Islamic Cultural Studies

I: Sources of the Tradition

Muhammad of History

Required Readings:

• Hodgson, Venture of Islam: V.1, 146-195.
• Constitution of Medina

Hadith

Required Readings:

• R. Marston Speight: "Hadith" in Esposito, ed. Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, V. 2, 83-87.
• Selected primary sources:
  • Malik ibn Anas: Selection from al-Muwatta' on zakat
  • Al-Bukhari: selection from al-Sahih on zakat
  • Ibn Hajar: commentary on Sahih as-Bukhari on zakat
  • Abu Dawud: selection from al-Sunan on zakat
  • Ibn Babawayh: selection from Man la yahduruh al-faqih on Khums
  • Al-Kulayni: selection from al-Kafi on temporary marriage

Muhammad Through History

Required Readings: All

• Abou El Fadl, Khaled. Conference of the Books : The Search for Beauty in Islam, 233-241, 249-251.
• Asani and Abdel-Malek: Celebrating Muhammad: Images of the Prophet in Popular Muslim Poetry: 1-45. (1-15 is a general introduction followed by commentary on particular themes of devotion illustrated below.)

Required Readings: Divide and Assign

• Asani: "In Praise of Muhammad I: Urdu Poems"
• Asani: "In Praise of Muhammad II: Sindhi Poems"
• Knappert: "Mohammed's Nocturnal Journey to Jerusalem and His Visit to the Seven Heavens and to Hell" in Swahili Islamic Poetry, III: 227-275.
• Hiskett: "Prophetic Panegyric and Biography" in A History of Hausa Islamic Verse: 43-51.
• Li and Luckert: "Muhammad and His Companions" in Mythology and Folklore  of the Hui, A Muslim Chinese People: 83-93.
• Rushdie: "The Prophet's Hair" in East, West: 35-58.

Web: All

• Recitations of formulaic blessings on the Prophet Muhammad
  • Singapore - Salwat
  • Syria - Dhikr
  • Indonesia - Salwat Dulang
• Songs/poems in praise of the Prophet Muhammad
  • India - Mughal-i a'zam "The Great Mughal."
  • Pakistan - Na't
  • Zanzibar - Qasidah
  • Pakistan - Qawwali
  • Pakistan - Qawwali 2
  • Malaysia - Mawled

The Qur'an: Context and Recitation

Required Readings:

• Sells, Approaching the Qur'an, "Introduction"  1-34.
• Nelson, "The Sound of the Divine in Daily Life" in Everyday Life in the Muslim  Middle East, 257-261.
• Graham, William A: Beyond the Written Word: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion, 79-95.

CD:    

• Recitations from early Suras (Sells)

The Qur'an: The Joseph Story  

Readings: All

• Joseph Story in Bible (Genesis 37; 39-50 RSV).
• Qur'an Sura 12 (K. Cragg:Readings in the Qur'an: 130-137)
• Kaltner: Inquiring of Joseph,  Introduction, ix-xx; Chapter 2

Readings: Divide and Assign

• Knappert, Islamic Legends: Histories of the Heroes, Saints and Prophets of Islam, V. 1, 85-104.
• Knappert: "Yusup" in Maylay Myths and Legends: 43-44.

Readings: Recommended:

• Renard: Seven Doors to Islam, 259-272.

Web: All

• Recitations from the Qur'an: Surah Yusuf (the chapter of Joseph), verses 19-21.
• The Yusuf-Zulaykha: epic in miniature paintings (Iran, Central Asia, South Asia)

The Qur'an: Major Themes

Readings: Divide and Assign One Chapter Each

• Rahman, Major Themes of the Qur'an
  • Chapter 1 - God
  • Chapter 2 - Man as Individual
  • Chapter 3 - Man in Society
  • Chapter 4 - Nature
  • Chapter 5 - Prophethood and Revelation
  • Chapter 6 - Eschatology
  • Chapter 7 - Satan and Evil
  • Chapter 8 - Emergence of the Muslim Community

Expressions of Faith

Readings: All

• Renard: "Devotion" in Seven Doors to Islam, 35-72.
• Graham, William A: Beyond the Written Word: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion, 102-109.
• Film:" Inside Mecca" from National Geographic

Readings: Divide and Assign

• Reflections on the Five Pillars: From Renard, ed. Windows on the House of Islam
  • Sharaf ad-Din Maneri: "On the Necessity of Proper Intention" 59-64.
  • Nurcholish Madjid: "Worship as an Institution of Faith" 65-73.
  • Tabari: "Hadith on the Five Daily Ritual Prayers" 74-77.
  • "Ritual and Creed in Moses' Conversation with God" 78-84.
  • Hamka: "Qur'an Commentary on Pilgrimage Ritual" 85-91.
• Nasr: "The Principle of Unity and the Sacred Architecture of Islam" in Islamic Art and Spirituality, 37-63.
• Caliigraphy
  • Asani: "Islamic Calligraphy": 1-4.
  • Khatibi, Abdelkebir, and Mohamed Sijelmassi. The Splendour of Islamic Calligraphy, 6-25.

Recommended Readings:

• Nasr: "The Spiritual Message of Islamic Calligraphy" in Islamic Art and Spirituality, 17-36

Web: All

• Architecture
  • Ibn Tulun Mosque
  • Alhambra
    • General Overview
    • Palace of the Lions
    • Rabbat, Nasser. "The Palace of the Lions, Alhambra and the Role of Water in its Conception ."Environmental Design: Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre 2 (1985): 64-73.
  • Safavid Persia
    • Friday Mosque of Isfahan
  • Palaces
  • Funerary
  • Education
• Qur'an as Sacred Design: Representations of Calligraphy
• Selected Hajj Paintings: Image One, Image Two, Image Three