Judaism and Islam in Comparative Perspective

3 units

The historical trajectories of Rabbinic Judaism and Islam are intimately intertwined. Moreover, a strong argument can be made that Rabbinic Judaism and Islam bear some obvious affinities with one another. Nevertheless, the two traditions generally continue to be studied in isolation from one another. The goals of this seminar are (1) to foster better understanding of areas of historical contact and intersections between Jewish and Islamic civilizations and (2) to start the work of developing a common framework for the comparative study of the two traditions. We will examine examples of sustained and meaningful contact such as Muslim-Jewish symbiosis in early Islam as well as interaction on the level of philosophical and theological discourses between medieval Jews and Muslims. We will also attempt to identify instances of affinity between the two traditions through comparative study of their exegetical, messianic, legal, and mystical dimensions. Seniors in Jewish, Islamic and Near Eastern Studies will be given preference in admission. This is the capstone course in JIMES. Advanced students from other departments and programs should contact the instructor prior to enrollment.