religious essay

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rs_316.zip

Papers Checklist.docx

Vivian

Religious Studies

UPPER-DIVISION PAPERS

DOs & DON’Ts CHECKLIST

DO

· include a title page

· use capital letters for each word in the title except itty-bitty words (the, of, etc.)

· include a subtitle if the main title doesn’t clearly show what the thesis is

· use standard 12-point font (Times New Roman, Calibri) and standard margins

· underline, italicize, or boldface your thesis

· use default margins

· use primary sources over secondary (that is, if the text quotes a passage from scripture, go to the source to be sure, and copy it from there, with the reference. Don’t give the page number of the text.

· stay on topic (keep checking your thesis statement to be sure you are)

· make sure your thesis is an argument (not: “many Indians died in the westward movement”)

· include a bibliography IF you do research (not needed otherwise)

· give the page number (in parentheses is fine) if you quote or paraphrase a source— any source

· use italics or underlining for titles of books; use “ ” for articles or web titles

· number the paragraphs

· number the pages

· make sure each paragraph is developed (has discussion and examples)

· make sure paragraphs have good transitions

· use the present tense when discussing books or articles, unless you’re making a historical point

· use inclusive language (no “man” or “men” unless you mean males)

· introduce quotations

· create your own creative language (metaphors, similes, etc.)

· check any word that ends with an “s” to see whether it’s a plural or a possessive (or both)

· check each pronoun for its antecedent (its noun)

· check to make sure that participles have the right subject (wrong: while running to the store the car hit him)

· put ALL periods and commas inside the quotation marks; colons and semi-colons go outside

· cite this way: “quote”[footnoteRef:1]. [1: ]

· check to make sure you’re spelling the author’s name correctly

· reserve “I” statements for the beginning and or end of the paper

· Use Word preferences to check for a lot of these!

DON’T

· use the passive voice!

· repeat your title page info on the first page of your paper

· makes assertions without support (discussion and/or examples)

· use “also,” “another,” “in addition,” numerals, ordinals (including words like “last”), or chronology as transitions (either at the beginning of a paragraph, or internally)

· use the book The Road Less Traveled (we know it’s a book)

· “use the book of Ephesians” or “the letter to the Ephesians” or “the book of Exodus.” Just use the name of the book. (And note that the letters in the New Testament aren’t really “books”

· make very general assertions (e.g. “Christians believe”). In general, stick with the discussion of the book; don’t move from one person to “Indians” or “Jews.”

· use the plural pronoun “they” when its subject/antecedent is singular (“What a person does in their own time….”

· have source quotations/paraphrases take up more than a third of a paragraph

· use “novel” for a non-fiction book

· use “you”

· have extra space between paragraphs

· use “In conclusion” in the conclusion

· Use Word preferences to check for a lot of these!

· use “etc.”

· use “mentions”

· use “many scholars say”—it’s vague. Who?

· use “one of” [the themes, the topics, etc.] to introduce the body of the paper

· use clichés (“paints a picture”)

· use text-speak (“i’ve”)

· use a comma to separate complete sentences (a sentence has a subject and a verb)

· use really, really long paragraphs or really short ones

· use grandiose words (“incredible,” “extraordinary,” “really great”)

· use “I” statements except for emphasis and/or at the beginning and end of the paper (even there they may not be necessary)

Sufism Resources.docx

Poets

· Rab'ia of Basra: Selected Poems - Translated by Paul Smith 

· Doorkeeper of the Heart: Versions of Rabi'a - by Rabi'a al-Adawiyya

· The Conference of the Birds - Farid ud-Din Attar, Translated by Afkam Darbandi

· The Gift- by Hafez, translated by Daniel Ladinsky

· I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy - by Hafez, Translated by Daniel Ladinsky

The Qur’an

· The Study Qur’an by Seyyed Hossein Nasr (E-book, Hardcopy)

· The Glorious Qur’an by Pickthall (Hardcopy and Online)

