ISLAMIC STUDIES
PROGRAMMES AND LITERATURE REVIEW

by
Joseph Kenny, O.P.

1. Informal programmes for Christians
2. Formal courses for the generality of Christians
3. Courses to be part of a B.A. programme in Philosophy or Theology
4. Programmes for a specialist in Islam

Information on Islam in its various aspects should be available to anyone with the interest or duty of knowing about it. This information can be provided in formal programmes or informally.

Courses on Islam should not be planned in isolation from general Christian formation. It should be stressed that the courses proposed here should be part of integrated programmes on all aspects of Catholic life at every level.


1. INFORMAL PROGRAMMES

For Christian learning about Islam for the first time

A programme for the mass of the laity includes:

For those who have done a formal course

The second kind of informal programme is continuing education and updating for those who have already been familiarized with the basics of Islam. This includes current articles on the development of thought and policies in the world of Islam, and Christian-Muslim relations. There can also be conferences, for example on the following themes:

CHRIST
  1. A Muslim overview. (by a Muslim)
  2. Profile of a prophet in the Qur'ān, as relevant to Christ.
  3. The Qur'ān and Ḥadīth picture of Christ.
  4. The historical-critical problem of Qur'ānic Christology.
  5. Christ in medieval and later Muslim literature.
  6. Qur'ānic Christology compared with previous heterodox Christologies.
  7. Qur'ānic Christology compared with orthodox Christology.
  8. Jesus today in word and sacrament, addressing and healing the world, with particular reference to Muslims.
QUR'ĀN
  1. The role of Scripture in forming the Muslim community an "Arabic Qur'ān".
  2. The editorial shaping of the Qur'ān.
  3. The Qur'ān on God as One Being and Unassociated Sovreign Agent.
  4. Muslim ideas of God's speech and Qur'ānic inspiration, revision and abrogation.
  5. The Qur'ān as a sacrament and object of reverence; miraculosity (i`jāz).
  6. The Qur'ān on God's mercy and providence.
  7. The Qur'ān on God's justice towards man's sin, merit, recompense and intercession.
  8. Comparison of Christian and Muslim ideas of God.
SOCIETY
  1. The Muslim umma; brotherhood, unity.
  2. Authority in the umma after the death of the Prophet.
  3. The meaning and role of Sharī`a: various views.
  4. Qur'ānic ethical norms that faciliate the smooth functioning of society.
  5. The status of women: various views.
  6. Non-Muslims, faith and salvation: various views.
  7. Rights of man and the treatment of non-Muslims: various views.
  8. Cooperating with non-Muslims: various views.

2. FORMAL COURSES FOR THE GENERALITY OF CHRISTIANS

Formal courses are necessary particularly for lay leaders, catechists and religious. It should be a minumum of 45 hours, either in a 3 week intensive course or spread over a longer period. Its purpose is to provide a general knowledge of Islam, enabling the graduate to interact with Muslims on a daily basis, with a comprehension of the Muslim's faith, how Christianity is different, and how he can respond to objections or otherwise witness to his faith. The course should also help the graduate to understand and interpret in a balanced manner the events affecting Muslim-Christian relations in his country.

The three week course comprises 45 hours of formal lectures, with more than that time provided for reading, discussions and videos. All this can be re-arranged as the organizers see best, but because intensive sessions are often wearying, I propose a programme which allows for more personal work and digestion of what is given in lectures. Each day would have 3 hours of lecture, 3 scheduled hours of personal reading, and 2 hours of discussion. The following is a possible daily horarium for a 5 day week:

6:00 Rise
6:30 Mass
7:30 Breakfast
8:00 Reading (1 & 2)
10:00 Lecture (1)
11:00 Lecture (2)
12:00 Discussion (1)
1:00 Prayer & lunch
2:00 Rest
3:00 Lecture (3)
4:00 Discussion (4)
5:00 Sports
7:00 Prayer
7:30 Supper
8:00 Recreation, video, reading

Courses Hours
011 Early Islam 10
012 The Qur'ān, Hadīth & Sharī`a 5
013 Basic practices 5
014 Islam in West Africa 10
015 Dialogue and apologetics 15

Distribution over the three weeks
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3
Lecture 1 011 011 012
Lecture 2 013 014 014
Lecture 3 015 015 015

Course descriptions and syllabus

Basic text for all the courses: West Africa and Islam (AECAWA Publication, 2000)


011 Early Islam

The political, economic and religious situation of the Middle East at the rise of Islam, the life of Muammad, the first rapid spread of Islam, and a brief survey of subsequent history. —This outline includes Qur'ān references supplementing other references.

  1. PLACES TO KNOW

    Byzantine (Roman) Empire - result of Constantin'es division of Roman Empire into West (Rome) and East (Constantinople).

