Spring 2013

Introduction to Islam ± R E L 2362 /Sections 0038, 0049, 0050

F lorida G ym ±(Rm.220) T uesdays, T hursdays (L ectures) 4th period (10:40 -11:30 am)

& F ridays (discussion) group locations: 3 rd period in M A T-14/ 4th period

In M A T 07 & 6th period in M A T 118

C O U RSE O U T L I N E

Texts and Information for our Course:

R E Q U I R E D T E X T & O T H E R M A T E R I A LS

1). Frederick M. Denny, An Introduction to Islam, 4th edition (3rd ed. pgs in parenthesis) Upper
Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall, 2011, ISBN: 978-0-13-814477-7 ± pbk.

2). Norman Calder, Jawid Mojaddedi & Andrew Rippin, eds., CLASSICAL ISLAM: A
Sourcebook of Religious Literature, 2nd edition, New York: Routledge, 2013, ISBN: 978-0-415-
50508 - 6 pbk.

3). There will be Additional Readings from other texts listed on this Course Outline that will be
sent as a pdf via our Class e-mail List and/or on our Sakai Course Site, when set up. I will let the
class know when the Sakai Site is up & running

4). On and off campus events related to Islam will be announced in class, posted on the Sakai site
and sent via our e-mail list site.

5). Study Question to help with your reading of the Course material will be sent by e-mail and
posted on our Sakai Course Site when it is ready.

6). T he date for the final exam is: M ay 2, 2013 ± 7:30 ± 9:30 A M (AWFUL!!!!!) .

7). M issed quizzes and the M id-T erm FDQEHPDGHXSRQO\ZLWKDGRFWRU¶VQRWHa U F

approved activity such as a sports team event in which you are a participant, or the
band or the choir, or a court appearance, job interview,etc., or a genuine emergency to
be determined by the instructor and teaching assistant. If you know of a conflict before
hand, please inform us so that ar rangements can be made for you to take the Q uiz
before hand or if necessary take a make-up Q uiz. A M ake-Up for the F inal E xam is
much more difficult. I also hate to schedule it early but will consider only if there is a
real emergency

97KRVHLQWHUHVWHGLQSXUFKDVLQJD4XU¶an should seleFW$EGXOODK<XVXIµ$OL¶V The Meaning of

7+(+2/<485¶$1, (New Edition with Revised Translation, Commentary and Newly
Compiled Comprehensive Index), Beltsville, Md:, Amana Publications, 2001. I however
recommend using one of WKHQXPHURXV4XU¶DQVLWHs on the internet instead of buying a hard

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copy. At those sites you can not only read the English translations and transliteration, you see
(read) the Arabic and hear it recited in both Arabic & English. There are also teaching tools on
line for those who want to learn surahs FKDSWHUVRIWKH4XU¶DQ3OXVWKHVHVLWHVHQDEOH\RXWR
GRZQORDGWKH4XU¶DQWR\RXU,3$',3+21(.,1'/(RUVLPLODUGHYLFHV<RXFDQEHJLQ\RXU
on-OLQHH[SORUDWLRQVRIWKH4XU¶DQDWhttp://www.quranexplorer.com/.

Date / Topic and Readings:

1.) 1/08. Introduction to the Study of Islam, Introductions Review of Syllabus, Course
Outline, Discussion of Perspectives, Problems, Bibliography for the Course, Goals, Class
Requirements, Expectations ±1/12. Continued viewing of Inside Islam with discussion

2.) 1/10. Video: Beginning of viewing of Inside Islam w/ Q & A

3.) 'LVFXVVLRQ*URXSV&RQW¶GYLHZLQJRI,QVLGH,VODPZGLVFXVVLRQ

Part O ne - Religion and Common L ife in the Pre-Islamic Near E ast

4.) 1/15. Early Civilizations and the Origins of Judaism and Christianity,
Denny, Chpt. 1, pp. 5- 27 (pp. 3-28)

5.) 1/17. View a Documentary on Islam w/discussion (Title TBA)

6.) 1/18. View a Documentary on Islam w/discussion (Title TBA)

7.) 1/22. Pre-Islamic Arabia: Beliefs, Values, Way of Life.

Denny, Chpt. 2, pp. 32-36 (pp. 29-43)

Part T wo - T he Coming of Islam: 7KH3URSKHW+LV3HRSOHDQG*RG¶V5HOLJLRQ

8.) 1/24. Muhammad and the Early Muslim Community,

Denny, Chpt. 3, pp. 49 -73 (pp. 47-71)
Esposito, Chpt. 1, ³0XKDPPDGDQG WKH4XU¶DQ0HVVHQJHUDQG0HVVDJH´SS-
31) from Islam The Straight Path, by John L. Esposito, 3rd ed. (This chapter will
be sent via our Class List & posted on Sakai.)

