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REL 356 : World Religions

Islam

Topics:

  • Faith mixed with politics in Islam:  Islamic State?
  • Muslim view of the Qur’an: Is it inspired?
  • Islamic Hell: describe and critique and compare
  • Critical biography of Muhammad using Muslim and other sources
  • Jihad, violence, fundamentalism or extremism and the Qur’an: different views of the massacre of the Banu Qurayza Jews: justice or genocide?
  • Suicide bombing: religious texts for and against and religious means of promoting it and preventing it
  • Muslim humanitarianism and the Qur’an
  • A critical discussion of different approaches to the law of apostasy in Islam (including the punishments for it).  Include reference to religious freedom and human rights.
  • Sexual ethics, music, art, humor in Islamic tradition…
  • A critical assessment of the concept of the “ummah” in Islam and the “da’wa” that accompanies it.  Compare with Christian and/or Buddhist missionary impulse.
  • The Sufis: mystics for Allah.  Pick one aspect of their faith.
  • Tariq Ramadan: Muslim Martin Luther?
  • Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Traditionalist or Modern?
  • Sayyid Qutb: Founder of Muslim Extremism?
  • Wahabism: Return to Empire?
  • Radical mission to Muslims: Phil Parshall and John Travis
  • Abraham: source for inter-religious connections?