* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Syllabus
Soviet Orientalist studies in Islam wikipedia , lookup
Islam and war wikipedia , lookup
Islam and violence wikipedia , lookup
Imamah (Shia) wikipedia , lookup
Muslim world wikipedia , lookup
Criticism of Islamism wikipedia , lookup
The Jewel of Medina wikipedia , lookup
Sources of sharia wikipedia , lookup
Islam and modernity wikipedia , lookup
Political aspects of Islam wikipedia , lookup
Succession to Muhammad wikipedia , lookup
Islamic ethics wikipedia , lookup
Reception of Islam in Early Modern Europe wikipedia , lookup
Islam and other religions wikipedia , lookup
Islamic culture wikipedia , lookup
Islamic Golden Age wikipedia , lookup
Muhammad and the Bible wikipedia , lookup
Morality in Islam wikipedia , lookup
Medieval Muslim Algeria wikipedia , lookup
Usul Fiqh in Ja'fari school wikipedia , lookup
Origin of Shia Islam wikipedia , lookup
Islamic schools and branches wikipedia , lookup
Religion 24 MUHAMMAD Spring 2010 Professor: T. Jaffer Office: Chapin 209 E-Mail: [email protected] Office hours: Tuesday 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., and by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION This course deals with the life of Muhammad, the founder and prophet of Islam. It is divided into three modules. The first deals with the life of Muhammad as reflected in the writings of the early Muslim biographers. It examines the crucial events of Muhammad’s life (the first revelation, the night journey, the emigration to Medina, the military campaigns) and focuses on Muhammad’s image in the eyes of the early Muslim community. The second deals with Muhammad in Islamic mysticism and focuses on Muhammad’s role and place in Islamic cosmology. The third deals with Muhammad in Islamic fundamentalism and focuses on reformers and revolutionaries in Islam. It aims to determine Muhammad’s role within the discourse of various fundamentalist narratives. REQUIREMENTS General: Students are expected to do all of the assigned readings before class, to attend all class meetings and to participate actively in discussion session. For the first module, please bring highlighters of four or five different colors to class. Papers: Two “exercises” on assigned questions. These are to be submitted in class on the stated days (no extensions). They will be graded with a check plus, check or check minus (10% of your total grade). Three graded papers (6-7 pp.), to be submitted on stated dates (each is worth 30% of your total grade). Extension policy: Paper extensions are likely to be granted if they are asked for well ahead of time. A good reason must be offered for any request for an extension. No extensions will be granted less than twenty-four hours in advance of a paper deadline except in cases of emergency. Papers received late without an extension will receive a grade penalty. Absence policy: Repeated, unexcused absences will result in a final grade penalty of not less than one third of a letter grade. Evaluations: Students will be required to submit course evaluations at the end of the semester. Students will not be able to gain access to their course grades until an evaluation has been submitted. BOOKS FOR PURCHASE Ibn Hisham (d. 218/833 or 213/828), Biography of the Prophet (Life of Muhammad: A Translation of [Ibn] Ishaq’s Sirat rasul Allah, tr. A. Guillaume, London and New York: Oxford University Press, 2002) Martin Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources (Rochester: Inner Traditions International, 2006) Sayyid Qutb, Milestones (paperback) The following material will be available on E-Reserve: Ibn Sa‘d (d. 230/845). The Great Book of Generations (Kitab al-Tabaqat al-kabir, vol. 1, trans. S. Moinul Haq with H.K. Ghazanfar, New Delhi: Kitab Bhavan, n.d.), 132-135; 145-147; 170-177; 168-170; 219-230; 147-150; 438-439; 245-249; 263-277 Uri Rubin, The Eye of the Beholder: The Life of Muhammad as Viewed by the Early Muslims Princeton: The Darwin Press, Inc., 1995), 1-17; 44-55; 59-75; 103-112 Fred McGraw Donner, Narratives of Islamic Origins: The Beginnings of Islamic Historical Writing (Princeton: The Darwin Press, Inc., 1998), 1-31 Josef van Ess, “Theology and the Koran: The Mi‘raj and the Debate on Anthropomorphism,” trans. J.M. Todd, The Flowering of Muslim Theology (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006), 45-77 Kalabadhi [d. 995], The Doctrine of the