Syllabus For Religion 328,
Experiencing Islam,
Fall 2005

Omid Safi
osafi@mail.colgate.edu

Tuesday and Thursdays
305 Lawrence 1:20 to 2:35 (pm)



 


 

No paper version of the syllabus will be handed out, and I will count on you checking with this web page to get the readings. The web page will be continually changed, so don't print it up! (besides, that kinda defeats the whole saving trees thing anyway!)

 

(All readings on given days are to be completed before you come to class.)

August 29th:  half day, class introduction.

 

Approaching the Islamic tradition through the Qur'an

Tuesday, August 30th: 
*Ahmet Karamustafa essay in Progressive Muslims
Charles Le Gai Eaton, Islam and the Destiny of Man, 1-30.

Thursday: September 1st:
Sells, Approaching the Qur'an, browse 1-31; carefully 35-63

Tuesday, September 6th:
Sells, Approaching the Qur'an 64-117

Thursday, September 8th:
Sells, Approaching the Qur'an, 118-180.

 

Prophetic narratives in the Qur'an

Tuesday, September  13th:
*Narratives on Adam and Eve

Thursday, September 15th:
 *Narratives on Abraham
Film in class;  Islam, Empire of Faith

Tuesday, September 20th:
*Narratives on Moses

Thursday, September 22nd:
 *narratives on Jesus and Mary in Qur'an

 

Blessed Life of the Prophet Muhammad

Tuesday, September 27th:
Lings, Muhammad, 1-87.
*Music:  "Ya Sahib al-jamal", Sabri Brothers

Thursday, September 29th:
Lings, Muhammad, 88-152
Music: "Wa salla Allahuu 'ala nurin", by
Qari Wahid Zaffar Qasm

Tuesday, October 4th:
Lings, Muhammad,152-246.
*Music: "Ay Muhammad", by the Bauls of Bengal.

Thursday, October 6th:
Lings, Muhammad, 247-347.
"Namidanam koja budam",
by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Tuesday, October 11th:   Mid-Term Recess (no classes)

 

 

Tasawwuf

The Sufi dimension of Islam:
To be at ease with God.
 

Thursday, October 13th: 
Instead of class, come to Sheila Blair lecture

Tuesday, October 18th:
Schimmel, And Muhammad is His Messenger , 1-140.

Thursday, October  20th:
Schimmel, And Muhammad is His Messenger, 141-259

To the right:  Hilye of the Prophet
by American Calligraphy master Muhammad Zakariya
for more, see http://www.zakariya.net

 

 

 

 

"Traditionalist" presentation of Islam:  a response to modernity by re-imagining the tradition
 

Tuesday, October 25th:
Charles Le Gai Eaton, Islam and the Destiny of Man, 31-111.

Thursday, October 27th:
Charles Le Gai Eaton, Islam and the Destiny of Man, 112-180.

Midterm Take-home Midterm due on Friday October 28th.

Tuesday, November 1st
Charles Le Gai Eaton, Islam and the Destiny of Man, 181-242.
* Also read the essay by Kecia Ali in Progressive Muslims

 

 

 

 

Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Islamic Discourse:
 

Thursday, November 3rd:
Webb, Windows of Faith,  xi-71.

Tuesday, November 8th:
Webb, Windows of Faith, 72-144.

Thursday, November 10th:
Webb, Windows of Faith, 145-257.

Tuesday, November 15th:
*Read essays by Sa'diyya Shaikh, Zoharah Simmons,
and Scott Kugle in Progressive Muslims
 

 

 

 

Islam in the African-American Experience, debates over interpretations of Islam in the North American context

Thursday, November 17th:
Sherman Jackson, Islam and the Blackamerican, 3-97.

Tuesday, November 22nd:  
* watch PBS documentary.
keep reading Sherman Jackson, Islam and the Blackamerican

Thursday November 24th:   Thanksgiving break.

Tuesday, November 29th:
Sherman Jackson, Islam and the Blackamerican, 98-198.

 


 

 

 contemporary Islamic calligraphy, by master Muhammad Zakariya

Islam in the Contemporary World:
post-modern Muslims

Thursday, December 1st:
The framing of the 9/11 atrocities in religious discourse, and Muslim responses
"Jihad against Jews and Crusaders"
Browse:  "Al-Qa'idah and the Qur'an:  The 'tafsir' of Usamah bin Laden"

For Muslim responses, explore http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/response.htm
read:  *Khaled Abou El Fadl, "Terrorism is at Odds with Islamic Tradition";
Explore:  http://www.unc.edu/~kurzman/terror.htm

Tuesday, December 6th:
Essays by Omid Safi, Farid Esack, Ebrahim Moosa, and Farish Noor in Progressive Muslims

Thursday, December 8th:  Last day of classes.
Essays by Tazim Kassam, Amir Hussain, Amina Wadud, and Marcia Hermansen in Progressive Muslims

 

 

Final exam will be posted here:

 

Insha'Allah