9.) 1/25. Discussion of Denny Chapters 1 & 2

10.) 1/29. Classical Islam: Notes for the reader and map, pp. xiii-xv & Part I, pp. 1-22

11.) 1/31. The Arab Conquests & Islamic Rule: The Struggle for a Unified Umma
Denny, Chpt. 4, pp. 74-96 (pp.72-94)

12.) 2/01. Discussion of readings from the week

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13.) 2/05. Esposito Chapter 2 ³7KH0XVOLP&RPPXQLW\,Q+LVWRU\´, (pp. 32-67) from
Esposito: Islam The Straight Path. (This chapter will be sent at a pdf file via our
Course List & will be posted on Sakai)

14.) 2/07. Basic Beliefs and Worship Practices of Islam,

Denny, Chpt 5, pp. 97- 129 (pp.97-127)

15.) 2/08. Q uiz # O ne on Denny C hapters 1-4, Esposito 1-2

Part T hree ± T he Islamic Religious System

16). 2/12. The Basic Beliefs and Worship Practices of Islam, Denny, pp. 99 ± 129 (pp. __)

17.) 2/14. Classical Islam, Chapter 2, pp. 23-54

18.) 2/15. V iew V ideo on Salat

19.) 2/19. The 1DWXUHDQG)XQFWLRQRIWKH4XU¶DQ

Denny, Chpt. 6, pp. 130-149 (pp. 128-148)

20.) 2/21. W. Montgomery Watt and Richard Bell, ³7KH+LVWRU\RIWKH7H[W´ (pp.40-56)

from ,QWURGXFWLRQWRWKH4XU¶DQ will be sent via the Class List as pdf.

21.) 2/22. Discussion of Denny Chpts. 5 & 6 DQG:DWW%HOO¶V The History of the Text

19.) 2/26. 7KH3URSKHW¶V6XQQDKDV3UHVHUYHGLQWKH+DGLWK,

Denny, Chpt. 7, pp. 150-163 (pp149-163)
³7KH,VODPLF7UDGLWLRQ´ (pp.17-35) from Introduction To The Hadith by John
Burton. (This chapter will be sent as a pdf via the Course List).

20.) 2/28. Continuation of discussion of our readings on the Hadith.

21.) 3/01. Q uiz # T wo on Denny C hpts. 5, 6, & 7

SPR I N G B R E A K

M arch 2nd through the 10th

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22.) 3/12. Classical Islam, Chapter 3, pp. 55-94

23.) 3/14. Muslim Creeds and Theologies: Their Purposes and Varieties,
Denny Chpt. 8, pp. 164-186 (pp. 164-186)

24.) 3/15. Class Discussion of Readings

25). 3/19. Classical Islam, Chapter 6, pp. 189 - 239

26.) 3/21. Law and the State in Classical Islamic Formulations

Denny, Chpt. 9, pp. 187-208 (pp.187-210)
Classical Islam, Chapter 7, pp. 247-293

27.) 3/22. In C lass M id-T erm E xam

28.) 3/26 Islamic Mysticism and the Disciplines of Esoteric Piety

Denny, Chpt. 10, pp. 211-237 (pp.211-237)

29.) 3/28. Masters and Disciples: The Forms and Functions of Sufi Orders
Denny Chpt. 11, pp. 238-260 (pp. 238-262)

30.) 3/29 Classical Islam, Chapter 8, pp. 299-352

Part F ive Patterns of Islamic Personal & Communal L ife

31.) 4/02. The Islamic Life Cycle and the Family

Denny Chpt. 12 pp. 263-288 (pp. )

Part Six ± Islam in the Modern World

32.) 4/04. Major Movements and Trends in Renewal and Reform

Denny Chpt. 14, pp. 315-340 (pp. 315-339)

33.) 4/05. Q uiz T hree (Q uestions on Readings from the M id-T erm to this date)

34.) 4/09. Three Forms of Islamic Revival: Fundamentalism, Feminism, Establishing

The Umma in North America, Denny Chpt. 15 pp. 341-364 (pp. 340-362)

35.) 4/11. Whither Islam and the Muslims? Progressive Muslims with a Vision of an
Islam without Borders, Denny Chpt. 16 pp. 363-380)

36.) 4/12. Class Trip to Jumah Prayers at the Hoda Islamic Center - 5220
SW 13th St. (352) 377-8080. T ime T B A (it is mid-day either 12:30 0r 1:30)

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 37.) 4/16. Readings TBA or time to go over earlier readings

38.) 4/18. Readings TBA or time to go over earlier readings

39.) 4/19. Q uiz Four(Q uestions on Readings from Q uiz three to this date)

40.) 4/23. WRAP UP DISCUSSION & REVIEW

In C lass F inal E xam: M ay 2 nd 7:30 to 9:30 A M

H A V E A H A PP Y SU M M E R !!!!!!!
Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, Ph.D./ Instructor
107-A Anderson Hall/ First Floor Level
352 ± 273-2940 Direct Line
352 -392-1625 Religion Dept. Office
[email protected] or
Office Hours: Mondays: 2:30 ± 4:30 PM
Wednesdays: 2:30 ± 4:30PM
& By Appointment

Rodney Sebastian, M.A./ Teaching Assistant

107 Anderson Hall ± Religion Dept. Office
Religion Office: (352) 392-1625
Prvt Office: (352) 273-2933
[email protected]
Office Hours: Tuesdays: 2:00 ± 6:00 PM
& By Appointment