LIBERAL ARTS 270.1
ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA
Professor R. J. Hoffmann
Description: This course assumes no prior knowledge of Islamic culture (literature, art and architecture, theology,
political history) and is designed as a comprehensive introduction to the formative period (up to roughly 1500 CE) of
Islamic civilization. The story of Islam during this period is one of the most fascinating the world has seen: it includes the
development of a rich scriptural and biographical tradition; the creation of new political structures, adapted to the rapid
change from cultural isolation to world empire; interaction between Islam and other religious traditions of the Arab,
Byzantine, South and Central Asian and North African region; and the development of a flourishing artistic, architectural,
scientific and philosophical culture. The focus of this course is on “culture,” broadly defined as the product of human
effort. While Islam provides the context for these efforts, the class does not focus specifically on the structure of Muslim
beliefs or professional theology.
Primary sources will be emphasized: religious and literary texts, visual materials (art and architecture), musical traditions,
and histories.
Structure: The class is designed as a lecture/seminar, meeting twice a week for eighty minutes. The instructor will
introduce the topic and readings for the day and provide a basic “map” for discussion. Students will come to class having
read the day’s assignment and must be prepared to interact with the material, their classmates, and the instructor in a
dialogue on the topic. To facilitate the process, students will develop two or three sentence summary statements of the
key ideas of the readings (or media). These may be in the form of statements about the material or questions you think are
important to understanding the material.
Texts: No (hardcopy) textbook is required; all reading can be done online. The following books are recommended for
students who wish to pursue the study in depth:
Carl W. Ernst, Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World (University of North Carolina
Press, 2004), ISBN: 0807855774
Vernon Egger, History of the Muslim World to 1405 (Prentice Hall 2005) ISBN 9780130983893
Ibn Khaldun, The Muqaddima, trans. Franz Rosenthal, abridged ed. (Princeton University Press, 2005) . (Excerpts)
Kenan Makiya, The Rock: A Tale of Seventh-Century Jerusalem (Vintage Books USA; Vintage edition, 2002), ISBN:
0375700781
Fatima Mernissi, The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women's Rights in Islam (Perseus Books
Group; Reprint edition, 1992), ISBN: 0201632217
For general information, see Marilyn Waldman’s macropedia article “Islamic World” in the online edition of the
Encyclopaedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/295765/Islamic-world This is a long article
which you can read as background (little by little) when you have time; navigation is in the Table of Contents bar on the
right.
Assessment: Assessment for this course conforms to the College guidelines for seminars:
(1) -a mid-term exam or a short presentation (30%),
(2) -a final exam or research essay (30%),
(3) -an academic journal (25%), and
(4) -class participation (15%).
Attendance is expected as the significant measure of participation.
Schedule of Topics and Readings:
0. Introduction to the Course: Structure, sources, and assessment
I. Studying Islam
Reading:
1. General Background: http://www.cqpress.com/context/articles/epr_islam.html (
2. Islamic Civilization, An Overview: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/goldschmidt.asp
Also see: Map of world Muslim population (Der Spiegel) [Africa and Eurasia]
II. Telling the Story: Pre-Islamic Arabia
Reading:
1. The ‘Hanged Poems’ of Imru al-Qays
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/640hangedpoems.asp#The%20Poem%20of%20Imru-Ul-Quais
Assignment: Read the poem of Imru al-Qays (Quais) carefully. Decide what the poem is about and list three or four
images that impress you as especially interesting or moving.
2. “The Original Arab”: http://www.oneworldmagazine.org/focus/deserts/hittstr1.htm (by Philip Hitti)
III. The Prophet Muhammad and the Qur'an
1. “The Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam”: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/crone.asp
2. Some lives of Muhammad:
Ibn Ishaq (d. c. 773 CE): Selections from the Life of Muhammad
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/muhammadi-sira.asp
The Holy Qur’an: Surahs 1 and 47
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/koran-sel.asp
Muhammad, The Last Sermon
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/muhm-sermon.asp
Maxime Rodinson: “Muhammad”(Pantheon Books, 1980)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/rodinson.asp
Assignment: Skim these resources, some from very early times and some modern. What differences do you notice? What
do you regard as the main or central facts of the Prophet’s lifetime?
