This unit examines the evolution and influence of Islam as a religion and civilization, with particular emphasis on the principles underpinning Islamic law and theology and Islamic civilisation in its classic phase. It examines core themes in the Qur'an, and in early works of Islamic history, literature and jurisprudence, as well as the different ways in which these principles were interpreted in practice in the early centuries of Islam. It considers how Islamic civilization responded to non-Islamic communities and cultural traditions within and outside the Arab world, notably in Andalusia and in the Middle East, with reference to the writings of great thinkers, mystics, and historians. -- Course Website
Instructor: Dr Salih Yucel