· Al-Qur’an: A Contemporary Translation by Ahmad Ali (Hardcopy and Online)

· Quran.com (All translations available)

Modern Sufi Theologians

· The Garden of Truth: The Vision and Promise of Sufism by Seyyed Hossein Nasr

· Sufism: Transformation of the Heart by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

· Sufism: An Introduction to the Mystical Tradition of Islam by Carl W. Ernst

· Qur’an and Women: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective by Amina Wadud

· “Believing Women” in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur’an by Asma Barlas

· Women of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure by Camille Adams Helminski

· The Sufis by Idries Shah

· The Path: Sufi Practices by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh

Classical Sufi Scholars/Theologians

· Al-Ghazali’s Path to Sufism: His Deliverance from Error by Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali

· Ibn Al-Arabi: The Bezels of Wisdom by Ibn Al-’Arabi

Sufi Poets

· Rabia of Basra

· Hafez

· Rumi

· Ibn ‘Arabi

· Farid ud-Din Attar

· Mansur Al-Hallaj

Active or Modern Sufi Orders

· Melevi Order of America: The Threshold Society http://sufism.org/

· The Nimatullahi Order: http://www.nimatullahi.org/

· The Inyati Order: http://inayatiorder.org/

· The Naqshbandi Order: http://www.naqshbandi.org/

· Western Naqshbandi Order: http://www.goldensufi.org

Syllabus.RS 316 (Islam).Spring 2016.doc

Vivian / RS 316 / Islam / Spring 2016 10

RS 316-01 (CRN 31525) Prof. Tim Vivian

ISLAM: Spring 2014 Office: FT 101B

TTH 10-12:05 Office Phone: 654-2214

DDH 107E E-mail:[email protected]

Office Hours: M-TH 12-1

And by Appointment

Arts & Humanities Tutoring Center: http://www.csub.edu/ah/tutor.shtml .

RELIGIOUS STUDIES 316

ISLAM

“All I can say is thanks for making me write a million papers over the last two years.

It pretty much saved my ass on the essay portion of the GRE today.”

–Student, 2011

image1.png

“God is beautiful and loves beauty.” (Inn Allaha jameel wa-yuhibbu l-jamaal) (A hadith of the Prophet Muhammad in Sahih Muslim 1.93:91.

FALL Spring 2016

SYLLABUS

"Despite the ways in which religion can serve and has always served violence and repression, at its best it can preserve and advance a wisdom that truly does surpass human understanding: wisdom to persist in virtue whose consequences we cannot see and despite voices insisting that virtue is illusory or futile. . . . religion is the surest, most ancient assembly of wisdom about the human experience."

--Catherine M. Wallace

The worshipers of the All-Merciful are they who tread lightly upon the earth,

and when the ignorant address them they reply “Peace!”

--Surah 25:63 from the Qur’an

Disability Accommodations: CSUB encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. According to the campus’ disability policy statement, “CSUB is committed to providing an inclusive environment, which is responsive to the needs of all students, faculty, staff, managers/administrators, and the public when they are using University services. To ensure this inclusion, appropriate accommodations, as required by law, are provided to individuals, who have verified disabilities and who require these accommodations in order to enjoy access to University programs, services, or activities for which the individuals are otherwise qualified.” To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) as soon as possible. Their office is located in SA 140, and they may be reached at 661-654-3360 (voice), or 661-654-6288 (TDD).

Prerequisites for Theme I, II, and III courses

PeopleSoft will be updated effective Fall 2010 to reflect state law and long agreed- upon policies regarding Theme courses. These policies are:

1. Minimum junior standing (i.e., 90+ units) to enroll in an upper division general education course (Theme course). This is required by Title V.

Completion of Areas A and B to enroll in a Theme I course; completion of Areas A, B4, and C to enroll in a Theme II course ; completion of Areas A, B4, and D to enroll in a Theme III course (2009-2011 CSUB Catalog, p. 61-62).

