THE QURAN AND EARLY ISLAM

In this course, we will set out to critically reconstruct the central practices and ideas of the early Muslim community as a basis for thinking creatively about several issues pertaining to the fields of theology, philosophy, law, sexuality, economics, and politics. Each week we will read a selection of primary sources (e.g., the Quran, hadith collections, conversion narratives, etc.) alongside scholarly writings in the study of the Quran and early Islam in an attempt to discern the relationship between the foundational scripture and the development of the Muslim community in the first three centuries of its existence. This historical inquiry will subsequently serve as the foundation for a deeper humanistic exploration of topics ranging from social justice and secularism to morality and mythology. This course assumes no prior knowledge of Islam.Undergraduates register for 200-level for 5 units. Graduate students register for 300-level for 3-5 units.