Islams Scriptures: An Introduction to Quran and Hadith

Course Syllabus Dr. Wesley Williams Course Description This course will introduce students with little or no prior knowledge of Islam to the Quran and adith! Islams dual scriptures and the primary repositories of the beliefs! "alues! rituals! and religious symbols for o"er a billion people worldwide. If for #uslims the Quran is literally the $Word of %od inimitably te&tuali'ed! for non(#uslim Western scholars it is a genuine literary enigma. We shall in this course meet the Quran both as a sacred scripture and as a sub)ect of historical(critical study. Students will be introduced to the main historical! thematic! and literary features of the Quran and adith * the record of the words and deeds of the +rophet #uhammad * as well as the Western critical approach to these religious sources. We will also discuss the Qurans relation to prior scriptures! particularly the ebrew ,ible. Required Texts -. .bdullah Saeed! The Quran: An Introduction. /ondon and 0ew 1ork2 3outledge! 4556. 4. #ichael Sells! Approaching the Quran: The Early Revelations . .shland! 7regon2 White Cloud +ress! -888. 9. #ohammad ashim :amali! A Textbook of adith !tudies: Authenticity" #o$pilation" #lassification and #riticis$ of adith. ;nited :ingdom2 The Islamic <oundation! 455=. >. An%&a'ais (orty adith! Translated by ?''eddin Ibrahim and Denys @ohnson( Da"ies. Cambridge2 The Islamic Te&t Society! -88A. =. 7nline Course pack. Grading %rading will be based on student participation in class B-=CD! the take(home midterm e&am B95CD! the take(home final e&am B95CD! and an end(of(term paper B4=CD. Presence and participation2 3egular attendance is of paramount importance and will be monitored with an attendance sheet as well as through regular participation in class discussion. +lease note that participation also means that the reEuired reading has been

done prior to the scheduled class. Success in this course reEuires timely! critical reading of the course materials and acti"e! informed participation in class discussion. Take-home midterm2 This is a comprehensi"e e&amination of each students knowledge of key concepts! e"ents! and persons in Islamic history. It will also reEuire a synthetic analysis of the material co"ered in the course thus far. The e&am will be handed out at the end of class BT,.D and a hardcopy is due at the beginning of class BT,.D. Take-home final exam: The final e&am will consist of two analytic Euestions chosen from four and will be distributed in class on our final class meeting and is due on the scheduled e&am date BT,.D. Term paper: .t the end of the term! each student is reEuired to submit an original! formal research paper on a topic of her or his choosing! but a topic rele"ant to the sub)ect of Islam. This paper is due on the last day of class. Academic Integrit It is assumed that the critical reflection papers and take(home e&ams reflect the unassisted effort of each indi"idual student. .ny and all instances of plagiarism will result in an automatic F<G in the course. If you ha"e any Euestions about the propriety of any form of collaboration! please consult me in ad"ance. Accommodations .ny student needing accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me pri"ately to discuss specific needs. Students with documented disabilities should contact the 7ffice of .ccessibility to coordinate reasonable accommodations.

Course Schedule
!"IT I: Introduction to Islam I.-. Islam and the Study of 3eligion Readings2 Carl W. ?rnst. FIslam and the #odern Concept of 3eligion.G In idem! (ollo'ing )uha$$ad: Rethinking Isla$ in the #onte$porary *orld . Chapel ill H /ondon2 The ;ni"ersity of 0orth Carolina +ress! 45592 9I(I8. I.4. Islam2 . ,rief Introduction Readings2 Daniel %. ,ates and .mal 3assam! FIslam2 The +rophet and the 3eligion!G in idem! +eoples of the )iddle East. Second ?dition. ;pper Saddle 3i"er! 0ew @ersey2 +rentice all! 455-2 95(=A. Wilferd #adelung! FShiism2 .n 7"er"iewG in /indsay @ones et al Bedd.D! Encyclopedia of Religion! Second ?dition. Detroit2 Thomson %ale! 455=2 6945( 694=J @onathan +. ,erkey. FThe formation of Sunni traditionalism.G In idem! The (or$ation of Isla$: Religion and !ociety in the &ear East ,--%./-- . Cambridge2 Cambridge ;ni"ersity +ress! 45592 ->-(-=-. !"IT II: The Quran as Scripture II.-. Conte&t Readings2 Saeed! The Quran! 4(-6J erbert ,erg! FConte&t2 #uhammad.G In .ndrew 3ippin! The 0lack'ell #o$panion to the Quran . West Susse&2 Wiley( ,lackwell! 45582 -6A(454. II.4. 3e"elation Readings: Saeed! The Quran! 4-(99J @osef "an ?ss. FKision and .scension2 Surat al-Najm and its 3elation with #uhammads mi#raj.G 1ournal of Quranic !tudies B-888D2 >A(I4.

II.9. Codification Readings: Saeed! The Quran! 9A(=IJ .li'a Shni'er! FSacrality and Collection.G In .ndrew 3ippin! The 0lack'ell #o$panion to the Quran . West Susse&2 Wiley( ,lackwell! 45582 -=8(-A-. II.>. #a)or Themes Readings: Saeed! The Quran! I4(A5J Sells! Approaching the Quran! -(46! >4(=8. II.=. Interpreting the Quran Readings: Saeed! The Quran! -A6(4-I. .sma .fsaruddin! FSunni(Shi#i Dialectics and the Quran.G In :haleel #ohammed and .ndrew 3ippin Bedd.D! #o$ing to Ter$s 'ith the Quran. A volu$e in honor of +rofessor Issa 0oullata" )c2ill 3niversity . 0orth aledon! 0ew @ersey2 Islamic +ublications International! 455A2 -5A(-45. II.I. Scripture in the Conte&t of Scripture Readings: Saeed! The Quran! ->>(-=I. #ichael ?. +regil! FThe ebrew ,ible and the Quran2 The +roblem of the @ewish $Influence on Islam.G Religion #o$pass - B455AD2 I>9(I=8J Ida @. %laser! FQuranic Challenges for %enesis.G 1ournal for the !tudy of the 4ld Testa$ent A= B-88AD2 9(-8. II.A. The Quran in Daily /ife Readings: Saeed! The Quran! 69(89. William .. %raham and Da"id :ermani! F3ecitation and aesthetic reception.G In @ane Dammen #c.uliffe Bed.D!The #a$bridge #o$panion to the Quran. Cambridge2 Cambridge ;ni"ersity +ress! 455I2 --=(-99J Sells! Approaching the Quran! ->=(->A and CD tracks -(>.