THE PURPOSE OF GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES

GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS

Upon completion of the Area C and Theme 2 GE courses CSUB students will be able to:

Goal 1: Understand the experiences and ideas of others.

· Objective 1: Explain the effect of gender, ethnicity, and social class on experience, expression and/or creative production. 

· Objective 2: Describe the experiences of a culture different from their own. 

· Objective 3: Explain the differences and similarities between experiences across disparate cultures and among various communities within a single culture.

 

Goal 2: Understand one’s own culture and community. 

· Objective 1: Describe assumptions underlying creative works within one’s own culture and community.

· Objective 2: Describe personal assumptions about the human experience underlying one’s own creative works.

 

Goal 3: Understand the interaction between culture and creative expression. 

· Objective 1: Explain the connection between cultural characteristics and creative expression.

· Objective 2: Explain how the expression of an idea is a function of its culture. 

· Objective 3: Discuss how material conditions of a culture affect creative expression.

Goal 4: Appreciate and critically evaluate diverse value systems. 

· Objective 1: Distinguish fact from value. 

· Objective 2: Explain how distinct values can form a system. 

· Objective 3: Describe how value systems develop. 

· Objective 4: Utilize value systems to critically evaluate controversies and defend a personal position.

Goal 5: Understand changes in the human condition over time. 

· Objective 1: Describe major historical trends in at least one major world region. 

· Objective 2: Explain how historical developments (e.g., the invention of the printing press or the Internet) affect creative expression and culture.

Goal 6: Critically analyze texts and works of art from different cultures. 

· Objective 1: Write critical reviews of documents and works of art, taking into account their cultural context.

Goal 7: Have an interest in and understanding of three of the following areas: Art or Performing Arts, Foreign Languages, History, Literature, and Philosophy or Religious Studies.

· Objective 1: Describe issues, concepts, or approaches of three Humanities areas in various writing exercises.

· Objective 2: Demonstrate an increased interest in three Humanities areas by seeking out experiences or opportunities to further develop their appreciation and understanding of these areas.

RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROGRAM GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Goal I: Students will come to understand and appreciate religion as a phenomenon that brings meaning to human lives in diverse cultures, traditions, and historical moments.

Objective 1: Students will learn the major beliefs and practices that constitute diverse religious traditions; will be able to analyze and compare these traditions; will be competent to discuss how such beliefs and practices reflect a conception of the human purpose and dilemma; and will be proficient in the integration of their studies into a broad interpretation of the variety of human religiousness.

 

Goal II:  Students will learn about the religious history of different geographic regions and cultures (e.g., Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe); and the relationship between religion and other fields of inquiry (e.g., philosophy; psychology; literature; political science).

Objective 1: Students will learn about religious traditions, ideas, and values that have emerged from diverse cultures; and will be able to discuss the relationship between Religious Studies and other fields of inquiry.

 

Goal III: Students will learn the diverse theories and major debates among scholars in a variety of academic fields (e.g., Religious Studies, philosophy, psychology, and sociology) on the nature and meaning of religion.

Objective 1: Students will be able to identify central definitions of the concept of religion and the debates that have informed them (e.g., what is Freud’s view of religion, and how does it differ from Durkheim’s position?). Students will be able to discuss various interpretations of religion in addressing theoretical questions (e.g., what role does gender play in religious experience? what is the meaning of sacrifice?).

 

Goal IV: Students will learn to write according to the standards and conventions of scholarship in the study of religion, and will be introduced to appropriate technology for reading and research in Religious Studies.

Objective 1: Students will acquire the necessary skills to develop an essay topic, conduct research, construct arguments, and write cogent essays in Religious Studies incorporating Chicago style documentation.

Objective 2: Students will be able to locate and distinguish primary and secondary sources; will be able to use appropriate collections, articles, bibliographies, and web resources; will able to critically appropriate these sources in order to amplify their research and writing; and will be able to cite such sources accurately.

Objective 3: Students will be able to apply diverse scholarly theories and methods to critique their sources and support their arguments and conclusions.