    Egypt
    Syria
    Palestine
    Persian Empire - Ctesiphon, near Baghdad, on the Tigris River. Boundary with Byzantium roughly at Euphrates River.
    Ethiopia (Abbysinia)
    Arabia:
    NW tribe of Ghassān (Christian since 370), bordering on Byzantium
    NE tribe of Lakhm (Christian since 400), bordering on Persia
    Yemen, including Najrān (Christian since 350). Jewish persecution of Dhū-Nuwās Q 85:4.
    Ethiopian intervention 525, Persian intervention 575, attack on Mecca with elephants 570 - Q. 105
    Hijāz:
    Mecca
    Medina


  2. RELIGIOUS GROUPS

    Christians:

    Orthodox (Melkite) - Byzantine emperor and his supporters, then still united with Rome
    Arian - "Jesus only a super man", condemned at Nicaea 325. Not important at time of Muḥammad, but prepared way for Islam in NW Africa.
    Nestorian - Chaldean by region, "Jesus two persons, God and man; Mary not Mother of God"
    condemned at Ephesus 431 under Cyril of Alexandria
    Christian minority in Persia became Nestorian to avoid being tagged friend of Byzantium
    Monophysite "Jesus had only one nature, divine", condemned at Chalcedon 451 and Constantinople II 553
    "Monothelitism - one divine will" Egyptian Copts, Syria, Ethiopia, Yemen. - again to resist Byzantium.
    JudaeoChristians - in desert, most important for Islam
    = Nazarenes (Q Naṣārā), Evyonim (Hebrew: "poor"), Elkasaites ("baptists")
    = Ḥanpa (heretics) to Syrians (Q 3:67 ḥanī "pious monotheist")
    Zoroastrians, after founder in 6th c. BC, = Mazdaists, after Mazda (God), and Magi (Q 22:17 Māgūs).
    official religion of Persia. Scripture Avesta, dual spirits of good and evil, fire worship, exposure of dead in towers of silence
    Sabaeans 2:62; 5:69,76 - little known, sect in NE Syria?
    Followers of Arab primal religion:
    numerous in Hijāz, main shrine Ka`ba, others in villages
    Worship of one God (Allah) and others, e.g. his three daughters 53:19-22; 71:23; 12:106; 6:137 etc.
    principal virtues: manliness, honorableness, hospitality
    belief in fate - 45:24 dahr "time"
    disregard for female chidren 16:58; 43:15; 17;:31; 81:8
    Jews - numerous in certain towns and oases: Medina, Khaybar, Yemen
    as in Egypt, worship centre outside Jerusalem (# legend that Abraham built Ka`ba Q 2:125; 22:26)

  3. PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIAN SOCIETY

    Political power:

    no unity or central authority
    law: raid the helpless or weaker, group to gether for protection, revenge
    desert protection from outside invasion, but vulnerable NW to Byzantium, NE to Persia, Yemen to sea.
    Economy:
    desert pasturage, nomadic life
    oases agriculture (Jews developed this)
    trade - Persian-Byzantine war (30:2-3) cut silk route,
    bypass Indian Ocean to Yemen, overland through Mecca to Syria, N summer, S winter (Q 106).
    Social changes:
    city living with desert rules of retaliation
    breakdown of extended faily in favour of economic ties

  4. Muḥammad AT MECCA. See Early Islam

    Relations - See chart at end of Early Islam.
    Orphan 93:6-8
    Purifying his heart 94:1
    Prophetic experience:

