduction to Islam – Fall 2014 – Azam TTH 11:00 – 12:30 – MEZ 1.306 *** This course carries a Global Cultures flag. *** Email: [email protected] Course Description The objective of this course is to give students an understanding of what it means to be Muslim, in terms of beliefs (cosmology and theology), practices (rituals and moral teachings), and culture. In order to achieve this three-part objective, we will read materials from various perspectives and of different genres. We will devote some time to the history of the foundations and civilization of Islam, because even if a religion is conceived in terms of universals and ideals, its actual manifestation is always tempered by historical, cultural and social context. We will explore the meaning of Islam as a worldview and a moral system through examining its doctrinal, ritual, philosophical, ethical and spiritual dimensions. This course is designed for students with no prior knowledge of Islam. Course Texts Textbooks are available at the Co-Op: • William E. Shepard, Introducing Islam (2nd edition, Routledge, 2014) • John A. Williams, The Word of Islam (1st edition, University of Texas Press, 1994) Additional readings available as pdfs on BlackBoard: • Fazlur Rahman, Major Themes of the Qur’an • Imam al-Ghazali (d.1111), Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship (The Islamic Foundation) Recommended: • SparkChart on Islam (author Hina Azam), available through Barnes & Noble • The Qur’an: You can read from any translation that you have or can access online Grading Final exam – 30% 2 Tests – 25% each Class attendance 30% 50% 20% Attendance will account for 20% of your grade. Regular attendance will be expected. You are permitted two unexcused absences without detriment to your grade; any absences beyond this may count against your attendance grade. Exceptions will be only made at my discretion and with documentation in the event of serious illness, death in the family, emergencies, and the like. Attendance will be taken at the start of each class period. If you walk in after attendance has been taken, then it is your responsibility to come to the TA responsible for attendance immediately upon entering class to inform her/him of your presence. You are responsible for any announcements made in class or sent out via email. This includes announcements made during any portion of class for which you are absent, or 1 email messages that you fail to receive. It is your responsibility to provide me a valid email address and to check it regularly. I will assume all Registrar-held email addresses are valid unless you tell me otherwise. Assessments will cover both readings and lectures. They will normally be administered at the beginning of class. If you come in late, you will have less time to do the test. Make-up tests and exams will only be permitted at my discretion. If you have a scheduling conflict, you must obtain permission from me at least two weeks in advance. Emergencies should be documented and I or a TA should be notified immediately. Grading Rubric Percentage Grade 93-100 90-92 87-89 83-86 80-82 77-79 Letter Grade A AB+ B BC+ Percentage Grade 73-76 70-72 67-69 63-66 60-62 59 and below Letter Grade C CD+ D DF Note: Final course grades will be rounded to the nearest point, eg: 89.2 = 89 = B+ 89.7 = 90 = A89.5 = 90 = ANote: Students with disabilities may request appropriate accomodations from Services for Students with Disabilities at 512-471-6259, or www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/. Note: Laptop and cellphone use is prohibited in class. 