Objective 4: Students will be able to write at a level that satisfies the University’s upper division writing requirement (i.e. attain a B- or better in RS 390, Theory and Method in the Study of Religion).

 

Goal V: Students will learn about the nature and quality of scholarly work and intellectual culture, and the social and cultural value of higher learning; will appreciate the variety of career options available to students majoring in Religious Studies; and will have opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate their own intellectual development as Religious Studies scholars.

Objective 1: Students will meet regularly with departmental faculty to discuss their progress, strengths, and weaknesses as students; their future plans; and their questions and ideas about comparative Religious Studies.

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In RS 316 this quarter we will focus on the Qur’an.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

· To understand some of the assumptions, theories, and methods of the academic study of religions as they apply to Islam.

· To learn about historical, theological, and spiritual developments in Islam.

· To compare different Islamic traditions on selected topics.

· To understand the interaction between religion and culture, politics, and society.

· To learn how to do, or get better at, the academic study of religion.

In the field of religious studies, such categories as myth (sacred story), ritual, sacred space and art, and scripture are above all ways to organize our religious worlds. Myth, ritual, space and art, and scripture are imbued with sacred, sometimes transcendental, meaning. They shape how numerous people live and form cultural ideas of justice, goodness, peace, and love. They can also be used to motivate, condone, and justify hatred, bigotry, and persecution. Sacred scriptures, myths, and rituals are powerful, and this course seeks to understand the various aspects of this power in Islam.

As the course description above indicates, this course will take a global perspective on Islam. Many religious (and nonreligious) people know only the localities of religion, the particular denomination or denominations that influence or impinge on their lives. Islam, however, like Christianity, from its birth in the remote Arabian desert, quickly became a global religion, first spreading through the Byzantine Empire and Europe and later throughout the world.

An important goal of this course is to come to understand Islam better. The primary task for you as students is to read the texts with understanding, think about them, and come to class prepared to discuss them. In ten weeks, we cannot cover Islam “cover-to-cover,” so we will focus on critical moments and representative segments. By doing so, and focusing often on primary texts (the Qur’ān and Hadith), the course will also help you to read texts critically, asking questions, probing for meaning, and making comparative assessments. When you have finished the course, you should be in a good position to continue your intelligent reading of Islam on your own.

COURSE GOALS/STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

A. To understand some of the assumptions, theories, and methods of the academic study of religions.

B. To learn about historical developments in selected religions.

C. To compare different religious traditions on selected topics.

D. To understand the interaction between religion, culture, and society.

E. To learn how to do the academic study of religions.

F. To reflect on our own responses to religious issues and concerns from a comparative,

historical, and philosophical perspective.

COURSE STRUCTURE & REQUIREMENTS

CLASS STRUCTURE

I don’t lecture; instead I try to engage students in discussion. I’m interested in what you think and have to say. Since I don’t lecture, the class depends greatly on your having done the reading and being prepared to discuss the material. The class uses group work a lot to facilitate discussion.

QUIZZES

· A short quiz on that day’s reading will be given at the beginning of each class.

· There are NO make-ups for missed quizzes.

· If you have a good reason to miss class, let me know in advance.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

· Reading assignments are due at the beginning of class.

· Students are also responsible for looking up passages in the Qur’an referred to in the day’s reading.

· Homework assignments will often be divided up by group, depending on the day’s reading.

· Each person is responsible for ALL the reading.

· Homework assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

· There will be TWO short research papers (4-5 pages), one on each book.

· Papers increase in value (300 and 400 points)

· Please do not use Word Perfect; my computer does not have the software to read it. If you use a Mac, be sure to translate the file into PC.

· Homework assignments must be typed.

Your papers have three main jobs:

1. work on your writing

2. read and synthesize the texts

3. discuss what you think

· Experience has taught me that many, perhaps most, of the papers need more discussion. Many of them are mostly or completely summary of what's in the reading. I want to know what you think.

· Your papers should also stick to ONE topic. Don't cursorily [look it up] mention four or five. Pick one, think about, and share your reflection.

