Barbara R. von Schlegell

Visiting Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion, Ursinus College
Fellow, Penn Middle East Center

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Islamic History to 1517

Religious Studies 147 (History 147 and AMES 137)

This is a course on the transformation of the Middle East into an Islamic civilization and its historical development from the time of Muhammad (570-632 CE) to the early sixteenth century. We will cover the rise of Islam, the early Islamic empires, and the process of political fragmentation and cultural continuity in Muslim societies from Spain to North India. Within this wide chronological and geographical framework we will focus on the role of Islamic religious thought, institutions, and identities through a select number of particularly revealing biographies and historical contexts.

The main questions raised in this class are:
  • How did the majority of the people of the Middle East become Muslim? To what extent do the Islamic forms of government, social organization, and culture represent continuity with the conquered territories? What is unique to Islamic society?
  • Is there a worldwide unity of Islamic culture?
  • How does the way history is written (by Muslims and by Western scholars) affect our understanding of events?
  • To what extent should religion be used to explain behavior in the history of Muslim societies? How does culture influence religious developments?

The course consists of two lecture/discussion periods each week. For the last portion of the class, students will choose to join one of four regional and thematic projects (see weeks XI - XIV) for group presentations for that week. The essay questions for the final exam will be composed in part by the student groups based on the material of their presentations.

Course Requirements and Evaluation

There will be a take-home midterm and a final exam. There is no paper assigned in this class. The semester grade is based on the following:

  • Class participation (attendance and discussion in class) 20%
  • Take-home midterm exam (questions based on class readings) 20%
  • Class presentation 30%
  • Final exam (questions given out in advance) 30%

Textbooks

Textbooks are available at the new Penn Book Center, 34th and Sansome Streets. Telephone 222-7600

  • Marshall G.S. Hodgson, The Venture of Islam: Conscience and History in a World Civilization, vols. I and II (Chicago, 1974).
  • Ira M. Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies (Cambridge, 1988).
  • FE Peters, A Reader on Classical Islam (Princeton, 1994).
  • Esposito, John Islam: The Straight Path (Oxford, 1995). This book is not required, but recommended for those with no previous knowledge of Islam (on reserve in Rosengarten).

You do not have to purchase the books. These books and many others for our course are on reserve in Rosengarten Reading Room in Van Pelt under my name. From the Franklin web page, choose "Course Reserves."
The Bulkpack is available at Wharton Reprographics, first floor of Steinberg-Dietrich.

Course Outline

Week I: Introduction to Islam. Studying the Muslim World. The Middle East before Islam (January 17 - 19)

Readings:

  • Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, pp. 3-10
  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, pp. 90-99
  • Esposito, Islam, The Straight Path, pp. 3-36 (optional, on reserve)

Week II: Life of Muhammad, the Qur’an, and a New World Religion. Biography and Historiography (January 24-26)

*Map exercise due Wednesday, January 26*

Readings:

  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, 146-186
  • Peters, A Reader on Classical Islam, Chapters 2 and 4, and pp. 106-109
  • From the BP: 1. Al-Kisa’i 2. Ibn Ishaq Hisham 3. Ibn Sa’d

Week III: The Islamic Conquests, Jihad,   and the Caliphate (January 30-February 2)

Readings:

  • Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, pp. 37-53
  • Peters, A Reader on Classical Islam, pp. 117-124 "The Caliphate"
  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, pp. 187-217
  • From BP: 4. D. Spellberg Politics, Gender and the Islamic Past  5. Al-Baladhuri and 6. Bishop John of Egypt

Slide Presentation on Islamic Art and Architecture

Readings:

  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. II, pp. 501-531
  • From BP: 7. O. Grabar, Formation of Islamic Art (selection)

Week IV: The Umayyad Caliphate in Damascus (Febrary 7-9)

Readings:

  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, pp. 217-240
  • Esposito, Islam, the Straight Path, Chapter 2 "Muslim Community" (optional)
  • From BP: 8. Tabari, Ziyad, and Hasan al-Basri

Week V: The Shi’ah of ‘Ali and the Abbasid Revolution (February 14-16)

Readings:

  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, pp. 241-279
  • FE Peters, A Reader on Classical Islam, pp. 112-117 "Shi'ite View" and pp.120-150 "Caliph and Imam"

The Abbassid Empire from Baghdad

Readings:

  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, pp. 280-314; 473-493
  • Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, pp. 120-125
  • From BP: 9. Ibn Khaldun "Dynasties"

Week VI: Universalistic Aspirations: Elaboration of Religious Law (February 21-23)

Readings:

  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, pp. 315-409
  • FE Peters, A Reader on Classical Islam, pp. 212-256 "Qu'ran, the Prophet and the Law"
  • From BP: 10.  Al-Shafi’i 12. Sahih al-Bukhar "Fasting" 14.. Al-Misri (There is no 11 or 13.)

*Questions for Take-home Midterm handed out*

Judeo-Islamic Culture and Non-Muslims in Islamic Lands

Readings:

  • FE Peters, A Reader on Classical Islam, pp. 99-106 "Peoples of the Book" ff and pp. 156-7 "There is No Compulsion in Religion"
  • From BP: 15. B. Lewis Jews of Islam 16. P. Fenton "Judaism and Sufism" 16a. N. Stillman The Jews of Arab Lands (selections)

Week VII: Abbasid Court Culture and Islamic Philosophy (February 28-March 1)

Readings:

  • FE Peters, A Reader on Classical Islam, Chapter 8 "Islamic Theology"
  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. I, pp. 410-472
  • From BP: 17. Al-Jahiz Life and Works 18. "Letter from Baghdad"

*Take-home midterm due Friday, March 3 in my mailbox in 201 Logan Hall.

Begin thinking about topics for the class presentations in April. Detailed instructions will follow.*

Week VIII: End of Empire: An Overview of Middle Period Government, Society and Culture (March 6-8)

Readings:

  • Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies, pp. 137-161; 181-191; 225-237
  • Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. II, pp. 12-61
  • From BP: 19. Nizam al-Mulk 20. Al-Ghazali "Deliverance from Error"

March 13-15 University Break - No classes

Week IX : Mysticism: Sufism in Society (March 20-22)

Readings:

  • From BP:  21.  Al-Nawawi 22. Valerie Hoffman "Mysticism and Sexuality" 23. Al-Qushayri 24. Najm al-Din Razi 25. Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, vol. II, pp. 201-254

Week X: Muslim Women and Islamic History (March 27-29)

Readings:

  • From BP: 26. G. Nashat and J. Tucker Restoring Women to History 27. N. Keddie and B. Baron, eds. Women in Middle Eastern History (pieces by Keddie and Berkey

Group Presentations Begin

Note: I will meet with the four groups outside of class to suggest source material and secondary readings, some of which will be distributed to the class as a whole.

Week XI: Spain and North Africa (April 3-5)

Week XII: Iran and Central Asia: Mongols and Timurids (April10-12)

Week XIII: Egypt and Syria: The Crusades, Fatimids, and Mamluks (April 17-19)

Week XIV: Turkish Migrations, the Early Ottoman Empire, and the Encounter with Europe (April 24-26)

Questions for the final exam will be handed out in the last week of class.

 

 

              
                 
                 
                 
                 

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