    wrapt in mantle 73:1 (al-muzammal); 74:1 (al-muddathir)
    on night of destiny qadr: 97; 44:1-4, in Ramaḍān 2:185, day of Badr battle - 17 Ramaḍān 8:41
    Vision on horizon, vision over a tree 53:4-18; 81:19-25
    Supposed first text Q 96:1-5
    Told to warn Q 2:214-15
    He claimed:
    revelations came from God (throughout Qur'ān); sin of false claim 6:93
    knowledge of history by revelation: 3:44 (Mary); 11:49 (Noah); 28:44-46 (Moses)
    he doesn't know secrets of God (al-ghayb) 6:50; 11:31
    he is preserved from error 4:113, interjectons of Satan corrected 22:52 (corrected version: 53:19-22)
    yet no man can change word of God 6:34,115; 18:27
    Meccans objected that revelations are:
    dreams21:5
    inventions or lies21:5;25:4;52:33;74:24
    learned from others25:4
    fables of the ancients25:4
    poetry21:5;36:69;37:36;52:80;69:4
    words of possessed man7:184;15:6;37:36;52:29;51:52
    words of soothsayer(kāhin)52:29;69:42
    Muḥammad's reply: "to produce a story (ḍadith) like it" (Q 52:34),
    "ten sūras" (11:13), even "one sūra" (10:38), or "any better guided book" (28:49)
    See Early Islam, 3:1 on Muḥammad's literacy/illiteracy - 7:158.
    His prophetic functions:
    a warner (nadhīr)17:9725:133:4534:2874:278:4090:14
    an reminder (mudhakkir)82:21
    a announcer (bashīr)19:97
    a witness (shahīd)33:4548:8
    seal of prophets33:40
    prophet (nabī)7:157;8:64,65,70;9:61,73,113,117;66:1,3,9
    messenger/apostle (rasūl)7:158;46:9
    "mercy for the worlds"21:107 ("for world" 25:1; "for men" 34:28)
    not guardian (wakīl)17:54, or overseer (ḥāfiẓ) 42:48, or keeper (musayṭir)
    job only to commnicate (balāgh)42:48 etc.
    only a mortal, not to work miracles25:7-10;17:90-95
    Early preaching:
    God's power and goodness, esp. creating man 96:1-5; 90:4,8-10; 80:17-22; 87:1-3; 55:1-3; 88
    Man's return to God for judgment 96:8; 74; 84:1-12
    Man's response in gratitude to God and worship 80:16ff; 106; 87:14ff; 96:9ff
    Man's response in generosity to men and purification 93:9-11; 104:103; 92:5-11; 53:34ff; 100:6-10; 89:18-21; 69:33-35; 51:17-19; 70:17ff.
    Muḥammad's role 74:2; 87:9.
    Individual accountability 82:19
    duties to community 9:60; 59:8-9
    Later preaching against worship of gods than Allah:
    They do not exist, but are only names 53:19 (ref. Satanic verses)
    They are powerless 7:191-8; 16:20-2; 25:3ff; 35:40
    They cannot intercede 6:94; 10:18; 30:3; 39:3,38
    They abandon worshipers at judgment 10:28ff; 19:82 etc.
    Mecans call them female, but don't want female children 16:57-9; 53;21; 37:147
    Shirk (worshiping God and others) an unforgiveable sin 4:48,116; idolaters going to hell 98:6; 21:98
    Against ancestors' errors 2:170; 5:104; 7:28,173; 11:109; 21:53; 26:74; 31:21; 34:43; 37:69ff; 43:23
    Muḥammad suffered persecution 8:30-36. As for his relatives:
    Parents generally to be respected 17:23ff; 31:14; 46:15
    not to be obeyed when encouraging shirk 29:8; 31:15
    Such must not be considered allies 9:23; 58:22
    When they die, don't pray for them 9:113 ff.
    Encouragement under persecution 15:88-99; 29:56; 73:10 8:30; 6:10,33
    Encouragement to emigrate 4:97-100
    They will be rewarded by God 16:41-2,110-11; 22:58
    Night journey and ascension 17:1. Despising blind man 80:1-10

  5. Muḥammad AT MEDINA

    Pledge of `Aqaba, 621: 60:12
    Permision to fight 22:39-41; 2:193
    Meccan emigrants helped by Medinan anṣār 9:100,111
    Battle of Nakhla 2:217
    Break with Jews, change of qibla 2:142-50; but 2:115,177. Muḥammad to Jews:

    He confirms, continues earlier prophets 2:40-53,122; 3:64
    He is true heir of Abraham's and other prophets' religion 2:129-141
    Abraham prays for coming of Muḥammad 3:65-68,95; 4:125,163-5; 5:44-50; 6:161; 16:120-3; 22:78
    Jews (and Christians) conceal, corrupt or distort parts of their Scripture 2:42,58,75-9,140,146,159,174; 3:7,78; 4:46; 5:13-15,41; 7:161
    Jews reject Muḥammad as they rejected former prophets 2:54-66,83-96,111-117; 3:69-85; 4:44-55,150-161; 5:20-26,64,70-1,78-81; 62:68
    Battle of Badr, a victory and sign of God's approval 3:122-3; also 3:13; 8:7-17,41-44,67
    Battle of Uḥud, a reversal 3:102-179 (confusing):
    M's address before battle vv. 102-3,112,115-17,123,139-43,145-51,158,160
    rebuke to M for promising assistance of angels 121, 124-5, 126-9
    rebuke to Muslims 159; softer: 152-4
    verses ref. to expulsion of Naḍīr Jews: 110-11,113-14.
    Battle of Trench (khandaq) 33:9-27
    Treaty of Ḥudaybiyya 60:10. ref to women emigrants at this time Q 48
    Battle of Ḥunayn Q 110; 9:25
    Battle of Tabūk: fighting in heat 9:81; God forgives those who stayed behind 9:117-8
    Heraclius' victory over Persia 30:2
    Opposition of hypocrites (munāfiqūn) 4:61,88,138-145; 8:49; 9:64-68,73; 29:11; 33:1,2,24,48,60,73; 48:6; 57:13; 63:1-8; 66:9
    among Benuin 9:101. "those in whose hears is disease" 2:10; 5:52; 8:49; 9:125; 22:5; 24:50; 33:12,32,60; 47:20,29; 74:31
    Muḥammad and Christians (Naṣārā):
    friends of muslims 5:82-5
    are kind - monks 57:27
    their churches 22:40
    among religions between which God distinguishes at judgment 22:17
    exclusiveness (ref. to Najrān dispute) 2:111-13,120,135,140; 3:67
    divided among themselves until day of resurrection 5:14
    claim to be "sons of God" 5:18
    honor priests and monks as "lords" 9:30-2
    "wrong" in honoring Jesus as "God" or "Son of God" 9:31; 4:171; 5:17,72-5 (hell for saying this); 19:34-6; 43:58
    challenge to mutual curse (mubνhala) 3:61
    don't take as allies/friends 5:51
    fight (people of Book) 9:29 - on occasion of Tab̈́k battle

Basic text:
J. Kenny, West Africa and Islam, chs. 2-11.
J. Kenny, Early Islam
Suplementary:
W. Montgomery Watt, Muammad, prophet and statesman
Watt, Muammad at Mecca
Watt, Muammad at Medina
videos: The Message; The Sword of Islam etc.

