Syllabus
Students are required to develop their research outline and proposal, supplemented by a series of four Research Methodology seminars, on the formulation of a dissertation proposal and the composition of an outline, the bibliographical and information technology issues (internet and database searches), an overview of editing and copyright law, the presentation and review of the dissertation structure. MA supervisors will reinforce aspects of the research skills seminars when they meet with students individually during the latter part of the spring semester.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Dissertation of 12,000 to 15,000 words (the Proposal needs to be at least 1500 words). Viva voce examination may be required in some cases.
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 100% (of which 20% is targeted to the proposal essay)
Learning materials
Core readings
Brundage, A. (2002) Going to the Sources: A Guide to Historical Research and Writing (3rd ed.). Harlan Davidson.Griden, E. (2001) Evaluating Research Articles. London: SAGE.
Griden, E. (1996) Evaluating research articles from start to finish. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Hart, C. (2001) Doing a Literature Review. UK: SAGE.
Murray, R. (2006) How to Write a Thesis (2nd ed.). UK: Open University Press.
Oliver, P. (2003) The student’s guide to research ethics, Buckingham: Open University Press.
Potter, S. (2006) Doing Postgraduate Research. UK: SAGE.
Phillips, E. (2005) How to Get a PhD – 4th edition: A Handbook for Students and Their Supervisors (4th ed.). UK: Open University Press.
Neville, C. (2007) The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism, Buckingham: Open University Press.
Rumsey, S. (2008) How to find information: a guide for researchers, 2nd ed, Maidenhead: Oxford University Press.
Swetnam, D. (2000) Writing Your Dissertation: The Bestselling Guide to Planning, Preparing and Presenting First-Class Work (3rd ed.). Oxford: How To Books Ltd.
MIN 419 – Human Rights and Islam
Syllabus
The first part of this module seeks to examine and explores the following theoretical issues:
• The Islamic approach (Monotheistic) to human rights according to different interpretations of Islam
• The Western approach (Humanism) to human rights
• Comparative studies of human rights between Islam and the West
• Basic Human Rights such as: The Right to life, Individuals and Women’s rights, Human Dignity, The Right to a basic standard of life such as freedom and security, Children’s rights
The second part of the module aims at focusing on human rights in practice considering political issues such Human security and good governance. Each session will address the contemporary issues of special importance. Students are expected to join the discussion sessions on agreed themes. The topics covered in the second part of the module include:
• Politics and human rights,
• Islamic States and citizen’s rights
• Basic human rights; ethics and morality,
• Human rights at times of war and peace,
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework of 3500 words demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas.
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 100%
Learning materials
Core readings
Ali, S. S. (2000) Gender and Human Rights in Islam and International Law. Equal before Allah, Unequal before Man? The Hague: Kluwer Law International
An-Naim, A. (ed.) (1992) Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspectives: A Quest for Consensus. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
Akbarzadeh, S & MacQueen, B. (2008) Islam and Human rights in practice: perspectives across the Umaah. UK: Routledge
Baderin, M. (2005) International Human Rights and Islamic Law. Oxford Univ. Press
Cassese, A. (1991) Human Rights in a Changing World. US: Temple University Press
Dwyer, K. (1991) Arab Voices. The Human Rights Debate in the Middle East. University of California: Press, Berkeley
Hathout, Maher & Uzma J. (2006). In Pursuit of Justice: The Jurisprudence of Human Rights in Islam. UK: Muslim Public Affairs Council
Izzidien M (2004) Islamic Law, From Historical foundation to contemporary practice. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
Little, D, Kelsay J & Sachedina A.A (1988) Human Rights and the Conflict of Cultures: Western and Islamic Perspectives on Religious Liberty. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press
Sachedina, A.A (2009) Islam and the Challenge of Human Rights. Oxford Univ. Press
Sait, Siraj & Lim Hilary (2006) Land, Law and Islam: Property and Human Rights in the Muslim World. Zed Books Ltd.
MIN 410 – Islam and Modernity
Syllabus
This module will cover the following:
• Modernity as an intellectual discourse
• Modernity as a political project
• Early Muslim encounters with Modernity
• Nativist, Ideologist and counter-hegemonic discourses
• Islamic revival and Modernity
• Post-revivalist Islamic Culture and the discourse of Modernity
• Islam and Hermeneutics
• Modern Islamic political discourse
• Islam and gender relations
• Muslim minorities
• Orientalism
• Islam and postmodernism
• Islamic path to Modernity
• Islam and modern ethical issues
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework of 3500 words demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas.
