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840:326 Islam
Spring 2002

Amire N. Zamani

Office Hours:                Wednesday 10:00-11:30 (and by appointment Fri.)

Office:                          116 Loree Hall

Telephone:                    932-2106

E-mail:                          zamanian@rci.rutgers.edu

Course Description:

This course is an introduction to the principal beliefs and practices, texts and history of Islam. While it is not intended as a survey of the entire history of Islam over the last fourteen hundred years, it makes approaches, nevertheless, to some of the critical aspects and institutions of Islam. Among the issues to be explored are the roles of women in Islam; emergence and consolidation of major sects within the “Islamic community;” Sufism (Islamic mysticism;) Muslim reform movements of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries; Islamic Fundamentalism and, finally, Islam in America.

Required Textbooks and Teaching Materials:

I- Esposito, John L. Islam: The Straight Path (Oxford University Press, 1998)

II-The Koran Interpreted (translated by Arberry, A.J. Oxford University Press)

III-The course packet for 326(Section One)

Recommended Text:

X. Malcolm, The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Grove Press)

Course Design and Procedures:

Students are encouraged to participate actively in the class and make use of Office Hours. Examinations are not cumulative and will be based on the material covered in the textbooks, course packet and lectures. In terms of format, the exams will consist of essay questions only-no multiple-choice questions.

Final Grades will be calculated on the following basis:

Class attendance and participation: 10%

Two Hourly examinations (on 10/15& 11/19): 30% and 30%

Final Examination  (Thursday, Dec. 20, 9:30-10:30 a.m.) 30%

Reading List

Sessions                                  Topics

1/24 &28                                 Introduction to the course; the rise of Islam

                                                Read: Esposito, pp. 1-17

                                                Packet: “The Constitution of Medina”

1/31 &2/4,7,11                         The Qur’an: Structure and major themes

                                                Read: Esposito, pp. 17-31 and 88-93

                                                Qur’an: Chs.96, 1,2,5,7 and 7:11-30 & 20:115-125

Packet: “The basic beliefs and worship practices of Islam”

2/14                                         Secondary sources of textual guidance: Hadith

                                                Read: Packet “Hadith”

2/18,21                                    The Khilafat (Caliphate)

                                                Read: Esposito, pp. 35-41, 50-74

                                                Packet: “The Organization of Empire”

2/25                                         Theology and Law

                                                Read: Esposito, pp. 74-88

                                                Packet: “The Structure of the Law”

2/28                                         Science, philosophy and art

Packet: “Arab Achievements in Science and Philosophy”

 3/4 First Hourly Examination

3/7,11,14,25                            Women in Islam

                                                Read: Esposito, pp.93-100

Qur’an: 2:222-242; 4:1-59 &4:127-134; 24:1-26; 33:1-55

Packet: “Elaboration of the Founding Discourses”, “Status of Women in the Qur’an”,

“The New Veiling as accommodating Protest”

3/28 &4/1,4                             Shi’ism

                                                Read: Esposito, pp. 43-50, 109-114

Packet: “ Shi’i Interpretation of the Qur’an; “A Shi’ite Anthology”; “On the Knowledge of the Imam”; “Taqqiyah”; “Ijtihad and Marja’iyyat”

4/8,11,15                                 Sufism

                                                Read: Esposito, pp.100-109,

Packet: “The Ascetics”, “The Mystics”, The Structure of Sufi Theory and Practice”

4/18 Second Hourly Test

Contemporary Islam           

 4/22,25,29 &5/2,6             Introduction:

Read: Esposito, pp. 125-148 and 179-186

                                                Muslim Fundamentalism

Packet: “Islamic Government”, “Postmodernism, Reason            `and Religion” “Islamic Fundamentalism in Egypt and Iran” “Milestone”           

            Esposito, pp. 158-175

                                                Islam in the Western World

                                                Read: Esposito, pp. 209-223, Malcolm X. Chs. 10-14

Packet: “A century of Islam in America”, “Letters from Abroad”, “ The Sun of Islam Will Rise in the West”           

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This page was revised Jan 2 2002