Islam

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/G_BATRSPC116

Course Objective

After finishing this course, the student:
- has primary knowledge of Islam, its origins, scriptural sources and religious practices;
- is able to name and explain important key concepts, movements and terminologies of classical and modern Islam;
- has knowledge of the most important topics through (translated) Islamic source texts and literature;
- has global knowledge of aspects of Islamic culture in the modern world and some more in-depth understanding regarding the Netherlands;
- has insight into their own relationship and that of others to the academic study of Islam.

Course Content

This module provides a thorough introduction to various aspects of Islam. We consider the origins of Islam, how it gradually became a world religion, the main scriptural sources of Islam (the Quran and Sunnah), various classical theological movements and thinkers, Islamic law, Islamic mystical tradition, art and culture. We also pay much attention to Islam in the contemporary. We will trace religious debates on what Lila Abu Lughod called 'zones of theory' like secularisation, the position of women and political Islam. Finally, armed with this knowledge and these insights, we will look at Islam in the Netherlands and study the development of Islamic institutions, practices and rituals in Dutch society. In this course, the student acquires basic knowledge and understanding of Islam and Muslim life. The student learns to critically contextualise author/audience positions by producing an academic book review on a contemporary biography about the Prophet Muhammed.

Teaching Methods

Seminars (and possibly a (self-guided) excursion).

Method of Assessment

Exam (40%) Report and presentation on assigned topic (30%) Book review (30%) (Assignments must be original work )

Literature

:
- Shepard, William E. Introducing Islam. Second (or later) edition. London/New York: Routledge, 2014.
- a variety of other articles (via Canvas and VU library)
- a modern biography of the Prophet Muhammad (to be discussed in the first class)