2 CLASS SCHEDULE DATES TO REMEMBER: First day of class Thanksgiving holiday Last day of class Final exams UNIT 1 1) Thu 8/28 Thursday 8/28 Thursday 11/27 to Saturday 11/29 Thursday 12/4 TBA (available online at UT Registrar’s website) INTRODUCTION AND BASIC CONCEPTS (#1-2) Course Introduction; the idea of “religion”; Discussion 2) Tue 9/2 Basics Concepts -- islam and Islam, Muslim, Qur’an • Shepard, Ch.1 (1-14, Approaching the subject) and Ch.5 (65-83, The Qur’an) UNIT 2 EARLY HISTORY OF ISLAM: MUḤAMMAD, THE EARLY PERIOD, SECTARIAN DIVERGENCES, THE CLASSICAL TRADITION (#3-6) 3) Thu 9/4 The Pre-Islamic Period, Muḥammad/Advent of Islam • Shepard, Ch.2 (17-30, On the eve of Islam) and Ch.3 (31-46, Muslim history to 700 CE) • Williams, Ch.1 (7-35, The Word of God: The Qur’an) 4) Tue 9/9 The Early Caliphate; Sectarian Divergences • Shepard, Ch.8 (120-133, Sects and political theory) 5) Thu 9/11 Politics and Sectarian Theology in Early Islam • Williams, Ch.6 (170-210, Sectarian Movements) 6) Tue 9/16 The Early Medieval Period and the Islamic Tradition • Shepard, Ch.4 (47-62, History of Islam from 700-1700 CE) and Ch.14 (209-226, Culture and counter-culture) UNIT 3 ISLAM AS THE WAY OF THE PROPHETS; MUḤAMMAD AS A RELIGIOUS FIGURE (#7-8) 7) Thu 9/18 The Concept of Prophethood in Islam; the Prophets of Islam - wahy and ilham; rasul and nabi; • Shepard, Ch.6 (84-98, The Prophet Muḥammad) 8) Tue 9/23 The Prophets of Islam, contd.; Muhammad as Exemplar - Qur’an vs sunna; sunna vs hadith; sira vs sunna • Williams, Ch.2 (36-65, The News of God’s Messenger: The Ḥadīth) 3 UNIT 4 ISLAMIC COSMOLOGY (#9-12) 9) Thu 9/25 Cosmology: Beings and their Relations • Rahman, Ch.1 (1-11, God) – pdf on BB 10) Tue 9/30 Cosmology: Sacred History Timeline • Rahman, Ch.2 (12-24, the Individual) – pdf on BB 11) Thu 10/2 TEST 1 (units 1-3) 12) Tue 10/7 Cosmology: Servanthood & Worship, Representation & Ethics -- ‘ibāda vs khilāfa; ‘ibādāt vs mu‘āmalāt • Rahman, Ch.7 (85-91, Satan and Evil) – pdf on BB UNIT 5 ISLAM AS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (#13-15) 13) Thu 10/9 Systematic Theology: introduction concept of theology: cosmology vs theology; political theology vs systematic theology; kalam • Shepard, Ch.9 (134-145, Scholars and learning) and Ch.11 (163-174, Theology and philosophy) 14) Tue 10/14 Systematic Theology: debates and groups • Williams, Ch.5 (140-169, The Statements of the Theologians: Kalām) 15) Thu 10/16 Debates and groups, continued • Shepard, Ch.10 (146-162, Islamic law) UNIT 6 ISLAM AS A PROGRAM FOR SOCIETY-BUILDING (#16-20) 16) Tue 10/21 Basic Concepts in Islamic Law; Sources and Methods of Jurisprudence; Purposes of the Sharia - sharia (law, ethics, etiquette), madhhab/fiqh (content, interpretive method, tradition) - ijtihad, usul vs furu`, Qur’an, sunna/hadith (sectarian views), consensus (ijma`), reason (qiyas), social welfare (maslaha), maqasid al-sharia • Shepard, Ch.7 (99-119, Rituals and ceremonies) 17) Thu 10/23 ‘Ibada/Islamic Worship: Prayer and Charity - spiritual and bodily discipline; shahada and niyya; tahara; salat, du`a, dhikr; zakat and sadaqa • Ghazali, 19-39 & 44-48 (on salat) and Ghazali, 53-73 (on zakat) – pdf on BB 18) Tue 10/28 ‘Ibada: Fasting and Pilgrimage (sawm, hajj) - sawm and dietary rules; hajj and its themes • Ghazali, 75-82 (on sawm) and Ghazali, 95-120 (on hajj) – pdf on BB 4 19) Thu 10/30 Mu‘amalat: Sex, Marriage, Family • Williams, start Ch.3 (66-86, The Law of God: Sharī‘a and Fiqh) 20) Tue 11/4 Mu‘amalat: State, Governance, Warfare, • Williams, complete Ch.3 (87-108, The Law of God …) UNIT 7 ISLAM AS UNION WITH, LOVE FOR, AND DEVOTION TO GOD (Sufism) (#21-24) 21) Thu 11/6 Sufism: DoctrinePractice • Shepard, Ch.12 (175-193, the Sufi path to God) 22) Tue 11/11 TEST 2 (units 4-6) 23) Thu 11/13 Sufism: Practice • Williams, start Ch.4 (109-123, Interior Religion: Sufism) 24) Tue 11/18 Sufism: Institution • Williams, complete Ch.4 (123-139) UNIT 8 ISLAM IN MODERNITY AND IN THE WEST (#25-28) 25) Thu 11/20 The Modern Encounter of Islam/Muslims and the West • Shepard, Ch.15 (229-255, Modern challenges: Western imperialism and Muslim response) 26) Tue 11/25 The Liberal/Modernist Response • Shepard, Ch.20 (322-341, Globalization: challenge and opportunity) THANKSGIVING BREAK (no class 11/27) 27) Tue 12/2 The Islamist/Salafi Response • Shepard, Ch.21 (342-368, Gender, democracy and human rights) 28) Thu 12/4 Contemporary Critical/Progressive Perspectives COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM - DATE/LOCATION/TIME TBA 5