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Course Offerings

Course Details

Fall 2011-2012
* NES 240 / REL 240 (EM)  

Muslims and the Qur'an

Muhammad Q. Zaman

A broad-ranging introduction to pre-modern, modern, and contemporary Islam in light of how Muslims have approached their foundational religious text, the Qur'an. Topics include: Muhammad and the emergence of Islam; theology, law and ethics; war and peace; mysticism; women and gender; and modern debates on Islamic reform. We shall examine the varied contexts in which Muslims have interpreted their sacred text, their agreements and disagreements on what it means and, more broadly, their often competing understandings of Islam and of what it is to be a Muslim.

Sample reading list:
M. Abdel-Haleem, The Qur'an: A New Translation
Jonathan Berkey, The Formation of Islam
Fazlur Rahman, Major Themes of the Qur'an
M. Kamrava, New Voices of Islam
Attar, Conference of the Birds
Judith Tucker, In the House of the Law

Reading/Writing assignments:
Reading: About 80 pages per week. Writing: Two take-home exams: the first at mid-semester, the second at the end of the semester.

Requirements/Grading:
Take Home Mid term Exam - 30%
Take Home Final Exam - 30%
Quizzes - 10%
Class/Precept Participation - 30%

Schedule/Classroom assignment:

Class numberSectionTimeDaysRoomEnrollmentStatus
20768 L01 10:00 am - 10:50 am M W   McCosh Hall   28   Enrolled:62 Limit:85
P01 1:30 pm - 2:20 pm Th   Frist Campus Center   209   Enrolled:15 Limit:14
P02 2:30 pm - 3:20 pm Th   Frist Campus Center   209   Enrolled:12 Limit:14
P03 3:30 pm - 4:20 pm Th   Frist Campus Center   209   Enrolled:11 Limit:14
P04 10:00 am - 10:50 am F   Frist Campus Center   208   Enrolled:11 Limit:14
P05 7:30 pm - 8:20 pm Th   Jones Hall   113   Enrolled:12 Limit:14
23712 P06 TBA        Enrolled:0 Limit:0 Canceled