IV. Hadith and Sunnah:
This unit deals with traditions about the life of the Prophet and the way of life that is thought to flow from this tradition:
‫ˈ[ س نة‬sunna]
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/misc-hadith.asp (Hadith)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/sunnah-horne.asp (Sunnah)
Assignment: Choose two or three traditions about the life of the Prophet and be prepared to discuss why you find them
especially important or interesting.
V. The Islamic Faith
Core Doctrines (Pillars)
1. ALLAH
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/040.html
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/041.html
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/043.html
2. Religious Life (Prayers, Actions and Hajj)
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/122.html
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/123.html
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/123.html
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/123.html
3. Judgement:
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/191.html
Assignment: Comment briefly on why the doctrines of pillars (‫ – اإل س الم أرك ان‬arkan al islam) might help to explain the
growth and success of the faith.
VI. Expansion, Empire, and Style of Government and Society
General overview: “Caliphate” http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/89739/Caliphate
1. The Early Islamic Conquests: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/donner.asp
2. The Caliphs: Read the stories of Abu-Bakr, al-Mansur, al-Mahdi in the Book pf the Golden Meadows by Masudi, here:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/masoudi.asp
3. Government: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/wiet.asp
4. Islamic Civilization, An Overview: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/goldschmidt.asp
VII. The Golden Age: Islamic Science
1. (General) http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/nasr.asp Seyyed Hussein Nasr,“Science and Civilization in
Islam”
2. Medicine: ibn Sina (Avicenna, 973-1037)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1020Avicenna-Medicine.asp
3. Adelard of Bath: An English scholar looks at Islamic science (1137)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/adelardbath1.asp
4. Ibn Khaldun, “Classification of the Sciences” http://www.unc.edu/courses/2007fall/reli/180/001/ik.htm
VIII. Golden Age: Philosophy:
Ibn Rushd (Averroes): On Philosophy and Religion: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1190averroes.asp (Read the
Introduction and section one, “Creation,” and more if you have time). Biography of ibn Rushd here:
http://web.archive.org/web/19981201175819/http://multimedia.ecn.purdue.edu/~kaldirog/islam/people/ibn_rushd_life.htm
l
Assignment: Make notes as you read ibn Rushd’s views on creation. Do you see his ideas as “religious” or
“philosophical”?
IX. Golden Age Literature: Poetry and Narrative Writing:
The Poets of Arabia: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/arabianpoets1.asp
Assignment: Listen to the Arabic reading of Abu Nuwas’s “The Wretch Paused” (English ranslation option available by
clicking): http://www.princeton.edu/~arabic/poetry/
“The Woman and Her Suitors” (from “One Thousand and One Nights” http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/1001.asp
“A Description of the Rus [“Russians”] by Muslim Arab Adventurers” by Ibn Fadlan
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ibn_fdln.shtml#Risala
“The Tale of Nur al-Din Ali” from One Thousand and One Nights”
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/arabian1.asp
X. The Persians and Shi’ism
1. Selections from “The Epic of the Kings” to be assigned: http://classics.mit.edu/Ferdowsi/kings.1.shahsold.html
2. From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayem:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/omarkhayyam-regret.asp (Vanity)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/omarkhayyam-wisdom.asp (Wisdom)
3. Rumi (Jalal ad-Din Rumi, from the Masnavi):
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1250rumi-masnavi.asp
4. Hafiz, Earthly and Heavenly Love : http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1370hafiz.asp
Assignment: One of the feature of love poetry in Arab and Islamic literature is the use of human love to symbolize
heavenly love. Do you see this feature in any of the assigned readings?
Optional: Tears for Kerbala, a children's book on the martyrdom of Husayn: http://www.alislam.org/gallery/kids/Books/tears/index.html
XI. Islam and the Arts [Music, Architecture and Calligraphy]
In this unit we will look at the non-representational art of Islam with soecial refrence to the development of the mosque
(masjid) and calligraphy, as well as manuscripts and decoration.
