Religion 339 - Muhammad and His Wives

Institution:

Bard College

Subject:

Description:

GSS Depending on which biography you read, the prophet Muhammad can be either the perfect model of a righteously guided Muslim or the vilest example of tyranny, manipulation, and sexual depravity. In between these two polarities is a vast range of attitudes about Muslim prophecy and Islamic faith. This class studies the politics inherent in biographies of Muhammad and his wives. Its aim is to analyze religious biography as a historical and polemical form of writing and to trace developing traditions of Muslim and non- Muslim accounts of Muhammad and his female companions. Readings include the first historical accounts of the early Islamic community by Ibn Ishaq, traditions found within sayings of the prophet Muhammad, universal histories, devotional literature, and contemporary popularmanuals and children's comic books. Non-Muslim sources include medieval European tracts about Muhammad, the first printed biographies in early modern and Victorian England, and early and contemporary books about Muhammad in America.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.bard.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 758-6822

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.