The Beginnings of Islam: From Pre-Islamic Arabia to the Golden Age of the Abbasids [2653]

General Information

• Credits: 6 ECTS
• Prerequisites: Bachelor's or Licence level (or equivalent); proficiency in English
• Learning format: asynchronous distance learning – 100% e-learning
• Language of instruction: English
• Course access: available at any time of year
• Disability liaison officer: Cécile Boucherle

Course Overview

This course traces the emergence of Islam and its development during its first two centuries, from pre-Islamic Arabia to the Abbasid Golden Age. Drawing on recent findings in history, archaeology, and epigraphy, it challenges certain traditional accounts of Islam’s origins and highlights the limitations of the available sources. It examines the religious, political, and cultural context of Arabia before Islam, the figure of Muhammad and the formation of the first Muslim community, as well as the historical debates surrounding Islamic sources. The course then explores the major Arab conquests, the establishment of the Umayyad Empire, the rise of the Abbasids, and the gradual development of the religious, legal, and political institutions of classical Islam. Finally, it considers the evolution of Shiism and the intellectual flourishing that characterised the Abbasid Golden Age.

Course Objectives

This course enables you to:

• Understand the historical, political, and religious context of Arabia before Islam, drawing on evidence from archaeology, epigraphy, and non-Islamic sources.
• Critically analyse the sources relating to the origins of Islam, distinguishing the accounts of the Islamic tradition from approaches developed by contemporary historical research.
• Study the emergence of the first Muslim community, the preaching of Muhammad, the formation of the Qur’an, and the first divisions that shaped the history of early Islam.
• Explain the formation and expansion of the Islamic Empire, from the Arab conquests to the organisation of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.
• Identify the establishment of the main religious, political, and intellectual institutions of classical Islam.

Course Competencies

This course is linked to the following competencies:

• Trace the formation and expansion of the major monotheistic traditions within their historical context (History Track)
• Situate Islam within its historical development and interpret its major classical doctrines (Islamic Studies Track)

Course Outline

Section 1 Arabia before Islam
Section 2 The emergence of Islam
Section 3 The empire of conquests
Section 4 The Umayyads and Abbasids
Section 5 The golden age of the Abbasids

Assessment Methods 

Course assessment is based on:

• tracking and completion of the course and of all learning activities. These activities, designed as essential practice and learning exercises, may be completed multiple times and are not factored into the final grade,
• the final assessment quiz, which constitutes the graded evaluation.

Learning Format

The course is taught entirely online via the MyDomuni platform, accessible 24/7.
Learning resources include:

• written course materials;
• supplementary documents and, depending on the content, video resources;
• interactive learning activities (quizzes, exercises);
• a discussion forum with the course instructor and fellow participants.

Prerequisites

This course is open to anyone holding a Bachelor's degree or Licence (or an equivalent qualification) in theology, the humanities, social sciences, or a related field, or with significant personal or academic experience related to the topics covered.

A good command of written English is recommended to facilitate understanding of the content and participation in the activities offered.

Accessibility

The course is accessible at any time, from any internet-connected device, via the MyDomuni platform.
For students with disabilities, specific support can be arranged upon request to ensure equitable access to course content and activities.

Disability liaison officer: cecile.boucherle@domuni.eu. 

Selective Bibliography

• Thierry Bianquis, Pierre Guichard et Mathieu Tillier (dir.), Les Débuts du monde musulman (VIIe-Xe siècle). De Muhammad aux dynasties autonomes, Paris, PUF, 2012.
• Sabrina Mervin, Histoire de l'islam. Fondements et doctrines, Paris, Flammarion, 2e éd., 2016.
• Françoise Micheau, Les Débuts de l'islam. Jalons pour une nouvelle histoire, Paris, Téraèdre, 2012.
• Gregor Schoeler, Écrire et transmettre dans les débuts de l'islam, Paris, PUF, 2002.
• Encyclopédie de l'islam, 2e et 3e éd., Leyde, Brill.
• Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi (dir.), Dictionnaire du Coran, Paris, Robert Laffont, 2007.