| Course Description For Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad is the genealogical and spiritual heir to
Abraham, the founder of monotheism. He was chosen by God to bring the final
revelation, the Qur'an, to the world. His life inspires millions of people.
The most often neglected aspect of Muhammad for Islamic life and culture is his
importance in personal and collective devotion. We consider sacred biography as
a genre, poetry, music, and popular rituals surrounding Muhammad, the "lamp for
all the universe."
Secular historians look at the conditions of the Middle East in the 7 - 9th
centuries. For them, the Qur'an and teachings of Muhammad combined with
unprecedented political and military successes to produce an Islamic world
empire that then shaped the way Muhammad's life story would be told. They
approach the sources with a skeptical, critical eye.
In modern times Muhammad has been fashioned as the exemplar for a variety of
movements: socialist revolutions, democratic state formation, rationalistic
religion, mysticism, and even feminism. In this seminar we will examine the
translated sources and biographies from Muslim and non-Muslim observers of
Muhammad and his mission. We also read recent critical academic studies of "the
historical Muhammad." Each week we will have discussions on the readings.
Books
Available at The Penn Book Center, 34th and Sansome (across from Hill House).
Their number is 215-222-7600.
- Ahmad Ali, trans., The Qur'an
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M. Lings, Muhammad
-
M. Reeves, Muhammad in Europe
-
D. Spellberg, 'A'isha: Politics, Gender, and Islam
-
Tor Andrae, Mohammed, the Man and His Faith
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M. Rodinson, Muhammad
-
A. Schimmel, And Muhammad is His Messenger
-
L. Azzam and A. Grovenour, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad
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S.H. Nasr, Muhammad - Man of God
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A. Dashti, Twenty-three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad
Readings in the form of articles, chapters, or short books are online, on the
course's Blackboard site. There are, in addition, several books on reserve in
the Rosengarten Room of Van Pelt Library under different topics on the
syllabus. Check "course reserves" under my name on the library's homepage.
Key to titles on the syllabus:
- TX textbook (for purchase or reading on reserve in Rosengarten)
- ON articles online on Blackboard site
- RS books on reserve in Rosengarten (and not for purchase)
The grade for the course is based on:
Your participation in discussions. If you must miss a class, email me before 12
noon that day with your reason for missing class. Participation includes
leading off class discussion for one session on that week's readings. Leaders
prepare a 10-15 minute presentation. The presentation consists of: 1) a very
short summary of the content of the reading
2) a longer, critical
consideration of the material and
3) provocative questions posed to the other
seminarians about the reading and related issues. 30%
Twelve 2-3 page response papers to the readings (you may choose to skip one week
with no consequence) and two 1-2 page film reviews. 40%
Final 15-20 page research paper with scholarly apparatus (Chicago Manual of
Style, Humanities format, 12 pt font-double spaced-no more than 1 " margins).
30%
I will have individual meetings with you to discuss topics and sources. The
paper is due the last day of exam week.
Schedule of Topics and Required Readings
January 14 Muhammad the Messenger: The Epic
We will watch "The Message" (1976) in class.
Read the handout selection from L. Gonick, The Cartoon History of the World (NY
and London, 2001) and WM Watt, A Short History of Islam (Oxford, 1996) for the
next class. Review of film and response on the Qur'an as a biographical source
due next class.
January 21 An Introduction to Islam and The Revelation
- The Qur'an, translated by Ahmed 'Ali. Qur'anic recitation in class. Begin
reading from the back toward the front by chapter. This approximates the order
of revelation (Meccan surahs first followed by Medinan surahs). TX
- Rippin, Andrew. "Muhammad in the Qur'an: Reading Scripture in the 21st Century,"
in H. Motzki, ed., The Biography of Muhammad: The Issue of the Sources (Leiden:
Brill, 2000), 298-309. ON
- Begin reading M. Lings, Muhammad. TX
January 28 Elements of the Sirah (Life of Muhammad). Satanic Verses
- M. Lings, Muhammad. TX
- Michael Cook, Muhammad (optional). RS
- J. Burton, "Those are the high-flying cranes," Journal of Semitic Studies 15
(1970), 246-65. ON
- C. Wiederhold, "Blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad and His Companions: (sabb
al-Rasul, sabb al-Sahabah)," JSS 42, I (1997), 39-70. ON
- S. Rushdie, The Satanic Verses (optional). RS
- M. Reeves, Muhammad in Europe, "The Satanic Verses," 387-300. TX
- C. Bennett, In Search of Muhammad, "Conclusion: Towards a Postmodern Theology of
Religions," 205-43 (helpful chronology of Muhammad's life and Islamic history
at end). ON
February 4 Women in the Life of Muhammad
- D.A. Spellberg, Aisha: Politics, Gender, and Islam. TX
- Ibn Ishaq (d. 767)/Ibn Hisham, The Life of Muhammad (Sirat Rasul Allah), trans.