· Use quotations sparingly; they are to back up your points, not fill up empty space.

HOMEWORK & ESSAY SUGGESTIONS

1. Grammar and spelling mistakes. On homework, for these I take off only 1 point, 2 if it's really bad, but these problems will cost more when you write essays later in the quarter. Please study the corrections and markings; if you don't understand something, see your beloved TA or me. The most common problems, which we'll go over in class, are

· lack and misuse of possessives

· comma splice

· sentence fragments

· fused sentences

· pronoun references (singular noun, plural pronoun)

· wordiness

· passives

2. ESL students. I recommend that you find time together to meet as a group to go over some of the common problems. Your beloved TA or I can join you. ESL students should especially see your TA if you're having difficulties.

3. 75% of the paper should show your thinking. Engage the material.

4. Try to develop ONE topic, not two or three. Doing two or three often keeps the paper at a superficial level. Dig deep! Don't join topics with "other," "another," "next." Make connections between paragraphs and topics.

5. You don't need "I believe," "I think," "I feel," etc. The reader knows you're writing.

6. Try to find analogies and comparisons, including from your experience ("I" is occasionally OK).

7. When discussing texts, use present tense; it doesn't matter when it was written: Shakespeare observes, Aslan argues, In Exodus God declares, Sura 12 develops....

8. Proofread! There are often way too many mistakes that grammar- and spell-check can catch.

· Papers not handed in on time will lose 20 points.

On all papers:

· Capitalize “God,” “Qur’ān,” “Muslim,” and “Islam.”

· “Islam” is the religion; “Muslims” are the followers of the religion; do not say “the

Islams” when you mean “the Muslims.”

· The pronoun for “Islam” cannot be “they”; it must be “it.”

· Introduce quotations.

· Have a title page.

· Number the pages.

· Use a header.

· Number the paragraphs.

· Boldface the paper thesis.

Points may be taken off for not following directions.

· You must use Turnitin.com.

· The class ID is 12430506.

· The password is Sufism (case sensitive)

· Majors must use a minimum of three outside sources.

· CAUTION: web-based research can result in plagiarism. Turnitin will show nearly all web-based quotations and paraphrases.

· You may use Wikipedia, but (1) cite it and (2) it doesn’t count as an outside source.

· Simple anti-plagiarism rule: If it ain’t your idea, give a source.

FILMS

· The films are an integral part of this course and are intended for class discussion.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance will be taken each day, based on the quiz handed in.

GRADING

Attendance (20; 10 points each) 200 points (16%)

Quizzes (19; 20 points each) 380 points (30%)

Paper 1 300 points (23%)

Paper 2 400 points (31%)

A 94-100%

A- 90-93%

B+ 87-89%

B 84-86%

B- 80-83%

C+ 77-79%

C 74-76%

C- 70-73%

D+ 67-69%

D 64-66%

D- 60-63%

F Below 60%

Grading Standards for Writing Assignments

Department of English

California State University, Bakersfield

A. EXCELLENT: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment thoughtfully and analytically, setting a challenging task.

2. Displays awareness of and a sense of purpose in communicating to an audience.

3. Establishes a clearly focused controlling idea.

4. Demonstrates coherent and rhetorically sophisticated organization; makes effective connections between ideas.

5. Provides clear generalizations with specific detail, compelling support and cogent analysis.

6. Cites relevant sources and evaluates their validity, effectively integrating them into text when appropriate.

7. Displays superior, consistent control of syntax, sentence variety, word choice, and conventions of Standard English.

B. STRONG: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment clearly and analytically, setting a meaningful task.

2. Addresses audience needs and expectations.

3. Establishes a clearly focused controlling idea.

4. Demonstrates clear and coherent organization.

5. Provides clear generalizations and effective support and analysis.

6. Cites relevant sources, effectively integrating them into text when appropriate.

7. Displays consistent control of syntax, sentence variety, word choice, and conventions of Standard English.

C. ADEQUATE: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment with some analysis.

2. Addresses most audience needs and expectations.

3. Establishes a controlling idea.

4. Demonstrates adequate organization.

5. Provides support for and some analysis of generalizations.

6. Cites appropriate sources, adequately integrating them into text.

7. Displays adequate control of syntax, sentence variety, word choice, and conventions of Standard English; errors do not slow the reader, impede understanding, or seriously undermine the authority of the writer.