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 100%
Learning materials
Core readings
Chittick, W. (2007) Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul. London: Oneworld
Cooper, J (2000) Islam and Modernity: Muslim Intellectuals Respond. IB Tauris
Esposito, J. & Voll, J. (2001) The Makers of Contemporary Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kurzman, C. (1998) Liberal Islam: A sourcebook. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Masud K. M (2009). Islam and Modernity: Key Issues and Debates, Edinburgh University Press
Moaddel, M. &Talattuf, K. (ed.) (2006) Contemporary Debates in Islam: An Anthology of Modernist and Fundamentalist Thought. US: St Martin’s Press.
Mc Donough, S. (1984) Muslim Ethics and Modernity: A Comparative Study of the Ethical Thought, Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press
Rahman, F. (1984) Islam and Modernity: Transformation of an Intellectual Tradition. University of Chicago Press
Roy, Olivier. (2004) Globalised Islam: the search for a new Umma. London: Hurst & Company
MIN 409 – Islam and Modern Politics
Syllabus
This module will cover the following:
• Politics in early Islamic History
• Islam and modernity – Orientalist view
• Islam and modernity – other views
• Islamic political movements: a historical analysis
• Islamic political movements: hijacking Islam
• Islamic Countries: Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Iran
• Islamic Countries: Algeria, Turkey, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan
• Islam and Democracy- In theory
• Islam and Democracy- In practice
• The Clash of Civilisations – The thesis and a critical appraisal
• Recent political developments in the Middle east
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework of 3500 words demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas.
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 100%
Learning materials
Core readings
Adamec W. L. (2009). Historical Dictionary of Islam,The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
Bayat, Asef (2007). Islam and Democracy: What is the Real Question?, Amsterdam University Press
Recommended readings
Cesari, J. (2004). When Islam and Democracy Meet, Palgrave Macmillan
Esposito, L. J. (1999). The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality, New York: Oxford University Press.
Esposito, L. J. (2005). Islam: the Straight Path. New York: Oxford University Press
Esposito, L. J. (2002). Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hafez, K. (2010). Radicalism and Political Reform in the Islamic and Western Worlds, Cambridge University Press
Huntington, P. S. (1993) “The Clash of Civilization”. Foreign Affairs, v72, n3, 22-28.
Hunter T. S. (2009). Reformist voices of Islam : mediating Islam and modernity. M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
Khaled A. E. (2004), Islam and the Challenge of Democracy, Princeton University Press.
Lewis, B. (2002). What Went Wrong? : Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response. London: Phoenix.
Lucas, C. P. and Robbins T.(2004). New Religious Movements in the Twenty-First Century, Routledge
Salih, Mohamed (2009). Interpreting Islamic Political Parties, Palgrave Macmillan
Hafez, K. (2010). Radicalism and Political Reform in the Islamic and Western Worlds, Cambridge University Press
MIN 408 – Classical Islamic History
Syllabus
• Pre-Islamic Arabia on the eve of Islam
• The message and the Messenger
• The Mecca period and the early Muslim community
• The Medina community and its boundaries
• The Meccan Qurayshi rulers
• The Qurayshi Umayyad state and its opposition’
• The Nature of the Umayyad opposition
• The Qurayshi ‘Abbasid first period
• The emergence of the religious regional powers
• The rise of the non-Qurayshi military rule in the late ‘Abbasid period
• Religion and polity – the chronic clash of the community
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework of 3500 words demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas.
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 100%
Learning materials
Core readings
Al-Dimishqi, Ibn Kathir. (1998) The Life of Prophet Muhammad, Reading: Garnet Publishing
Afsaruddin, A. (2013) The First Muslims: History and Memory. Oneworld Publications.
Anon (1996) The History of al-Tabari Vol. 17: The First Civil War: From the Battle of Siffin to the Death of ’Ali A.D. 656-661/A.H. 36-40. Albany, State University of New York Press.
Ayub, M. M. (2003) The Crisis of Muslim History, Religion and politics in early Islam, Oxford: One World, 2003 Publications
Berkey, J. (2003) The Formation of Islam, Cambridge, 2003.