A. Guillaume, "The lie that was uttered [against 'A'isha]," 493-99. ON
- Ibn Sa'd (d. 845), The Women of Madina, trans. by A. Bewley (London, 1995).
Selection on wives, daughters, and female companions of Muhammad. ON
- C. Bennett, In Search of Muhammad. "Appendix: Muhammad's Marriages" (for
reference). ON
- Ibn 'Arabi (d. 1240), The Bezels of Wisdom (Fusus al-hikam), trans. R. Austin
(NY, 1980), "The Wisdom of Singularity in the Word of Muhammad," 1-11,
269-284.
February 11 Muhammad in the World of Imagination: The Mi'raj and "True Dreams"
- J. van Ess, "Vision and Ascension: Surat al-Najm and its relationship with
Muhammad's Mi'raj," Journal of Qur'anic Studies 1, i (1999), 47-62. ON
- M. Sells, Early Islamic Mysticism, "The Mi'raj," 47-55 and "The Mi'raj of
Bistami," 242-50. ON
- E. Waugh, "Religious Aspects of the Mi'raj Legends," Intl. Congres des
orientalistes XXIX, Etudes arabes et islamiques. I Histoire et civilization IV
(1975), 236-44. ON
- J. Morris, "The Spiritual Ascension: Ibn 'Arabi and the Mi'raj," parts I and II,
JAOS 107, 108 (1987, 1988), 629-52, 63-77. ON
- V. Hoffman-Ladd, "Devotion to the Prophet in Egyptian Sufism," International
Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 24, 4 (1992), 615-37. ON
- L. Kinberg, "Literal Dreams and Prophetic Hadiths in Classical Islam," Der Islam
70 (1993): 279-300. ON
February 18 Muhammad and the Jews
- C.C. Torrey, The Jewish Foundation of Islam, v-xxiii, 1-27, 127-154. ON
- G. Newby, The Jews of Arabia, "Jews of the Hijaz" pp. 49-77; "Muhammad and the
Jews" pp. 78-96; "Arabian Judaism after Muhammad" pp. 97-108; and "Afterword
on Historiography" pp. 109-122. RS
- R. Firestone, Journeys in Holy Lands: The Evolution of the Abraham-Ishmael
Legend in Islamic Tradition. "Introduction," ix-xi, "Biblicists and Arabs" and
"Nature of the Literature," 3-21, "Conclusion," 153-9. RS
- C. Adang, Muslim Writers on Judaism and the Hebrew Bible, "The Reception of
Biblical Materials in Early Islam," 1-22, "The Authors and Their Works," 23-69,
"The Proofs of Prophethood," 139-91, and "Conclusions," 249-55. ON
February 25 Muhammad and the Christians
- Tor Andrae, Mohammed, the Man and His Faith. TX
- Ibn Ishaq/Ibn Hisham, The Life of Muhammad (Sirat Rasul Allah), trans. A.
Guillaume, "A Deputation of the Christians of Najran," 270-277. ON
- Ibn Ishaq/Ibn Hisham, The Life of Muhammad (Sirat Rasul Allah), trans. A.
Guillaume, "Of the woman who offered herself in marriage to Abdullah -
Christians - Monk Bahirah - Waraqah b. Naufal - Salman the Zoroastrian." 68-73,
79-81, 90-98. ON
- R.G. Hoyland, "The Earliest Christian Writings on Muhammad: An Appraisal, " in
H. Motzki, ed., The Biography of Muhammad: The Issue of the Sources (Leiden:
Brill, 2000), 276-295. ON
March 3 "The Massacre of the Jews"
Reread previous biographies and the Qur'an to find details about the Jews of
Medina and the Bani Isra'il (Children of Israel=Jews). Use the indices.
- Ibn Ishaq/Ibn Hisham, The Life of Muhammad (Sirat Rasul Allah), trans. A.