Distribution of the 10 hours:
1 Introduction & Chapter 1
2 Chapters 2 & 3
3 Chapters 4 & 5
4 Chapters 6 & 7
5 Chapters 8 & 9
6 Chapters 10 & 11
7 Chapters 12 & 13
8 Chapters 14 & 15
9 cushion
10 cushion

Themes for study and examination:


012 The Qur'ān, Hadīth & Sharī`a

The arrangement of the Qur'ān, Muslims' idea of inspiration and reverence for the Qur'ān. What is Hadīth, when it was composed and where found. What is Sharī`a and its position in an Islamic society. Islamic theory of the state.

Three kinds of tradition:

historical, concerning life of Muḥammad, esp. Ibn-Isḥāq and Ibn-Hishām.
Qur'ānic, 14 readings, tradition reflected in commentaries
legal - the major collections of Ḥadīth
Law (fiqh) has four sources:
Qur'ān - its laws are "Shari`a" (revealed law)
Sunna:
What Muḥammad actually said or did, as reported by Ḥadīth
What he would have said or done, as interpreted by the Muslim community, according to the following:
Ijtihād - intellectual effort or original thinking to apply Shari`a to new situations (is human an fallible)
Ijmā` - consensus, of community or its representatives, about what ijtihād proposes.
Sunna ("beaten path"):
meant Qur'ān and ordinary practice
Ash-Shāfi`ī (d. 819) argued that Ḥadīth is revelation in form of Muḥammad's example, since he is considered divinely guided & sinless
After ash-Shāfi`ī legal opinion closed, with no new ijtihād allowed.
Major collections of Ḥadīth:
The Ṣaḥīḥ of al-Bukhārī (d. 870)
The Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim b. al-Ḥajjāj (d. 875)
Each ḥadīth is preceded by an isnād - a chain of authorities who reported the ḥadī, going back to Muḥammad (sometimes only to one of his companions.
Authenticity of any ḥadīth is questioned by:
qualifications of the people listed in the isnād
whether the ḥadī is contrary to Islam or reflects events that took place after Muḥammad.

Basic text:
J. Kenny, West Africa and Islam, chs. 13-15
J. Kenny, Qur'ān and Hadīth studies: Scholarship in early Islam

Distribution of the 5 hours:
1 The Qur'ān: layout, style
2 The Qur'ān: Muslim theory of inspiration; respect and use of Qur'ān
3 Hadīth
4 Sharī`a: sources, role in Islam
5 Islamic theory of the state


013 Basic practices

Beliefs, prayer, fasting, zakāt, pilgrimage, marriage.