Duri, A. al-A. (2011) Early Islamic Institutions: Administration and Taxation from the Caliphate to the Umayyads and Abbasids. London, I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd.
Fisher, S. N. (1996) The Middle East: A History. NY: McGraw-Hill., Volume I, 1996
Hawting, G.R. (2000) The First Dynasty of Islam: The Umayyad Caliphate AD 661-750. 2 edition. London ; New York, Routledge
Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad. (1982) The Life of Muhammad, A. Guillame (trans.), Oxford University Press
Jafri, S.H.M. (1979) The Origins and Early Development of Shi’a Islam. Oxford University Press
Ja’faryan, R. (2003) History of the Caliphs from the death of the messenger to the decline of the Umayyad dynasty 11-132 AH, Qum: Ansariyan
Karen, A. (2006) Muhammad: Prophet for our Time, London: Harper Press
Kennedy, H., (2004), The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates. Longman, 2004
Lings, M. (1991) Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, Cambridge: Islamic Texts Society
Madelung, W. (1997) The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate, Cambridge University Press
Rogerson, B. (2007) The heirs of Muhammad : Islam’s first century and the origins of the Sunni-Shia The Overlook Press
MIN 406 – Islamic Philosophy
Syllabus
• The Meaning and Sources of Islamic Philosophy and Theology
• Early philosophical theology, Major Representatives and Issues
• Beginnings of Systematic Philosophy: al-Kindi and the Peripatetic School
• al-Farabi: From Cosmology to Political Philosophy
• Ibn Sina and the Problem of Being
• Ibn Sina Between Philosophy and Mysticism
• Anti-philosophy: al-Ghazali and His Critiques of Islamic philosophy
• Strangers in the Land of Philosophy: Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Tufail, and Ibn Bajjah
• When Philosophy Goes Beyond Formal Logic: Suhrawardi and the Rise of Philosophical Mysticism
• Philosophy as Mysticism: Ibn al-Arabi, Mulla Sadra, and Later Islamic Philosophy
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework of 3500 words demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas.
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 100%
Learning materials
Core readings
Corbin, H. (2014) History of Islamic Philosophy. Routledge; Reprint edition
Fakhry, M. (1997) Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Mysticism, A Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Leaman, O. (2002) A Brief Introduction to Islamic Philosophy. UK: Polity Press.
Leaman, O. (1985) An Introduction to Medieval Islamic Philosophy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from the Origin to the Present. SUNY.
Nasr,S.H and Leaman O. Eds. (1996) History of Islamic Philosophy, 2 vols. London: Routledge
Rizvi, S., and Safavi S.G (2003), Mulla Sadra: Philosopher of The Mystics. Islamic Text Society.
Suhrawardi (2000), Philosophy of Illumination (Brigham Young University’s Islamic Translation). USA: University of Chicago Press
Watt, W. M. (1985) Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
MIN 420 – Islamic Finance and Banking
Syllabus
• Ethical, SRI and Faith Perspectives on Economics
• From Islamic Economics to Islamic Banking
• Evolution of the Muslim Schools of Jurisprudence of Commerce
• Islamic Financial Contracts – Origin and Evolution
• Financial Intermediation – the Islamic Banking Model
• Liquidity Management for Islamic Financial Institutions
• Islamic Asset Management – Savings, Investments and Capital Markets
• Development of Shariah-compliant Asset Classes
• Corporate Governance of Islamic Financial Institutions
• Shariah Governance of Islamic Financial Institutions
• Regulation of Islamic Financial Institutions
• Risk Management of Islamic Financial Institutions
• Accounting and Taxation Issues
• Contemporary Issues and Challenges in Islamic Financial and Banking
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Formative lecturer and peer feedback will be provided in seminars. One-to-one consultations with staff are available during office hours. Summative assessment will consist of progressive tests based on subject areas covered (20%), two individual assignments (1500 words each) (20%) and a major piece of group coursework of 6,000-10000 (60%). Students will be assigned to groups for undertaking a detailed coursework from a possible five areas. These topics will enable students to examine a particular area in detail and apply some of the skills they are developing to practical situations. Group work will allow students to develop these topics using a combination of shared skill sets.
