REL 213 The Qur’an and the Bible

This course will introduce students to the Qur’an (Koran), the holy scripture of Islam. We will examine its major doctrines, thematic development, literary style and its relationship to pre-qur’anic, especially biblical, traditions. Special attention is given to various methods Muslims have used to interpret the Qur’an. In providing students with a working knowledge of the Qur’an, we will look at the Qur’an as a historical source; the origin, compilation, and contents of the Qur’an; the forms of the Qur’an, as manifested in recitation, texts (mushafs), and calligraphy; and exegetical and theological analyses of (and debates surrounding) the content of the Qur’an.