Sufis, trans. A.J. Arberry, The Doctrine of the Sufis (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977) , 1-11; 74-112 Qushayri [d. 1074], Epistle on Sufism, trans. A.D. Knysh, (Reading: Garnet Publishing, 2007), 1-16; 75-138 Tabari (d. 310/923), The History of a-Tabari (vol. 6, Muhammad at Mecca, tr. W.M. Watt and M.V. McDonald, 78-80 Razi [d. 1256 or 1257] The Path of God’s Bondsmen from Origin to Return, trans. H. Algar (Delmar, NY: Caravan Books, 1980), 33-122 Burhanpuri [d. 1590], The Gift addressed to the Spirit of the Prophet, trans. A.H. Johns, Oriental Monograph Series No. 1, Centre of Oriental Studies (Canberra: Australian National University, 1965), 29-99; 139-148 Sayyid Qutb [d. 1966], Social Justice in Islam, trans. John B. Hardie (Washington, D.C.: American Council on Learned Societies, 1953), 1-100 Talal Asad, “Reflections on Blasphemy and Secular Criticism” in Religion: Beyond a Concept, ed. H. de Vries (New York: Fordham University Press, 2008), 580-610 THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD Jan. 26: Introduction to the course; the Example of the Prophet Jan. 28: Sources for Muhammad’s Biography; Attestation by the Monk Bahira 1. 2. 3. 4. Lings, 29-30 Ibn Hisham, 79-82 Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 1, 132-135; 145-147; 170-177 Rubin, 1-17 and 44-55 Tuesday, February 2: Exercise Due (2 pp.) Feb. 2: The First Revelations 1. 2. 3. 4. Lings, 43-45 Ibn Hisham, 104-121 Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 1, 168-170; 219-230 Rubin, 59-75 and 103-112 Feb. 4: Muhammad’s Wives 1. Lings, 33-36 2. Ibn Hisham, 82-84 3. Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 1, 147-150; 438-439 Tuesday, February 9: Exercise Due (2 pp.) Feb. 9: The Night Journey 1. Ibn Hisham, 181-187 2. Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 1, 245-249 3. Tabari, 78-80 Feb. 11: Night Journey (continued) 1. Van Ess, 45-77 Feb. 16: The Battle of Badr, the Battle of the Ditch; the Treaty of Hudaybiyya 1. Ibn Hisham, 289-314; 450-69; 499-507 Feb. 18: The Emigration to Medina 1. Lings, 118-122 2. Ibn Hisham, 221-231 3. Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 1, 263-277 Feb. 23: The Constitution of Medina 1. Ibn Hisham, 231-233 Feb. 25: The Conquest of Mecca; Farewell Pilgrimage 1. Ibn Hisham, 540-557 and 649-652 2. Lings, 297-303 and 332-336 Mar. 2: Muhammad in non-Muslim Literature 1. Readings to be distributed Thursday, March 4: Paper Due (6-7 pp.) Mar. 4: In class we will share our findings. MUHAMMAD IN ISLAMIC MYSTICISM Mar. 9: Muhammad the Sufi Prototype 1. Kalabadhi, 1-82 Mar. 11: Sufi Psychology of “States and Stations” 1. Qushayri, 1-16; 75-138 Mar. 23: Sufi Practice 1. Qushayri, 280-288; 312-319; 342-392 Mar. 25: Muhammad the Physician of the Soul 1. Ghazali, Deliverance from Error 2. Razi, Keys to the Unseen (selections to be distributed) Mar. 30: Muhammad in Sufi Cosmology 1. Daya, The Path of God’s Bondsmen, 33-69 Apr. 1: Muhammad in Sufi Cosmology 1. Daya, The Path of God’s Bondsmen, 70-122 Apr. 6: Anti-Sufis 1. Ibn Jauzi, Delusion of the Devil, vol. 1, 3-100 Thursday, April 8: Paper Due (6-7 pp.) Apr. 8: In class we will share our findings. MUHAMMAD IN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM Apr. 13: Discussion of Religious Fundamentalism 1. G.A. Almond, E. Sivan, and R. S. Appleby, “Fundamentalism: Genus and Species,” in M.E. Marty and R. S. Appleby, Fundamentalisms Comprehended (University of Chicago Press, 1995), pp. 399-423 Apr. 15: Discussion of Secularization and Islam (focus: Egypt) 1. Talal Asad, “Reconfigurations of Law and Ethics in Colonial Egypt” in Formations of the Secular: Christianity, Islam, Modernity (Stanford University Press, 2003), pp. 205-256 Apr. 20: Sayyid Qutb 1. Sayyid Qutb, Milestones, begin reading 2. Sayyid Qutb, Social Justice in Islam, begin reading Apr. 22: Sayyid Qutb 1. Sayyid Qutb, Milestones, finish reading 2. Sayyid Qutb, Social Justice in Islam, finish reading Apr. 27: Khomeini [d. 1989] 1. Screening (in class) of Iran: A Revolution Betrayed 2. Khomeini, Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist (selections to be distributed), begin reading Apr. 29: Khomeini [d. 1989] 1. Khomeini, Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist, finish reading May 4: The Danish Cartoon Controversy 1. Talal Asad, Reflections on Blasphemy and Secular Criticism, 580-610 May 6: Wrap-up Monday, May 10: Paper Due (6-7 pp.)