D. SERIOUSLY FLAWED: a paper in this category

1. Addresses the assignment inadequately.

2. Shows insufficient audience awareness.

3. Strays from the controlling idea or the idea is unclear.

4. Displays formulaic, random, or confusing organization.

5. Lacks generalizations, or provides generalizations with inadequate support or analysis.

6. Fails to cite sources or cites and/or integrates them inappropriately.

7. Shows deficient control of syntax, word choice, and conventions of Standard English; error impede understanding.

F. FUNDAMENTALLY DEFICIENT: a paper in this category

1. Fails to address assignment.

2. Demonstrates a lack of audience awareness.

3. Lacks a controlling idea.

4. Lacks organization or organizes illogically.

5. Displays inability to generalize, analyze, or support ideas.

6. Fails to use outside sources or misuses the texts of others.

7. Shows inadequate control of syntax, word choice, and conventions of Standard English.

PURDUE ON-LINE WRITING LAB

· http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ .

WITHDRAWALS AND INCOMPLETES

You may withdraw from the course through April 21 for any reason. After this, you may withdraw through May 19 if you have a "serious and compelling reason." University policy, in theory, prevents withdrawal from a single course in the last three weeks of class. If you seek an exception to this policy, speak with me.

Important Note: Because this withdrawal policy is fair, and because I think "Incompletes" almost always work to the student's detriment, I am very disinclined to give them. I will grant them only under the following conditions: (1) You must have been keeping up with the work (and receiving a "C" or better) prior to (2) something unusual and beyond your control occurring that prevents you from completing the assignment(s) or the course.

PLAGIARISM/CHEATING

· Plagiarism or cheating is grounds for failure of the course and dismissal from the University. See p. 80 of the current catalog for CSUB’s policy on Academic Integrity.

· From Jonathan Malesic, “How Dumb Do They Think We Are”:

Students can't entirely be blamed for the narrow-mindedness they come to college with, but they absolutely can be blamed for persisting in it in the face of their colleges' best efforts to expand their horizons.

Plagiarism is, therefore, not only dishonest; it is also a sign of students' shamefully entrenched satisfaction with their limitations.

I no longer see cases of blatant plagiarism as personal insults. They are, instead, the pathetic bleats of students who think they know enough -- maybe all there really is to know -- about how to read and think and write.

The paradox of plagiarism is that in order to be really good at it, you need precisely the reading and writing skills that ought to render plagiarism unnecessary. I'll grant that my hypothesis that students plagiarize so obviously because they are unable to imagine someone noticing does not cover all cases. I have caught even students whose other work and class participation exhibit exactly the skills that ought to obviate the perceived

CLASSROOM DECORUM (such a lovely, antique, word, “decorum”)

· We’re all here to learn, so please do all you can to help facilitate our learning.

· Please don’t talk unless you’re taking part in classroom discussion.

DIGITAL CLASSROOM DECORUM

· Please—as they say on airplanes—turn off and stow ALL electronic devices: No cell phones, iPhones, iPods, etc.

· If you plan to use a laptop, please get my permission.

· If you’re awaiting an emergency call, please let me know before class.

· If I see you with an electronic device, you will receive 0 points for that day’s homework and quiz.

E-MAIL

· I’m good about answering e-mail, almost always the same day. I answer all e-mails. If you haven’t heard back from me for two days, assume that the e-mail got lost in cyberspace and try again; better yet, call me.

· I regularly correspond with classes via e-mail. Please check your e-mail regularly! If you prefer that I use a different address for you than the one the University gives for you, please send me an e-mail with your preferred address.

