Introduction to Islam

Catalog description

This course introduces Islam as a religious, ethical, and cultural system that has taken various forms across diverse cultures and time periods globally. The course aims to heighten student awareness of ethical dilemmas and the various ways to solve them through an exploration of the debates that Muslims have had about how to live well and act morally. The course also develops awareness of issues related to cross-cultural, religious, racial, and gender diversity. We focus on anti-Muslim stereotypes–where they come from and how we can change them–and we explore how Muslims grapple with pluralism among themselves and in relation to non-Muslims. Dialoging with Muslims and visiting mosques enriches this process of ethical exploration and cross-cultural learning.