Fall 2006

ARA 372 • Classical Islamic Studies

Course Description

This writing-intensive, upper-division course will provide an overview of the core religious disciplines of classical Islam, as well as a fondation in the methodologies of each discipline for those students interested in further study of any one of them. In this course, we will focus on the following four reliigous disciplines: Qur'anic exegesis ("tafsir"); critique of the Prophetic reports ("hadith"); theology ("kalam"); and law ("fiqh"). Readings will be both in secondary and primary texts (all in translation). writing componenets will include short weekly essays and a final project. this course will assume a basic knowledge of Islam, such as provided by the Introduction to Islam course.

Grading Policy

weekly essays (33%), midterm exam, final paper, engagement in class discussion.

Texts

Aadhi, Yasir, Introduction to Sciences of the Qur'an Siddiqi, M. Zubair, Hadith Literature: Origins, Development and Special Features Watt, W.M. Islamic Philosophy and Theology Alwani, Taha J., Source Methodology in Islamic Jurisprudence Course Reader

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