!"IT III: The Quran as Historical Text III.-. The Quran as /iterature Reading: .ndrew 3ippin! FThe Quran as /iterature2 +erils! +itfalls and +rospects.G 0ulletin of the 0ritish !ociety for )iddle Eastern !tudies -5 B-869D2 96(>A. III.4. Scripture as istorical Te&t2 The ebrew ,ible as ?&emplar Reading: Shemaryahu Talmon. FThe 7ld Testament Te&t.G In +.3. .ckroyd and C.<. ?"ans Bedd.D! The #a$bridge istory of the 0ible . Cambridge2 Cambridge ;ni"ersity +ress! -8A52 -=8(-88. III.9. Te&tual istory of the Quran Readings: Claude %illiot! FCreation of a fi&ed te&tG and .ngelika 0euwirth! FStructural! linguistic and literary features.G In @ane Dammen #c.uliffe Bed.D!The #a$bridge #o$panion to the Quran. Cambridge2 Cambridge ;ni"ersity +ress! 455I2 >-(=9 and 8A(---. III.>. The Quran and the Shia Reading: ossein #odarressi. F?arly Debates on the Integrity of the Quran2 . ,rief Sur"ey.G !tudia Isla$ica AA B-889D2 =(98. III.=. Western Scholarship and the Search for a Critical ?dition of the Quran Readings: Saeed! The Quran! 8A(--4J .rthur @effery! F+rogress in the Study of the :oran.G The )usli$ *orld 4= B-89=D2 >(-I. !"IT I#: Sunna and Hadith IK.-. Sunna2 the +rophetic ?&ample Readings2

Daniel ,rown! FThe 3ele"ance of the past2 classical conceptions of +rophetic authority.G In idem! Rethinking tradition in $odern Isla$ic thought. Cambridge2 Cambridge ;ni"ersity +ress! -88I2 I(45J <a'lur 3ahman! FSunna and adith.G Isla$ic !tudies - B-8I4D2 -(>. IK.4. adith as 3ecord of Sunna Readings: @. 3obson. F adith.G Encyclopedia of Isla$! 0ew ?dition 9249(46J An%&a'a'is (orty adith. :amali! Textbook of IK.9. Sunna as adithL Reading: 1asin Dutton! FSunna! > B-889D2 -(9-. adith! and #edinan $.mal.G 1ournal of Isla$ic !tudies !"IT #: The Quran and Hadith K.-. adith and the Interpretation of the Quran Reading: 3. #arston Speight. FThe <unction of hadith as Commentary on the Quran! as Seen in the Si& .uthoritati"e Collections.G In .ndrew 3ippin Bed.D! Approaches to the istory of the Interpretation of the Quran B7&ford2 Clarendon +ress! -8662 I9(65. +atricia Crone! FThe Sources.G In idem! )eccan Trade and the Rise of Isla$ . +rinceton2 +rinceton ;ni"ersity +ress! -86A2 459(495. K.4. The Quran! the adith and the Quest for the $ istorical #uhammad Readings: Wim 3a"en! FSira and the Quran.G In The Encyclopedia of the Quran =248(>8. .lford T. Welch. F#uhammads ;nderstanding of imself2 The :oranic Data.G In Isla$s 3nderstanding of Itself. #alibu! California2 ;ndena +ublications! -8692 -=(=4. adith! -(95.

!"IT #I: Hadith: The Contro$ers KI. The Science of adith Criticism Reading: :amali! Textbook of adith! ==(8=! -6-(455.

KI. The Western Challenge and Some #uslim 3esponses Reading: @. Schacht. F. 3e"aluation of Islamic Tradition.G 1ournal of the Royal Asiatic !ociety B-8>8D2 ->9(-=>. Wael allaE. FThe .uthenticity of +rophetic Isla$ica =- B-888D2 A=(85. adith2 a +seudo(problem.G !tudia

!"IT #II: The Quran% the Sunna% and &odernit KII.-. Islam and #odernity Reading: .ndrew 3ippin. FDescribing #odernity.G In idem! )usli$s: Their religious beliefs and practices. Third ?dition. /ondon and 0ew 1ork2 3outledge! 455=2 -A=(-88. KII.4. The Quran and #odernity Reading: 1usuf 3ahman. FThe Quran in ?gypt III2 0asr .bu Mayds /iterary .pproach.G In In :haleel #ohammed and .ndrew 3ippin Bedd.D! #o$ing to Ter$s 'ith the Quran. A volu$e in honor of +rofessor Issa 0oullata" )c2ill 3niversity . 0orth aledon! 0ew @ersey2 Islamic +ublications International! 455A2 44A(4=A. KII.9. The Sunna and #odernity Reading: Daniel ,rown! FThe emergence of the modern challenge to tradition.G In idem! Rethinking tradition in $odern Isla$ic thought. Cambridge2 Cambridge ;ni"ersity +ress! -88I2 4-(>4.