REL 240 Islam

Prerequisite: GSTR 110 (or waiver)

An introduction to Islam. This course will focus on the history and major
dimensions of the religions and spiritualities of Islam: formative narratives and traditions; sacred texts and authorities; key beliefs and doctrines; major rituals and practices; distinctive forms of religious experience; moral codes and behavior; forms of social and political life; institutions and leadership; styles of architecture and the arts. The course will give special attention to the role of Muhammed and the Qur’an, the historical development and geographical
presence of Islam as a global family of religions, the major traditions, streams,
and divisions within Islam, ways in which Islam both maintains continuity
and diversifies in various cultural contexts, as well as selected global issues, problems, and challenges for contemporary Islam. Religion Perspective and World Culture (NonWestern) Component of the International Perspective.