Modern Islamic Thought

In this course we will explore how some of the most influential Muslim intellectuals and scholars, ranging from the traditional religious scholars to modernist secularist thinkers and hailing from various parts of the Islamic world from South Asia to North Africa – figures such as Jamal al-din al-Afghani, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Fatima Mernissi, Sayyid Qutb, Wael Hallaq, Ruhollah Khomeini, and Amina Wadud just to name a few - have responded to the challenge of modernity during the past two centuries. Some of the themes we will focus on in class are the relationship between Islam and science, Islam and the state, Islam and gender, among others. We will read primary and secondary sources in chronological order, starting from the late nineteenth century. (RELI 0150 Or HIST 0262 Or instructor approval)