E-MAIL ETIQUETTE (such a lovely antique word “etiquette”)

· If you email me, please use standard spelling (no TM words), punctuation, and capitalization and, to the best of your ability, grammar and spelling.

· If you don’t I won’t answer your email.

REQUIRED BOOKS

         Michael Sells: Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations

         Fadiman and Frager: Essential Sufism

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES (Reference Books on Reserve in the Library)

· Charles J. Adams, ed., A Reader's Guide to the Great Religions [ Z7833 A35 1977 ]

· Mircea Eliade, ed., The Encyclopedia of Religion [ BL31 .E46 1987 ].

· H.A.R. Gibb, ed., The Encyclopaedia of Islam [ DS37 .E523 ]

· H.A.R. Gibb and J.H. Kramers, Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam [ DS37 E52 1965 ]

· J.D. Pearson, ed., Index Islamicus, 1906-1955 [ Z7835 M6 L6 ]

· Ninian Smart, ed., Atlas of the World's Religions [G1046 E4 A8 1999]

· Jonathan Z. Smith, ed., The HarperCollins Dictionary of Religion [BL31 H37 1995]

ENCYCLOPEDIAS

· Concise Encyclopedia of Islam BP 40 G42 1989

· Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World BP 40.E 525 2004 ec (Electronic Collection)

CSUB Library Religious Studies Page

· http://www.lib.csub.edu/norm/religiousstudies.html

SOME WEB RESOURCES

· University of Georgia

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~godlas/islamwest.html

· University of Southern California

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/

This website includes Qur'an and hadith search tool which is great for people doing research on a specific topic.

· QUR'AN

· The Noble Qur’an: http://quran.com/ .

· http://www.searchtruth.com/list.php

Saheeh International

Yusuf Ali

Shakir

Pickthall

Mohsin Khan

· http://www.quranexplorer.com/

· Arberry translation: http://arthursclassicnovels.com/koran/koran-arberry10.html

· Pickthal translation: http://www.sacred-texts.com/isl/pick/index.htm

· HADITH

http://www.searchtruth.com/hadith_books.php

This is easy to use. It talks about the basics of Islam and

may serve as an introductory website to Islam.

· Islam Call

http://www.islamcall.com/

This website is about questions and answers. Students might find it

really interesting because Muslims and non-Muslims send their questions

about Islam. They talk about everything and give advice according to the

Islamic law and the Qur'an.

· Islam, Muslims, and an Anthropologist

http://marranci.wordpress.com/ .

· Islam On-line

http://www.islam-online.net/English/Discover_Islam/index.shtml

This website is visited by many Muslims since it has plenty of useful

information for Muslims and non-Muslims. One thing I don't like about it

is that to access to some audio and video files you must subscribe.

But, besides that they have interesting staff. I'd recommend students to

request a free Qur'an. I got a couple of books from this and another

Muslim website and I really loved that they never bothered me after that.

I say this because I have requested "free" literature from other

websites and after that they kept sending letters asking for donations.

Fortunately it wasn´t the case for the Muslim websites.

· Islamicity

http://www.islamicity.com/

This website has two PowerPoint presentations which students might find

useful; they’re about the origins of Islam and Muslims in America.

http://www.islam101.com/

· The Qur'an Browser" A searchable database produced at Brown University. Includes three different complete English translations.

· Khalifa

· Pickthall

· Shakir

· Sher Ali

· Yusuf Ali

· The Internet Islamic History Sourcebook A wide-ranging collection of links pertaining to the Koran and Islamic history.

· Islamic Studies, Islam, Arabic, and Religion A site, posted by a University of Georgia professor, which is "intended to be of use for students and teachers at all levels, as well for members of the general public who wish to get a non-polemical view of Islam (including Sunni Islam, Shi'ism, and Sufism) and to a lesser extent of Judaism and Christianity."

