P&R 246: Islam Department of Philosophy & Religion University of North Carolina at Wilmington Fall 1998
Instructor: Herbert Berg Section: 01
Office: 275 Bear Hall
Phone: 962-3702
Email: bergh@uncwil.edu
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 14:00-15:00, Tuesday and Thursday 13:00-14:00, or by
appointment
General Description of course:
In this course we shall examine the Islamic religious tradition from its inception to the
present. The first part of the course will focus on the message and style of the
Qur'an, the life and experience of Muhammad, and the major beliefs and practices of
Islam. We shall then turn to the political, religious, and legal developments in the
early centuries of Islam. The third part of the course will deal with the
theological, philosophical, and mystical movements in the Islamic empire. Finally,
we will examine a few specific modern social issues and political movements both inside
and outside the Middle East.
Assignments
Regular attendance and participation in
presentations
10%
In-class examination (September 23,
1998)
15%
In-class examination (October 30,
1998)
15%
Outline for paper (due November 18, 1998 in
class)
5%
including thesis statement, brief outline of major sections, and bibliography
Paper (2500-3000 words, due December 4, 1998 in
class)
30%
late papers will be penalized a letter grade per day
Final Examination (15:00–18:00, December 14,
1998)
25%
Textbooks
Denny, Frederick Mathewson. An Introduction to Islam. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan,
1994.
Rippin, A. and J. Knappert, trans. Textual Sources for the Study of Islam. Chicago,
1986.
Materials on Reserve:
Abu-Amr, Z. "Hamas: a historical and political background." Journal of
Palestine Studies 22.4 (1993): 5–19.
Ahmed, Leila. Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. New
Haven: Yale, 1992.
Marsh, C. From Black Muslims to Muslims: The Transition from Separation to Islam
1930-1980.
Momen, Moojan. An Introduction to Shi‘i Islam: The History and Doctrines of
Twelver Shi‘ism. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1985.
Said, Edward W. Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See
the Rest of the World. New York: Pantheon Books, 1981.
August 19 Introduction to the course
Part I - The basic beliefs and practices of Islam
August 21 The beliefs of Islam
Readings: Denny 107–18.
August 24 The beliefs of Islam continued
Discussion: Rippin 35–40.
August 26 Video: Islam: Faith and Nations
August 28 The practices of Islam (5 pillars of Islam)
Readings: Denny 118–36, and Rippin 40–2, 89–94.
August 31 The practices of Islam (other)
Readings: Denny 269–92 and Rippin 94–105.
Video: Mosque
Part II - Qur'an and Muhammad
September 2 Historical background: pre-Islamic religions and cultures around Arabia
Readings; Denny 3–41.
September 4 Pre-Islamic Arabian religion and culture
Readings: Denny 43–55.
September 9 Muhammad in Mecca
Readings: Denny 59–72
September 11 Muhammad in Medina
Readings: Denny 72–82 and Rippin 80–2.
September 14 The Qur'an—description and history
Readings: Denny 138–48.
September 16 The Qur'an—exegesis and doctrines
Readings: Denny 148–56 and Rippin 42–59.
September 18 The Sunna
Readings: Denny 158–71 and Rippin 72–80.
September 21 The Shari‘a
Readings: Denny 195–215 and Rippin 105–15.
September 23 Test 1
Part III - Early Developments in Islam
September 25 Historical background: events after the death of Muhammad
Readings: Denny 83–104.
September 28 The early caliphate and the other early religio-political factions
September 30 Shi‘i history
Readings: Momen 23–85 (optional).
October 2 Shi‘i beliefs
Readings: Denny 313–7 and Rippin 135–44; and Momen 147–83 (optional).
October 5 Practices unique to Shi‘i Muslims
Readings: Denny 313–6, 204–6 and Rippin 144–7.
October 7 Video: TBA
October 12 Druze and Baha'is
Part IV - Later Political, Theological, and Mystical developments in Islam
October 14 Historical background: from the ‘Abbasids to the Mongols
October 16 Early theology (kalam)—the Qadari controversy
Readings: Denny 172–94 and Rippin 115–21.
October 19 Later theology—the Mu‘tazili
Readings: Denny 179–87.
October 21 Later theology—the Ash‘ari
Readings: Denny 187–93 and Rippin 121–34.
October 23 The Sufis
Readings: Denny 219–44 and handout: A Selection of Sufi saying.
October 26 Sufism and its place in Islam
Readings: Denny 245–66 and Rippin 158–75.
October 28 Historical background: from the Mongols to Colonialism
October 30 Test 2
Part V - Islamic Societies and some modern issues
November 2 Colonialism to Independence
November 4 Women in the Qur'an and Sunna
Readings: Rippin 185–90 and handout: passages from the Qur'an and Sunna
November 6 Women in the Muslim world—the positions
Readings: Denny 351–5.
November 9 The rise of feminism in Egypt in the 19th century
Readings: Ahmed 127–68 (optional)
November 11 Feminism in Egypt in the 20th century
Readings: Ahmed 169–234 (optional)
November 13 Colonialism, Reformers and "Fundamentalism": Muslim
Brethren in Egypt
Readings: Denny 345–51, Rippin 179–84, and Said 33–73
November 16 The Muslim Brethren in Palestine
Readings: Abu-Amr, "Hamas" 5–19 and Said 33–73.
November 18 Islamic (?) revolutions in Libya and the Sudan
Readings: D. Sammut, "Libya and the Islamic challenge," The World Today
50.10 (1994):198-200 and W. Langewiesche, "Turabi's Law," The Atlantic
Monthly, August 1994, 26–33.
Outlines for papers due.
Part VI Islam in America
November 20 Muslim immigration into the USA
November 23 TBA
November 30 The Moorish Science Temple
Readings: Marsh 1–50 (optional).
December 2 Nation of Islam to the death of Malcolm X
Readings: Marsh 51–88 (optional) and handout: "The Muslim Program."
December 4 Black Muslim movements in the last 25 years
Readings: Denny 358–62 and Marsh 88–104 (optional)
Video: Nation of Islam
Essays due.
December 7 Islam in a secular world
Readings: Denny 355–8, 362–6.
December 9 Review.
December 14 Final Examination.
Return to Table of Contents
Last Updated July 9, 1998 by Herbert Berg