1. Reading: Egger, pp. 115-138; Music: Shahram Nazeri, "Andak Andak" and Jalal Zulfonoon
Shah Nama website
2. Reading: Following Muhammad, pp. 182-197 Ernst, "The Spirit of Islamic Calligraphy: Baba Shah Isfahani's Adab alMashq" (Web Site on "The Art of Arabic Calligraphy"
"The Hilya, or the Adornment of the Prophet")
Recommended: The Grove Dictionary of Art Online, "Islamic Art," I. Introduction, esp. sections 1 (Definition)
“Recitations”: Web sites on Sufism and religious rituals (Please explore the different musical styles of the call to prayer
in the North African and other traditions on this site).
Optional: Al-Tannoura. 1995 27min V5212 [Film: Egypt]; recommended (about 48 mins.): For Those Who Sail to
Heaven. V2738. 48 min [Egypt] “This splendid study of the moulid (festival) of Abu’l Hajjaj which is held annually in
Luxor not only offers personal involvement in the rites, but stresses the ecumenical participation which has evolved. The
content is enriched by clips from the films made by Henry Barnes of the same festival in 1925.” Dir./Prod: Elizabeth
Wickett.
XII. Islam and the West: The Crusades and the Reconquista
Reading:
1. Islam and the Jews: The Pact of Umar (9th century version) http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/jews-umar.asp
2. The Calling of the First Crusade: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.html#Fulcher (First reading on
this page only)
3. An Arab account of the Crusade of St Louis http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/makrisi.asp
4. “On the Vile Habits of the Europeans”
http://web.archive.org/web/20000229194645/http://www.humanities.ccny.cuny.edu/history/reader/islamonpiracy.htm
5. A Christian Muslim Debate (12th century): http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/christ-muslim-debate.asp
6. Giraud de Borneil and Crusader Music http://www.umich.edu/~marcons/Crusades/topics/music/music-article.html
Assignment: What are the key points of disagreement between the Christian West and the Islamic East
XIII. The Turkish Eruption:
J. J. Saunders, from: A History of Medieval Islam: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/saunders.asp
[Optional: A Turkish Tale: The Queen of the Night http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/turkishqueen.asp]
The Fall of Constantinople http://www.greece.org/Romiosini/fall.html (Greek point of view)
The Liberation of Constantinople
http://web.archive.org/web/20001209110900/http://www.islam.org.au/articles/14/consta.htm (Muslim point of view)
Turkish/Ottoman Art: The Miniature .
http://web.archive.org/web/20001205104400/http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/kandogan/FTA/Art/Miniature/miniature.html
XIV: Mongols, and the Mughal Renaissance in Islam:
General: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/mughalempire_1.shtml
Sa`di's Persian elegy on the fall of Baghdad to the Mongols.
Ibn Battuta's Tour of the Muslim World
Carolyn McIntyre "Girl Solo in Arabia". (His itinerary).
Tim Mackintosh-Smith, travel writer who has followed Battuta’s route.
Art Exhibits and other resources:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Special Exhibition, Riding across Central Asia: Images of the Mongolian Horse in
Islamic Art (2000)
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art: Exhibition on The Legacy of Genghis Khan (2003)
CNN millennium website
XV.
Social and Political Structures: The Role of Women
Reading: Egger, pp. 230-255; Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah, pp. 33-44. Notes
Chapter 7 and 8 of The Victory of Truth: The Life of Zaynab bint ‘Ali by M. H. Bilgrami.
XVI The Legacy of Islam: Ibn Khaldun and the Later Caliphate
Film: Islam: Empire of Faith, part 2 "The Awakening" http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/
Reading: Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddima, pp. 123-170, 180-183;
Recommended: pp. vii-xxv (Bruce Lawrence, Introduction to 2005 edition)
Study question: the religious characterization of the caliphate (pages 154-160) versus its transformation into royal
authority (pages 160-166)
Web sites: Exhibit on Ibn Khaldun in Seville
"Ibn Khaldun and the rise and fall of empires" (Saudi Aramco World)
Assignment: What is the “religious nature” of the caliphate according to Ibn Khaldun?
Reading: Ibn Khaldun, 91-122, 263-95
The character of nomadic ("Bedouin") society and its interaction with sedentary civilization; the nature of "group feeling":
Wadi Rum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtgICmGq12w (series)