  1. BELIEFS
    1. God
      merciful and good - opening of nearly every sūra
      all-knowing 10:61; 13:8-10
      all-powerful:
      in creation:
      heaven and earth and everything between 50:38 etc.
      other gods can't create 25:3; 46:4; 22:73 (not even a fly), etc.
      God says "be" and it is (kun fa-yakūn) 40:68 etc.
      in six days 32:4; 41:9-10; 50:38
      continuous creation (more important), e.g. of each person 23:12-14 etc.
      over events, e.g. battle of Badr 8:17; no harm without his will 9:51; 57:22
      over human will:
      e.g. Lot's wife 27:57 (caused, qaddara)
      guides and causes to stray 6:125; 16:93
      helps or abandons 3:160 (naṣr-khdhlān)
      if not for his favor (faḍl) and mercy (raḥma) you would have followed Satan 4:83; 24:21
      Yet men are responsible for their actions:
      God leads astray only evildoers 2:26
      does not guide those who do not believe 16:104 or the wicked 3:86
      forgives those who repent etc. 20:82
      (Qur'ān does not try to harmonize God's power with freedom of will.)
      99 names - most found in Qur'ān. See collections, e.g. by al-Ghazālī
      Ar-Raḥmān later dropped because some might think different from Allah; cf. 17:110
    2. Other spiritual beings:
      Jinn (Hausa: aljanu, iskoki; Yoruba: ẹbọra)
      made from fire 55:14-15; 15:26ff.
      created to serve God 51:56
      have messengers (prophets) sent to them 6:130
      become believers or unbelievers 72:1-19 (listening to M)
      Unbelievers go to hell 6:128; 11:119; 32:13; 41:25 (but nothing about believers going to heaven)
      A madman = majnūn - affected by jinn (Hausa: mahaukaci = "iska ta hau kan")
      Varieties:
      `ifrīt 27:39 (in Solomon story)
      Iblīs 18:50 (but elsewhere a fallen angel)
      Angels (malā'ika - from Hebrew via Syriac or Ethiopian)
      Pagans accused of worshiping them 43:19-20; 37:149-53; 53:28
      are created and subordinate to God 21:26
      are messengers of God 15:8; 35:1, bring revelation 16:2; 97:4, especially Gabriel 2:97; 81:19-25
      watch men and record their deeds 13:11; 82:10-12; help 8:9,12; guard 6:61
      call in the souls of men at death 16:28,32
      present records on Day of Judgment 2:210; 39:75; 69:17
      surround throne of God and praise him 40:7; 42:5
      particular angels:
      Gabriel - Jibrīl
      Michael - Mīkāl
      the spirit (rāḥ) or "faithful spirit" 26:193; 16:2; 50:15; 70:4; 78:38; 97:4; 42:52
      Muslim later identified this spirit with Gabriel.
      Satans:
      assigned to unbelievers, prompt to evil 19:83; 43:36-9; 23:97ff; 7:27; 4:25; 114
      try to enter Paradise, driven away by stones 15:16-18; 37:6-10
      Satan himself (Shayṭān) = Iblīs
      deposed for refusing to worship man 2:34-6; 7:11-22 etc.
      tempts men to evil 17:61-4; 2:168ff; 8:48; 16:63, whispering in the breasts of men 7:20; 20:120; 114:4-6, even in prophet's messages 22:52
      is betrayer of men 25:29, will repudiate them in the end 14:22ff.
    3. Prophethood:
      Rasūl (messenger/apostle):
      said even of angels 81:19
      Muḥammad no the first 46:9, but came after a break 5:19
      said also of Arabian messengers, like Ḥād and Ṣāliḥ
      Nabī (prophet) - a Hebrew word, used only of Hebrew prophets, and of Muḥammad by way of exception.
      Later Muslim theologians tried to say the a rasūl is more than a nabī, because a rasūl brings anew revelation.
      Lists of prophets 4:163; 6:83-9; 19:58
    4. Books
      Torah, Gospel (injīl), Psalms (zābār) recognized
      Christians and Jews accused of corrupting texts (see above),
      so that Muslims generally regard existing texts as useless, unless they agree with the Qur'ān.
    5. Day of Judgment
      death at ajal 16:61; 39:42; 3:145
      angels summon 7:37; 32:11
      names of Day: yawm ad-dīn (day of judgment), yawm al-jam` (day of gathering), al-yawm al-ākhir (last day),
      yawm al-qiyāma (day of resurrection), as-sā`a (the hour)... and a few other names
      comes suddenly 6:31; 7:187; 12:107; 22:55; 43:66; 47:18
      heralded by a shout 36:53, by a thuderclap 80:33, or trumpet 69:13; 74:8; 78:18; 39:69
      Universe in chaos 78. God comes to judge 78:38
      Dead risen, but do not know time since death 20:103-4; 23:112-14; 46:35
      But martyrs are alive and present with God 2:154; 3:169
      Judgment:
      record presented: right hand front to good, left hand back to bad 84:-12; 69:19-32
      relative weight of good nad bad deeds 101:6-9; 7:8ff; 23:102-3
      wealth and brothers will be of no hlep then 82:19; 31:33; 33:18; 44:41; 53:38; 99:6
      The path (ṣirāṭ):
      Qur'ān often mentions "straight path"
      Tradition makes this a bridge over hell, from place of judgment to paradise.
      The basin (ḥawḍ) of the Prophet - not mentioned at all in the Qur'ān -
      a pool where people drink after crossing over the path, supplied by rivers of Paradise "Kawthar" 108:1
      Final destination: only heaven or hell:
      Hell:
      called jahannama (Gehenna), nār (fire), al-jaḥīm (the hot place), saqar (??), sa`īr (blaze), laẓā (blaze 70:15)
      every reference speaks of eternal punishment, but context concerns unbelievers
      "God does not forgive unbelief, but forgives what is less than that" 4:48,116
      Conclusion of Muslim theologians: believers punished temporarily in hell for other sins
      These people hastned out by intercession of Muḥammad (and maybe others) if they are worthy 221:28; 2:255; 10:3; 19:87; 20:109; 34:23
      Qur'ānic context concerns intercession before sentence, but Muslims interpret it to apply also to reduction of punishment after sentence.
      Descriptions 38:55-8; 70:15-18; 73:12ff 74:27-30; 104:5-9
      Heaven:
      called al-janna (garden), firdaws (paradise = garden in Persian), "jannat an-na`īm" (garden of delight) or na`īm, "jannat `adn" (garden of Eden)
      descriptions 2:25; 4:57; 11:108; 43:68-73; 47:15ff; 56:10-26
      Meccan passages refer to "ḥārīs and other women 44:54; 52:20; 55:72; 56:23; 37:48; 38:52; 55:56-8; 56:35-40; 78:33.
      Medinan passages speak of "purified spouses" 2:25; 3:15; 4:57, or of families entering Paradise 13:23; 40:8; 36:56; 43:70
      The blessed praise God 10:10ff
      The blessed see God 54:55(?); 75:23

