Classroom: Foley Annex 175
CRN: 72706
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:35 to 2:50 pm
Professor: Amir Hussain
Office: University Hall, Room 3724
Phone: (310) 338-5987 (or Department of Theological Studies at 338-7670)
Email: amir.hussain@lmu.edu
Web Page: http://myweb.lmu.edu/ahussain/
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 am to noon, 3:00 to 4:00 pm
Course Description:
This course will introduce students to the Islamic religious tradition. There has been a tremendous increase in interest about Islam and Muslims since the attacks on September 11, 2001. After the attacks, there was more coverage about Islam than ever before in the American news media. Unfortunately, most of this coverage was biassed at best and inaccurate at worst. We will begin by reading a book that describes how the news media constructs reality. Having discussed media constructions of Muslim lives, we will then start our study of Islam by examining the historical developments of Islam. We will begin with a discussion of pre-Islamic Arabia before examining the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The Qur’an and the Hadith will also be discussed in this first section. Finally, we will discuss Islamic religious practices and law to end this first section.
The second part of the course will examine aspects of Islamic civilization and culture. We will begin with a discussion of the split between Sunni and Shi‘i Islam. Next we will turn to an examination of Sufism, the mystical tradition in Islam. We will then discuss various Muslim communities through an examination of the life of several Muslim cities. In this section, we will discuss aspects of Islamic philosophy.
The final part of the course will be concerned with the modern phenomenon of Islam. We will examine themes such as Orientalism, Islamic “fundamentalism”, the “Islamic Threat”, the meanings of “jihad”, the “Rushdie Affair”, the Nation of Islam, the role of Islam in Canada and the United States, and the study of Islam in the decade after September 11, 2001. The roles of women in Islam will be examined throughout this course.
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course students will 1) demonstrate that they will think both empathetically and critically about Islam and Muslims; 2) demonstrate knowledge of the histories and cultures of the Muslim world; 3) demonstrate that they have the ability to interpret texts and other cultural phenomena (such as rituals, myths, architecture) that have religious presuppositions or implications; 4) demonstrate that they will think both empathetically and critically about conflicting religious claims; and 5) through class participation and written assignments have improved their verbal and written skills.
Statement on the University Mission in Relation to Theological Studies:
Courses in the Department of Theological Studies serve the University Mission to encourage learning, educate the whole person, serve faith and promote justice.
Theological Studies courses encourage learning within the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Catholic tradition. They value imagination and intellect, seeking an integration of different kinds of knowledge, and promote ecumenical and interreligious discourse. They seek to educate the whole person and serve faith by an academic exploration of the possibilities, challenges, and ambiguities of faith, in dialogue with the contemporary world. By their structure and content, they strive to promote justice by encouraging students to engage their theological understanding in a broken world.
Theological Studies courses require students to think, speak, write, and reflect critically about the largest questions of human existence. To do this, students are required also to “acquire the arts of precise and elegant expression, a sound and critical grasp of ideas, a familiarity with the modern world’s ways of knowing itself, a personal understanding of this nation’s history and multicultural heritage, and an appreciation of other cultures and societies around the globe.” (University Bulletin)
Theological Studies courses invite students to become more reflective and responsible persons in their own intellectual, ethical, and spiritual development.
Prerequisites / Recommended Background:
THST 180: Religions of the World; THST 383: Religions of the Near East; or permission of the instructor.
Required Texts:
Neil Postman and Steve Powers, How to Watch TV News revised edition (New York: Penguin, 2008).
Amir Hussain, Oil and Water: Two Faiths, One God (Kelowna: Copper House, 2006).
A copy of each book is on reserve in Reserve Services of the Library.
Lecture Outlines (including supplementary readings), available from the LMU Bookstore. Please bring these outlines to each class meeting.
Evaluation:
It is important for each student to know at the outset that this course requires daily reading, written assignments and a final examination. Moreover, regular class attendance and participation are required. Clear, grammatically correct composition and standard spelling are expected on all written assignments.
Information on the book reviews and the research paper (which will be on a topic of the student’s choice, in consultation with the instructor) will be provided separately during the course. The final examination will be cumulative. The exam will be graded on a) familiarity with the readings and b) independent questioning and reflection elicited by the lectures and classroom discussions. Methodical reading, conscientious writing of the assignments, and participation in class discussion will prepare students for the exam.
Active class participation will positively affect the student’s final grade. More than two unexcused absences during the semester will negatively affect the student’s grade. The University’s grading policy, including the plus/minus system, will be used. The University’s policy on Academic Honesty (discussed below) will be followed in this course.
Grades will be determined as follows:
15% A review of not more than 5 pages on the Postman and Powers book, due February 2.
40% A research paper of not more than 15 pages, due March 29.
35% A final examination (written in Green books) on May 3.
10% Class participation.
