Religious Studies (RELS) 206

Overview

RELS 206 has not been developed with the purpose of trying to defend or criticize Islam, nor is it meant to convince you of the validity of certain religious beliefs at the expense of others. The academic study of religion is in part about placing religious traditions in their proper socio-historical and economic contexts so we can better understand the growth and internal diversity of religious systems over a lengthy period of time. Doing so enables the individual to develop a real sensitivity to and understanding of the beliefs of religious practitioners without losing the analytical and critical methodology upon which the study of religion is built. The goal of Religious Studies 206, then, is to provide you with a strong, basic knowledge about Islam that will help you understand the historical, ritual, theological, and political manifestations of Islam and the diversity of voices and opinions within this religious tradition.

Outline

• Unit I: A Brief History of Islam
• Unit II: Pre-Islamic Arabia
• Unit III: The Prophet Muhammad
• Unit IV: The Qur'ān
• Unit V: The Five Pillars of Islam
• Unit VI: The Sunnah of the Prophet: The Prophet as Moral Exemplar
• Unit VII: The Sharī'ah
• Unit VIII: Philosophy and Theology
• Unit IX: Shī'ism
• Unit X: Sufism
• Unit XI: Islamic Responses to Modernity
• Unit XII: Women in Islam
• Unit XIII: Islam in a Global and Post 9/11 World

Evaluation

Students must hand in all their assignments by the end of the stipulated contract date and complete the exam with a passing grade of 50% or higher.

In order to pass the course, students must hand in their assignments, pass the exam, and achieve a composite grade of 50 percent or higher between the exam and the assignments.

The final examination for this course must be taken online with an AU-approved exam invigilator at an approved invigilation centre. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen invigilation centre can accommodate online exams. For a list of invigilators who can accommodate online exams, visit the Exam Invigilation Network.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.