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 60%
Progressive Tests: 20%
Review Activity: 20%
Learning materials
Core readings
Askari, H. Et al. (2015) Introduction to Islamic Economics: Theory and Application, John Wiley & Sons
Balala M.H (2011), Islamic Finance and Law – Theory and Practice in a Globalized World, I.B. Tauris
Chapra, M.U (2014) Morality and Justice in Islamic Economics and Finance, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
El Diwani T eds. (2010), Islamic Banking and Finance – What It Is and What It Could Be, 1st Ethical Charitable Trust, UK
Hassan M.K and Mahlknecht M eds. (2011), Islamic Capital Markets – Products and Strategies, John Wiley & Sons
Iqbal M. and Khan T (2005), Financial Engineering and Islamic Contracts, Palgrave Macmillan, UK
Iqbal Z and Mirakhor A (2011), An Introduction to Islamic Finance – Theory and Practice, John Wiley & Sons
ISRA (2011), Islamic Financial System – Principles and Operations, International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance
Naqvi S.N.H (2010), Ethics and Economics – An Islamic Synthesis, The Islamic Foundation, Markfield, UK
Naqvi S.N.H (2003), Perspectives on Morality and Human Well-Being, The Islamic Foundation, Markfield, UK
Tripp C (2006), Islam and the Moral Economy – The Challenge of Capitalism, Cambridge University
MIN 415 – Islamic Family Law
Syllabus
• The law of marriage and its different types of marriage, also covering respective duties, condition of marriage and defects, terms of marriage, duration of marriage and dowry (mehr/mahr),
• The law of divorce and its different forms of divorce, also covering the disbanding of the contract, death of a partner and the waiting period,
• Guardianship, (walāyah),
• The Custody of children (kefālah)
• Maintenance (nafaqah),
• Polygamy, (taa’dod al azwaj)
• Marriage related Inheritance laws, (werāthah)
• bequest (waşiyyah)
• Family planning
• Islam and gender, and the rights of the women
With the aim of providing an overview of the topics as well as focusing on specific issues, each session above will address the relevant Islamic legal framework and particular contemporary issues of special importance but will only touch on comparative aspect leaving the bulk of this work to the module of Comparative Law and legal systems.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework (4000 words), class presentation on a selected topic demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas; a print-out of the slides needs to be submitted, two critical review activities to be graded on topics agreed with the lecturer during class requiring students to enhance their understanding of the facts and concepts presented to them in class (1500 words each).
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 60%
Comparative Study presented in the class: 20%
Review Activity: 20%
Learning materials
Core readings
Ahmed, L (1992). Women and Gender in Islam – Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. London: Yale University Press
Al-Hashim, M. A (1998) The Ideal Muslimah. The true Islamic personality of the Muslim woman as defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah India: International Islamic Publicity House.
An-Na’im, A. (2002) Islamic Family Law in a changing world. US: Zed BooksLtd.
Arshad. R. (2010) Islamic Family Law, Sweet & Maxwell
Bakhtiar, L. (1996) The Encyclopaedia of Islamic Law. US: ABC International Group.
Bewley, A (1999) Islam: The Empowering of Women. London: Ta-Ha Publishers
Coulson, N. J. (1964) A History of Islamic Law. UK: Edinburgh University Press.
Doi, A.R. (1979) Non-Muslims Under Shari’ah: the Islamic Law. Brentwood: International Graphics.
Ezzati, A. (1976) An Introduction to Shi’a Islamic Law and Jurisprudence. Lahore: Ashraf Press.
Herbert, J. L. (1975) The Law of the Near & Middle East: Readings, Cases & Materials. US: Albany.
Hodkinson, K. (1984) Muslim Family Law: A Source Book. UK: Routledge.
Jawad, A. (1998) The rights of women in Islam: an authentic approach. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Milani, S.F, (2011) Thirty Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence. UK: Islam in English Press
Mottahari, M (1977) Women and her rights. Qum: Islamic Seminary Publications.
Mughniyyah, M. (1995) The Five Schools of Islamic Law. Qum: Ansariyan Publications.
Sait, S. & Lim, H (2006) Land, Law and Islam: Property and Human rights in the Muslim World. UK: Zed Books.
Voorhoeve, M. (2012) Family Law in Islam: Divorce, Marriage and Women in the Muslim World, London I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd.