Statement on Academic Excellence in Theological Studies:
In keeping with the larger context of LMU’s mission, academic excellence is grounded in critical thinking, moral reflection, and articulate expression (both in written and oral form). Such critical thinking, reflection, and expression are rooted in the discipline of academic work. Critical thought and reflection, as well as the ability to articulate one’s beliefs clearly and thoughtfully, are the result of disciplined work, which constitutes the necessary condition for academic achievement.
The Department of Theological Studies maintains high expectations for academic excellence. Students in Theological Studies courses are expected to be engaged listeners and careful readers as well as to write and speak cogently about substantive theological matters. They are expected to understand and analyze pertinent primary texts, scholarly literature, and non-textual sources (such as rituals and the arts), and to assimilate lectures on complex topics. Moreover, students are expected to generate their own questions about the material under consideration, questions appropriate to the sub-field that they are studying and which reflect a firm grasp of the basic course content and methodological approach.
Courses in Theological Studies may require approximately 150 pages of reading a week and 40 pages of writing over the course of the semester. Moreover, class attendance, preparation, and participation are not optional, but essential. Faculty are not required to prepare detailed “study guides” that repeat or summarize class and lecture content, nor are they required to prepare students for quizzes or exams beyond the content of the course lectures. Grading standards are high for all courses in Theological Studies.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
Students with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act who need reasonable modifications, special assistance, or accommodations in this course should promptly direct their request to the Disability Support Services Office. Any student who currently has a documented disability (physical, learning, or psychological) needing academic accommodations should contact the Disability Services Office (Daum Hall Room 224, 310-338-4535) as early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential.
Academic Honesty:
Academic dishonesty will be treated as an extremely serious matter, with serious consequences that can range from receiving no credit for assignments/tests to expulsion. It is never permissible to turn in any work that has been copied from another student or copied from a source (including Internet) without properly acknowledging the source. It is your responsibility to make sure that your work meets the standard of academic honesty set forth in the“LMU Honor Code and Process” which appears in the LMU Bulletin 2011-2012.
Tentative Nature of the Syllabus:
If necessary, this syllabus and its contents are subject to revision; students are responsible for any changes or modifications distributed in class or posted on the instructor’s web site.
Schedule of Classes:
Jan. 10 – 12: Introductory meetings: What is Islam? Methodological issues in this course. The roles of women and men in Islam. READING: Oil and Water, Foreword, Preface and Chapter 1.
Jan. 17 – 19: “Here we are now, entertain us”: Islam, Muslims and the American media. READING: Postman and Powers book.
Jan. 24 – 26: Pre-Islamic Arabia to the time of Muhammad. READING: Oil and Water, Chapters 2 and 3. Muhammad’s birth and early life. Muhammad’s life to the Hijrah (622 C.E.).
Jan. 31 – Feb. 2: The Hijrah, and the developments of the first Islamic community. The return to Mecca and the death of Muhammad. READING: Oil and Water, Chapters 2 and 3. Book Review on Postman and Powers Due on Feb. 2.
Feb. 7 – 9: The development of the Qur’an: The Meccan Revelations. The Qur’an continued: The Medinan and Later Meccan Revelations. READING: Chapter 4.
Feb. 14 – 16: The Hadith and the Traditions of the Prophet. READING: Chapter 4.
Feb. 21 – 23: The religious practices of Islam: The hadith of Gabriel revisited. Islam (submission), Iman (faith) and Ihsan (doing what is beautiful). READING: Chapter 5.
Feb. 27 – March 2: No classes due to Spring Break.
March 6 – 8: The religious practices of Islam: The hadith of Gabriel revisited. Islam (submission), Iman (faith) and Ihsan (doing what is beautiful). READING: Chapter 5.
March 13 – 15: Islamic law and religious ethics. The succession of Muhammad. The beginnings of the Sunni–Shi‘i split. Shi‘i Islamic doctrines and practices. READING: Chapter 5.
Friday, March 16: Last Day to Withdraw or Apply for Credit / No Credit Grading.
March 20 – 22: Sufism: The mystical dimension of Islam. READING: Chapter 8. Video on Sufism.
March 27 – 29: An introduction to Islamic philosophy and theology. Islamic thinkers from the classical to the pre-modern age. Islamic civilization: The cities of Islam. The Islamic contribution to “the West”.Research Paper Due March 29.
April 3: Video on women in Islam. Women and Islam. The impacts of Feminism on Islam. READING: Chapter 7.
April 10 – 12: Orientalism, Islamic “fundamentalism” and the “Islamic Threat”. Manufacturing Islam?: The meanings of “jihad”. The “Rushdie Affair”. READING: Chapter 6.
April 17 – 26: Contemporary Islam in the United States: Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. READING: Chapter 9. The role of Islam in Canada and the United States. The study of Islam after September 11, 2001. Muslim– Christian Dialogue. Review. READING: Chapter 10.
Thursday, May 3: Final Exam (exam time 11:00 am – 1:00 pm). Final Exam Is Cumulative, Based On Everything Covered In The Course.