REL 384 - Exploring Islam

This is an introductory course in classical Islamic history and tradition. It will examine the social, political and cultural environment, as well as the key figures and defining events, of the formative period of Islam (seventh to ninth centuries), before exploring the various dimensions of the Islamic tradition as articulated by some of the most influential Muslim authorities. While the focus of this course is on the classical period, it will frequently refer to modern Islam in terms of both continuations and ruptures, thereby illuminating the unique promise and predicament of contemporary Islam.