· ISLAM AND ISLAMIC STUDIES RESOURCES

http://www.uga.edu/islam/

· USC-MSA COMPENDIUM OF MUSLIM TEXTS

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/

· ISLAM AND HUMAN RIGHTS

http://www.law.emory.edu/IHR/

· ISLAMIC ART FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

http://www.lacma.org/islamic_art/islamic.htm

· Movies about Islam in a Modern Context

· Heavy Metal in Baghdad ( 2007 ): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092007/

· Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam ( 2009 ): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1519402/

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FINALLY . . . DOING GOOD ON THE WEB

· If you surf the Web regularly, you can do some good by going to “The Hunger Site” and clicking on “Donate Free Food.”

· At the top of the page to “The Hunger Site” are links to five other charities to which you can donate (free) by clicking.

· It takes only a few seconds. Bookmark “The Hunger Site” and go from there.

· Here’s the link: http://www.thehungersite.com

COURSE SCHEDULE

Students are responsible for studying passages in the Qur’an referred to in the day’s reading.

Abbreviations

· Sells Michael Sells: Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations

· Sufism Fadiman and Frager: Essential Sufism

PART I:     Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations

WEEK ONE

Tu March 29

Introduction to the Course: A Willing Suspension of Belief

· The course and course syllabus

Approaching the Qur’an Extra Credit Quiz

· Sells: Introduction

Video Clip: “Should Americans Fear Islam?” (17 mins.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKbzdfQeiFcDiscuss

Th March 31 NO CLASS: César Chávez Day

April 5 Last Day to Add Classes

Last Day to Change between Audit and Letter Grading

WEEK TWO

Tu April 5 Quiz 2

· Sells: Suras 1; 53:1-18; 81-85

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

Th April 17 Quiz 3

· Sells: Suras 86-93

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

WEEK THREE

Tu April 12 Quiz 4

· Sells: Suras 94-101

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

Th April 14 Quiz 5

· Sells: Suras 104-114

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

WEEK FOUR

April 18 Last Day to Change between Credit/No-credit and Letter Grading

April 18 Last Day to Withdraw from Classes without a "W" being recorded;

withdrawals from classes after this date and continuing through the next

four-week period will be permitted only for serious and compelling

reasons and require written approval by the dean or department chair.

Tu April 19 Quiz 6

· Sells: Suras 145-155; 1

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

Th April 21 Quiz 7

· Sells: Suras 82, 91, 97

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

WEEK FIVE

Tu April 26 Quiz 8

· Sells: Suras 97, 99, 101

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

Th April 28 Quiz 9

· Sells: pages 183-207, Sound, Spirit, and Gender in the Qur’an

· Video: Islam: Empire of Faith

PART II: SUFISM

WEEK SIX

Tu May 3 Quiz 10

· Sufism: Foreword and Introduction

· Video: Rumi: Poet of the Heart (about 10 minutes)

Th May 5 Quiz 11

· Sufism: Chapters 1-4

· Video: Rumi: Poet of the Heart

WEEK SEVEN

· Tu May 10 Quiz 12

· Sufism: Chapters 5-7

· Video: Rumi: Poet of the Heart

Th May 12 Quiz 13

· Sufism: Chapters 8-10

· Video: Rumi: Poet of the Heart

May 16 Last Day to Withdraw from Classes for a Serious and Compelling Reason

WEEK EIGHT

Tu May 17 Quiz 14

· Sufism: Chapters 11-12

· Video: Rumi: Poet of the Heart

Th May 19 Quiz 15

· Sufism: Chapters 13-14

· Video: Rumi Returning

WEEK NINE

Tu May 24 Quiz 16

· Sufism: Chapter 15

· Video: Rumi Returning

Th May 26 Quiz 17

· Sufism: Chapters 16-19

· Video: Rumi Returning

WEEK TEN

Tu May 31 Quiz 18

· Sufism: Chapters 20-21

· Video: Rumi Returning

Th June 2 Quiz 19

· Sufism: Chapters 22-23

· Video: Rumi Returning

Fri June 10 PAPER 2 DUE by 12 Noon