HUAS95614 - Understanding Muslim Diversity

Course Description

Islam was never just one expression. Since its emergence in the Arabian Peninsula in the seventh century, the Islamic call has been re-interpreted by its adherents who have reached different conclusions of what it means to live like a Muslim. This course will explore the plurality of ideas, peoples, and theologies that characterize Muslims worldwide. Students will learn about the differences within the schools of Sunni Islam, the internal debates that characterize Shia Islam, and the mystical world-view of Sufism. Not only a function of theology, Islamic practice is influenced by the diversity of peoples who make up the Muslim world and, thus the role of culture to Islamic expression will also be examined. Finally, this course will introduce the plurality of Muslim opinion that exists about the relationship between Islam and modernity. While gaining a greater appreciation for the diversity of Muslim religious thought, students will also begin to decipher the core tenets of Islam that nonetheless allow us to speak of a “Muslim world.”

HUAS95614 Arabic Language and Cultures