The Life and Legacy of Muhammad

Undergraduate

This course is designed to introduce students to four strands of thought in the history of constructing the life and legacy of the prophet Muhammad. These are 1) the traditional Muslim account of his life, 2) a variety of approaches to the topic by modern social scientists, 3) traditional delegitimizing of Muhammad in historic Western European polemics and their modern equivalents, 4) the role that Muhammad plays in the beliefs and practices of modern Muslims. (Semester 5 standing or above.)