HIST 309 The Rise of Islam
In a humble corner of Arabia in the 7th century, a new Abrahamic religion took shape that would soon transform the world around it: Islam. In History 309, students trace the development of Islamic religion, culture, and politics throughout the medieval world, from Muhammad's Arabia to the Alhambra and mosques of Spain in the west, to the Mughal emperors of India in the east. Along the way we encounter Sufi saints, European Crusaders, and even Genghis Khan. Students grapple throughout with enduring questions of liberal arts learning. How have Muslims historically understood their relationship to each other and to God, and how does that compare to our own understandings of our place in the cosmos, whatever our religion? How do we know what we think we know about the past: what sources and methods are available to us to reconstruct the human experiences of distant times and places?