Islam: History, Doctrine, and Practice

This course serves as an introduction to the highly relevant Islamic faith and culture. It will cover the historical evolution as its doctrine and life. Beginning with its emergence with the Prophet, his revelation and early community, its spread under the caliphs, the fixation of the Qu’ran, and its subsequent historical development: the Umayyad, Abbasid, Famitid, Mamluk, Ottoman, and contemporary periods. Alongside this historical aspect, a systematic reflection on the main principles of Islamic faith, its theology and piety, its life, observances and festivals, and not least, its interaction with other religions in the modern world, chiefly Christianity, will be engaged. Discussions, presentations. One essay.