Religion 385 - Qur'an Controversies

Fall
2021
01
4.00
Tariq Jaffer

TTH 10:00AM-11:20AM

Amherst College
RELI-385-01-2122F
CHAP 210
tjaffer@amherst.edu
RELI-385-01,ASLC-385-01,ENGL-301-01

(Offered as RELI 385, ASLC 385 and ENGL 301) 

An exploration of several salient questions concerning the Qur’ān, the Islamic Revealed Book. How have Muslims explained the Qur’ān’s own proclamation of its supernatural origin and its miraculous quality?  How does the Qur’ān engage with and respond to the Hebrew Bible and Christian scriptures? Who has the authority to interpret the Qur’ān and why? These are just a few of the tantalizing questions that will occupy us over the course of the semester. We will also discuss the ways that the Qur’ān has been read as a work of law, theology, and mysticism, and how it has shaped theories of the state. Finally, we will isolate the Qur’ān from the Islamic tradition and explore the many ways that it can be read as a work of literature. 

All readings are in English. No prerequisites. 

Fall semester. Associate Professor Jaffer.

Permission is required for interchange registration during the add/drop period only.