Introduction to Islam

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course offers an overview of one of the world’s largest and most profound religious traditions. The content includes the background, origins, and history and evolution of the Islamic Faith. The focus will include the scriptures of Islam, its doctrines and teachings, rituals, and varieties and structures as they developed from Muhammad’s time down to the ways this faith is practiced today in Islamic nations, and in other countries as well. Careful attention is given to readings from the Qur’an and the Hadith, as well as to controversies and misconceptions regarding Jihad, Shari’a, women and family, and relations with other faiths. No prior knowledge of Islam is presumed.