The Qur'an and Its Interpretations

3 credits · Undergraduate credit

This course examines the history of the Qur'anic text from its inception in seventh century Arabia to the present. Special attention is given to the world of ideas of the Qur'an and the ways in which it was understood and interpreted by Muslims living in vastly different social, political and cultural environments. The Qur'an's multifarious influences on all aspects of Muslim life (language, literature, arts, politics, jurisprudence, moral/ethical codes, rites of passage/lifecycle) will be examined.