UCF Islam Practices in Mecca and Medina Essay

the mid term entails a series of short answer questions and one essay. As you prepare and write your responses for the exam (just type them into a word doc), use ONLY the class readings and PowerPoint slides/your lecture notes. Each short answer should be a short paragraph and your essay should be 3-4 pages (this is all included in the midterm exam sheet).

(((((((make sure you follow the given readings))))))

the sources to answer:

8/18 The Modern Study of Islam: Why It is Both Important and Fraught

Readings: Ernst, “Islam in the Eyes of the West,” Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World; listen to NPR “Hidden Brain” podcast, “Is He Muslim?”

8/20 Pre-Islamic Arabia: Society and Religion

Readings: Brown, Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction, 1-12; Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, 1-43

8/25 The Prophet Muhammad and the Believers in Mecca I

Readings: Brown, Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction, 12-24; Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, 44-51, 54-57

8/27 The Prophet Muhammad and the Believers in Mecca II

Readings: “The Mi’raj,” Early Islamic Mysticism ; Safi, “The Ascension of Muhammad,” Memories of Muhammad

9/1 The Prophet Muhammad and the Believers in Medina I

Readings: Brown, Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction, 25-41; Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, 119-27, 138-40, 149-56

9/3 The Prophet Muhammad and the Believers in Medina II

Readings: Brown, Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction, 41-63; Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, 237-41, 348-58

9/8 The Quest for the Historical Muhammad

Readings: Brown, Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction, 64-100;