* Please note that this syllabus is subject to change. For the latest version, please download the syllabus PDF located in the course schedule under Week 1.

** This course will be conducted entirely in English including lectures, readings, class discussions, and exams.

Islamic civilization (history, religion, society, culture, etc.) has made significant contributions and impacts on the human experience. There are more than one billion Muslims living in the world today. Politics in the Middle East and in the broader Islamic world play important roles in international relations. For these and many other reasons it is vital to understand the history of Islamic civilization.

This course covers the first half of Islamic history from 600 to 1300 C.E. At the beginning of this period, Arab Muslims established a new religion and a new empire. These developments took place at the intersections of religions (Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian faiths) and at the crossroads of empires (Roman and Sasanian states) in the Middle East. Within this context, we will study the construction of Muslim empires and the dynamics of life in Islamic societies during the classical and medieval periods. The course concludes in the 1300s, a pivotal moment when Islamic societies had to respond to invasions by Turks, Crusaders, and Mongols that contributed to the fragmentation of Islamic civilization. By studying the early years of Islamic history, we can witness the construction of a major civilization from its very beginnings.

The period we study has received an enormous amount of attention over the last few years. Today's "Islamists" (Muslims who consider Islam as a political ideology, not just a faith) and their opponents (like secularists and nationalists) all look to the Prophet Muhammad and the community he established as an ideal. Contrary to seeing the past from ideological perspectives, we will study early Islamic civilization from historical perspectives. We will examine the historical circumstances that led to the establishment of a new faith, why people adopted these beliefs, and how Muslims shaped new societies. Therefore, please note that this is a history class, not a class in political science, international relations, or religious studies.