  2. Ṣalāt
    Early passages mention morning, evening, and during night:
    "extremities of day and in night" 11:114
    "sunset, at morning (when Q is recited), and a supererogatory prayer (nāfila) in the night"
    "before sunrise and before sunset (later made after sunset), and in night after prostration (sujūd): word used is praise (sabbiḥ bi-ḥamdi rabbi-ka), not ṣalāt.
    A later Meccan passage 30:17-18 mentions evening (masā'), morning (ṣubḥ), late evening (`ashiyy), and noon (ẓuhr).
    In 2:238 is mentioned the "middle ṣalāt", which Muslims interpret to means `aṣr (late afternoon) —Thus these two passages give the five prayers.
    73:20 abrogates the prayer during the night.
    Friday common prayer 62:9
    Impurities require ablution 4:43; 5:6

  3. Zakāt
    Same Arabic root for the word to purify; i.e. alms purify 92:18
    Another word is ṣadaqa, in the Qur'ān synonomous with zakāt, but later Muslims made:
    zakāt into the obligatory annual tax on those who have a taxable amount (niṣāb), and
    ṣadaqa a voluntary occasional alms.
    Zakāt is usually mentioned concerning money wealth (māl), but farm products are also mentioned 6:141
    Beneficiaries of zakāt 9:60 (and 2:273)
    The rate was later settled at two and one half percent.

  4. Ṣiyām/Ṣawm (fasting)
    After hijra to Medina, Jewish fast of `Āshūrā was adopted (interpretation of 2:183)
    After break with Jews and Battle of Badr fast of Ramaḥān substituted
    Rules of fast 2:183-7

  5. Pilgrimage: ḥajj, `umra
    A duty 3:96-97
    general regulations 2:196-203; 22:26-36
    Ṣafā and Marwa part of area of ṭawāf (marching around) 2:158
    New moon (hilāl) sign of time of ḥajj 2:189
    Hunting forbidden, but fishing permitted 5:1-2,94-96
    Pagans forbidden to go 9:3,28
    History of Abraham's buildig of Ka`ba 2:125; 22:2;6

  6. Jihād
    General text 9:1-36,123
    Command to fight: 2:190; 4:71,95; 8:39; 9:13,29; 22:39; 47:4,35; 61:10 etc.
    against kāfirs 9:36,123
    against People of Book 9:33
    except if treaty 9:1-15
    sick excused from fighting 48:17
    How to fight:
    whether in sacred months 2:217
    don't be cowardly 2:244-246; 3:154-156
    stand firm 8:45
    in close ranks 8:60; 61:4; 3:200
    continue:
    if superior 47:35
    if so many fewer 8:65-66
    until Islam triumphs 2:190-193; 8:38-39; 9:33
    Treatment of prisoners 48:4-5 (liberation or ranson)
    4:94 (don't kill those who ask for peace, on pretext their conversion is not sincere)
    Reward for fighting 4:95-96; 9:19-22
    The killed are living with God 2:154; 3:16

  7. Marriage (nikāḥ)
    General texts 30:21 (a sign of God); 2:221-242; 4:1-3,15-28,127-129
    women permitted:
    not pagsns 2:221
    not adulterous 24:3,26
    Jews and Christians yes 5:5
    four wives 4:3
    forbidden degrees 4:22-24; 33:4
    slave concubines 4:25-28; 23:5-7; 70:29-31. To others 24:32-33
    Rules regarding:
    bridewealth or dower (ṣadāq) 4:4
    inherited women 4:19,27
    temporary marriage (mut`a) 4:24
    intercourse: a duty but not during menstruation 2:222-223
    reconciliation 4:128-129
    remarriage of widows 2:234-235,240-242; of divorcees 4:24-25
    Adultery of wife 4:15-18, of either party 24:2-3,26; 17:32
    Divorce, by:
    ṭalāq (repudiation) 2:227;-232; 65:1-7; 4:20-21.
    before consummation 2:236-237; 33:49
    khul` (release) - word not used but implied in 2:229; 4:4,128
    Woman returns part of bridewealth to be freed from the marriage.
    īlā' (oath of abstinence) 2:226
    ẓihār (pagan formula, declaring wife forbidden as a mother) 33:4; 58:2-4
    li`ān (cursing) in trial for adultery 24:4-9ff,23
    Read also Watt, Muḥammad in Medina, pp. 272-289.

  8. Inheritance
    Rules for division of estate 4:7-14,176
    Provision for widows 2:240
    Obligation of making a will (waṣiyya) 2:180-182; 5:106-108

  9. Food and drink
    General passages 2:168-173; 5:1-5,87-93; 6:118-121,143-146; 16:144-118
    Most foods allowed 2:168-172; 3:93; 5:1,4 (including game caught by dogs), 5 (food of People of Book), 87ff; 6:118ff,142; 16:117
    Forbidden: carion, blood, pork, anything slaughtered without God's name 2:173; 5:3; 6:121,145; 16:115.
    Wine in Paradise 47:15; sakar of grapes good 16:67; good and evil 2:119; absolutely forbidden 5:90. Excuses 5:93; 6:119
    Don't observe restrictions of Jews 4:160; 6:146; 16:118 - or of pagans 6:119,143ff; 10:59; 16:116.