MIN 402 – Islamic Theology
Syllabus
• History of kalam
• Theological Schools and Sects
• Mu`tazilism
• Ash’arism
• Shi`ism
• Early Peripatetics
• Philosophical theology
• Existence of God; approaches by Abrahamic Faiths
• Islam’s Theological encounter with Judasim and Christianity
• Liberation Theology
• Modern and contemporary theological debates.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework (4000 words), class presentation on a selected topic demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas; a print-out of the slides needs to be submitted, two critical review activities to be graded on topics agreed with the lecturer during class requiring students to enhance their understanding of the facts and concepts presented to them in class (1500 words each).
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 60%
Study presented in the class 20%
Review Activity: 20%
Learning materials
Core readings
Abrahamov, B. (1988) Islamic Theology: Traditionalism and Rationalism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Ess, Josef van. (2006) The Flowering of Muslim Theology, trans. by Jane Marie Todd, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London, England.
Fakhry, Majid, (1997) Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Mysticism, A Short Introduction, Oxford University Press.
Madelung, W. (1997) The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate, Cambridge University Press
Mutahhari, M. (2011). The Theory of Knowledge: An Islamic Perspective. London: ICAS Press.
Nagel, T. (2000) The History of Islamic Theology: From Muhammad to the Present, T. Thornton (trans.), Princeton: Markus Wiener Publishers
Rabbani Gulpaygani, A. (2013) Discursive Theology. Qum: Al-Mustafa International University
Schmidtke, S. (2015), The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Theology (Oxford Handbooks in Religion and Theology). London: OUP Oxford
Watt, W. M. (1985) Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Watt, M. (1998) The Formative Period of Islamic Thought, UK: Oneworld Publications
Winter, T. (2008) The Cambridge Companion to Classical Islamic Theology, Cambridge University Press
Wolfson, H. A. (1976) The Philosophy of the Kalam, Cambridge: Harvard University Press
Yazdi, M. T. M. (2009) Theological Instructions, London: Institute of Islamic Studies
MIN 403 – Methods and Perspectives in Islamic Studies
Syllabus
- Preliminaries: On Methods, Methodologies and Perspectives in General; Ethical Concerns, Developing Research Proposal; Conceptualising a Research Design; A Framework for Writing Research Reports/Dissertations/Essays; Presentation of a research report
- An Assortment of the Most Important Methodologies for HSS/IS
o Critical Rationalism
o Positivism
o Phenomenology
o Hermeneutics and Post-positivist (including Feminist) Approaches - A variety of Qualitative Methods:
o Situational Analysis
o Historical Research
o ‘Evidence-based’ Research
o Hermeneutics, Hypothetico-Deductive, and interpretive Methods
o Objective hermeneutics
o Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
o Text and Discourse Analysis
o ‘Critical’ Discourse Analysis
o Grounded Theory
o Literature review with regard to major resources in various Islamic fields - A variety of Quantitative Methods
o Survey Method
o Empirical Methods in Information Extraction (including Using internet and appropriate software for research in Islamic Studies) - A variety of Mixed Methods
o Delphi
o Action Research
o Talk-in-Interaction
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
Assessment Modes
Individual coursework (4000 words), class presentation on a selected topic demonstrating ability to debate and explore ideas; a print-out of the slides needs to be submitted, two critical review activities to be graded on topics agreed with the lecturer during class requiring students to enhance their understanding of the facts and concepts presented to them in class (1500 words each).
Assessment Weighting
Individual coursework: 60%
Study presented in the class 20
Review Activity: 20%
Learning materials
Core readings
Drew, P. Raymond, G. Weinberg D. eds. (2006) Talk and Interaction in Social Research Methods, Sage Publications
Fairelough, N. (2006) Discourse and Social Change, Polity Press
Harding S. (ed.), (1987) Feminism & Methodology, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press,
Janet M. Box-Steffensmeier & Bradford S. Jones, (2004) Event History Modelling: A Guide for Social Scientists, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Paya, A (2015) Methods and Perspectives in the Islamic Studies, ICAS Press, (forthcoming)
Paul S. Gray, et.al. (2007) The Research Imagination, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Scott W. VanderStoep, Deirdre D. Johnston. (2009) Research methods for everyday life: blending qualitative and quantitative approaches, John Wiley & Sons
Singh, K. (2007) Quantitative social research methods, SAGE Publications