Guillaume, 239-270, 363-369, 437-485, 511-519. ON
- B. Ahmad, Muhammad and the Jews: A Re-examination, "The Nature and Extent of the
Conflict," 103-125. ON
- W.N. Arafat, "New Light on the Banu Qurayza and the Jews of Medina," Journal of
the Royal Asiatic Society (1976), 100-107. ON
- W.M. Watt Muhammad at Medina (optional). RS
- M.H. Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, 146-186. RS
- D. Hollenberg, "The Sirah's Qurayzah Cycle as Ideological Narrative." Master's
thesis in Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1996
(copy on reserve behind desk in Rosengarten - do not copy). RS
March 10 Spring Break
March 17 Christendom Encounters Muhammad
- M. Reeves, Muhammad in Europe (entire). TX
- R. Hyatt, The Prophet of Islam in Old French: 'The Romance of Muhammad' (1258)
and 'The Book of Muhammad's Ladder' (1264), "Introduction: Romance of
Muhammad," 1-18, Selection from the translation, 43-51"Introduction: The Book
of Muhammad's Ladder," 19-35, Chapters 78-85, 189-98. ON
- Dante Alighieri (d. 1321), The Inferno, trans. M. Musa, Canto XXVIII. ON
Chaucer (d. ca 1368), The Canterbury Tales, trans. N. Coghill, "The Man of Law's
Tale," 139-73. ON
- D. Vitkus, "Early Modern Orientalism: Representations of Islam in 16th and 17th
Century Europe," in D.R. Blanks and M. Frasetto, eds., Western Views of Islam
in Medieval and Early Modern Europe: Perception of Other (NY, 1999), 209-230.
ON
Please note: Part of this week's discussion will be of polemical web sites you
find. Everyone is required to find a site, print a page or two from the site,
and be ready to give your assessment.
March 24 Western Critiques of the Sources
- P. Crone and M. Cook, Hagarism. RS
- G.H. Hawting, "John Wansbrough, Islam, and Monotheism," Method and Theory in the
Study of Religion 9 (1997): 23-38. ON
- F.E. Peters, "The Quest of the Historical Muhammad," International Journal of
Middle East Studies 23 (1991): 291-315. ON
- H. Motzki, ed., The Biography of Muhammad: The Issue of the Sources (Leiden:
Brill, 2000), "Introduction," xi-xvi. ON
- U. Rubin, ed., The Life of Muhammad (Aldershot, 2001), "Introduction: The
Prophet Muhammad and the Islamic Sources," xiii-xxxvi. ON
- M. Fareed, "Introduction" to Ibn Kathir, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad, vol.
IV, xix-xxvii. ON
- E. Whelan, "Forgotten Witness: Evidence for the Early Codification of the
Qur'an," Journal of the American Oriental Society 118, i (1998), 1-14. ON
- A. Neuwirth, "Qur'an and History - a Disputed Relationship: Some Reflections on
Qur'anic History and History of the Qur'an," Journal of Qur'anic Studies 5, 1
(2003), 1-18. ON
- http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Text/Mss/index.html#el . For extensive
coverage of current Qur'anic dating debates, through articles linked from
scholarly literature. It is in answer to Christian polemical websites on the
integrity of the Qur'an and provides links to those sites.
- C. Bennett, In Search of Muhammad, "Introduction," "Muhammad of History: The
Primary Sources," and "The Sources: A Critical Evaluation," 1-65. ON
March 31 Muslim Apologetics and Miraculous Faith
We will watch the PBS special "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet" (2003) in class.
- Ibn Kathir, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad, trans. T. Le Gassick, vol. I
(Reading, UK: 2000) "Birth and Childhood," 141-72. ON
- A. Schimmel, And Muhammad is His Messenger, Chapters 4 -10. TX
- L. Azzam and A. Grovenour, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad. TX
- S.H. Nasr, Muhammad - Man of God. TX
- M.M. Khan, Sahih al-Bukhari, The Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad (Lahore,
1979). ON
- A.M. Al-Hawfi, Portrait of Human Perfection: A description of the appearance and
character of the Prophet Muhammad, 3-31, 88-119. ON
April 7 Muhammad the Beloved
- A. Schimmel, And Muhammad is the Messenger of God, "Muhammad the Beautiful
Model" and "Muhammad's Unique Position," 24-66 and "The Muhammadan Path,"
216-38. TX
- E. Waugh, "Following the Beloved, Muhammad as Model in the Sufi Tradition," in
F.E. Reynolds, ed., The Biographical Process: Studies in the history and
Psychology of Religion, 63-85. ON
- Al-Busiri, Al-Burdah (The Poem of the Cloak), trans. H. Yusuf. ON
- J. Knappert, Swahili Islamic Poetry, III Mi'raj and Maulid (Leiden, 1971),
356-63. ON
Music in class: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, The Last Prophet; Rasha, Sudaniyat ;
Baaba Maal, Nomad Soul; The Burda of al-Busiri (1 - Fez, Morocco and 2 -
Women's gathering, Damascus).
Week XIII April 14 A Scientific, Socialist, Secular Prophet
- A. Wessels, Modern Arabic Biography of Muhammad: A Critical Study of Muhammad
Husayn Haykal's 'Hayat Muhammad' Selection. ON
- Ali Dashti, Twenty-three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad. TX
- M. Rodinson, Muhammad. TX
April 21 Banquet and Informal Presentations of Student Papers
Bring a friend to our catered dinner and to enjoy paper presentations over
dessert and tea. |