Basic texts:
J. Kenny, West Africa and Islam, chs 16-22
J. Kenny, Basic practices of Islam and Christianity
Supplementary:
J. Kenny, The Risāla of Ibn-abī-Zayd al-Qayrawānī, an annotated translation

Distribution of the 5 hours:
1 Beliefs 2 Prayer3 Fasting & Zakāt 4 Pilgrimage 5 Marriage

014 Islam in West Africa

The coming of Islam to West Africa through North Africa and the Sahara. Influence on its spread through the economic, political and religious situation of West Africa, as shown in its various periods.

Basic texts:
J. Kenny, West Africa and Islam, chs.23-32
J. Kenny, The spread of Islam through North to West Africa
Supplementary:
Trimingham, History of Islam in West Africa, Islam in West Africa
Peter Clarke, West Africa and Islam

Distribution of the 10 hours:
1 The coming of Islam to Egypt
2 The coming of Islam to the Maghrib and the Sahara
3 Ghana and contemporary societies
4 The Murābiṭs (Almoravids)
5 Mali & Songhay
6 The jamā`a period and the beginning of jihāds
7 The Sokoto jihad
8 Islam under colonial rule
9 Islam in the independent period
10 cushion


015 Dialogue and apologetics

A study of the Church's documents regarding religious liberty, the salvation on non-Christians, mission and dialogue. Examination of what is common, similar or different between Islam and Christianity. Muslim apologetics and responses. What in Christianity could attract or repel a Muslim. Pastoral approaches.

Basic text:
J. Kenny, West Africa and Islam, chs. 33-45
J. Kenny, Views on Christian-Muslim relations
Supplementary: (much of it included in Views)
Vatican II documents
Paul VI, Ecclesiam suam
John Paul II, Redemptoris missio
Pontifical Council for inter-religious relations, Dialogue and mission (1984), Dialogue and Proclamation 1991)
AECAWA, Dialogue
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dominus Jesus
Encounter, various articles

Distribution of the 15 hours:
1 Religious liberty
2 Salvation of non-Christians
3 Dialogue & mission
4 Common values in Islam
5 Differences
6 Muslim apologetics & response
7 Christian attractions and weaknesses
8 Protestant approaches (no salvation of Muslims, modalism, Qur'ān to prove the Bible & Jesus)
9 Catholic approaches
10-15 cushion


3. COURSES IN A B.A. PROGRAMME IN PHILOSOPHY OR THEOLOGY

The next level is a B.A. level series of at least 90 hours (three 30 hour courses) on:

  • 1) Introduction and basic practices of Islam,
  • 2) Islam in West Africa,
  • 3) Islamic world view (theology) and dialogue.

This level is necessary for future priests and can also be available for some religious, catechists and lay leaders. Its purpose is to enable the graduate to provide leadership in Muslim-Christian relations, and to form Christians both in informal programmes and by teaching the formal 3 week course.


4. PROGRAMMES FOR A SPECIALIST IN ISLAM

The final level is the training of specialists. This can be at the level of an M.A. degree, the minimum requirement for seminary teachers, and at the level of Ph.D., a necessary requirement for teaching Islam at a postgraduate level so as to prepare seminary teachers.


For a deeper knowledge of Islam, one should have a knowledge of:
  • Arabic language,
  • the various areas of Islamic studies,
  • the different tendencies or schools of thought in each of these areas.
  • the basic literature of these areas and tendencies.
I present here just a rushed draft introductory survey to a vast subject.

General works

There is the Encyclopedia of Islam; Index islamicus; Gilliot's bulletin of ancient texts published in Egypt in each issue of MIDEO. Be familiar with the periodicals IDEO receives.

  • Gibb, H.A.R. & J.H. Kramers, Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam (Brill, 1953)
  • Gibb, H.A.R., The Encyclopaedia of Islam, new ed. (Leiden: Brill, 1960-)
  • Faruqi, Isma'il al-, The cultural atlas of Islam (N.Y.: Macmillan, 1986)
  • Verhoeven, F.R.J., Islam: its origin and spread in words, maps and pictures (R. & K. Paul, 1962)

Arabic Language

  • Normally, a course in Arabic, at Dar Comboni in Cairo or elsewhere, will give a working knowledge of the language. You should be aware, however, that Arabic language is a specialized subject in its own right, with quite a vast literature of classical and modern works. Unless you are specializing in this or in Arabic literature, you may not go into it; it is somewhat peripheral to Islamic studies.
  • Each area has its own special vocabulary. I refer to some vocabulary lists as the subject comes up.

Arabic Literature

  • Arabic literatures is also largely regarded as peripheral to Islamic studies. Yet any formation in Arabic language will introduce the student to some Arabic literature. Like the newspaper and the spoken dialects, it is important to give a living context to vocabulary found in the Qur'ān and religious books.
  • The work of حنا فخوري is a basic reference work to the history of Arabic literature.

Qur'ān

  • For the basic text, note the difference of verse numbering in the "Cairo" edition, now commonly used throughout the world, and the older "Flügel" edition, followed by Arberry, Blachère etc.
  • For variant readings, see Jeffery Materials for the history of the text of the Qur'ān, and القراءات القرآنية by أحمد مختار عمر & عرد العال سالم مكرم.
  • For a concordance, see M. Fu'ād `Abdalbāqī, المعجم المفهرس لألفاظ القرآن. It is a one volume book, easy to use, but it may be easier to use a CD-Rom (by Sakhr, and others)
  • For translations, see my separate bibliography.
  • For Arabic tafsīrs, see my separate bibliography.
  • For modern tendencies, note e.g. the difference between:
    • Louis Premare, that much editing was done after the death of Muḥammad,
    • John Burton, that the Q is much as Muḥammad left it.
  • For the question of نسخ, see the classical references in my tafsīr bibliography. Note the modern Muslim tendency to reject any نسخ within the Qur'ān.
  • Note the study of the rhetorical structure of the Q by Michel Cuypers: MIEDEO 22 & 23, and Annales de l'IFAO

Hadīth

  • Note the 6 basic صحيح collections, also the several recognized additional works -all on CD-Rom. Before that you had to use Wensinck's huge reference books to get through the jungle of Hadīdh.
  • For authenticity and origin, see Joseph Schacht.
  • For modern attitudes, see Fazlur Rahman, Islam, and several articles in Islamic Studies, in my separate bibliography.
  • On the question of نسخ, note the difference between al-Ghazālī, that Hadīth can overrule the Q, and most modern writers who reject as inauthentic any hadīth that does not harmonize with the Q.

Fiqh

  • For the origin of the four schools, see Schact and Coulson.
  • Note that the Mālikī school predominates in West Africa. The basic work is my The Risāla of Ibn-abī-Zayd al-Qayrawānī, an annotated translation.
  • See the same work for a vocabulary list for fiqh.
  • For social law, see the classical works of Turtushī and Māwardī, especially for implications for Christians.
  • For some modern studies, see Fattāl...

Kalām

Sufism

Pre-Islamic Arabia and Middle-East background to Islam

  • See Kenny, Early Islam, and Cambridge History of Islam.
  • For a critical view, see Lammens' several works.
  • See many new works on archaeology, inscriptions...

Life of Muḥammad

  • See Kenny, Early Islam; the Arabic of Ibn-Hishām, Alfred Guillaume's translation (Lahore: OUP, 1968/55).
  • Watt, W. Montgomery, Muḥammad at Mecca (Clarendon, 1965/60/53)
  • Watt, W. Montgomery, Mohammad, prophet and statesman (OUP, 1964/61)
  • Watt, W. Montgomery, Muḥammad at Medina (Clarendon, 1962/56)
  • For other Arabic sources, see separate list. See Watt for evaluation of each.
  • Note tendencies: older orientalists who attack M; middle-of-the-road people like Watt, propagandists like Martin Lings.

Rāshidūn

  • Holt, P.M. & A.K.S. Lambton & B. Lewis, The Cambridge history of Islam (2 vols. CUP, 1970), v. 1, ch. 1 by Veccia Vaglieri, "The patriarchal period"
  • Gabrieli, Francesco, Muḥammad and the conquests of Islam, tr. V. Luling & (London: World Univ. Lib., 1968)
  • Butler, Alfred J., The Arab conquest of Egypt (NY: AMS, 1973/1902)

Umayyad, `Abbāsid periods

  • See separate list of Arabic sources (to be posted). Note that all the texts are available on a single CD-ROM.
  • Surveys: Watt, The majesty that was Islam
  • Shaban, M.A., Islamic history, a new interpretation
  • Shaban, M.A., The `Abbāsid revolution
  • Muir, William, The caliphate: its rise, decline and fall, intr. Z.N. Zeine (Beirut: Khayats, 1963/1898)

North and West Africa

  • Kenny, The spread of Islam through North to West Africa (Lagos: Dominican Publications, 2000)
  • See in in web edition of the same, an extensive bibliography for different periods and different countries.
  • Cuoq, Joseph, Les musulmans en Afrique (Maisonneuve et Larose, 1975)
  • Cuoq, Joseph, Recueil des sources arabes concernant l'Afrique occidentale du 8e au 16e siècle (Paris: Centre Nat. de la R.S., 1975)
  • Cuoq, Joseph, Histoire de l'islamisation de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, des origines a la fin du 16e siècle (Paris: Guethner, 1984)
  • Levtzion, Nehemia, Corpus of early Arabic sources for W. African history (Cambridge UP, 1981)

Modernism إصلاح

  • See Jomier, Commentaire coranique du Manār (M. Abduh & Rashīd Ridā)
  • See countless current articles referring to M. Abduh etc.
  • Note the works of Ashmawi and other innovative Egyptian writers.

Inter-religious relations