An Introduction to Islamic History
This course will address and discuss the developmental stages within Islam in the first six centuries of its existence—from the first Islamic state to the advent of the Mongol invasion that destroyed the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258. We will examine how religion looked before the advent of Islam and how Mecca—the hometown of the Prophet—was a center of regional pagan-like religions in a polytheistic society. We also will look at the formation of the first Islamic state—in the city of Medina—and review the numerous trials and tribulations of the first four caliphs who ruled over the Islamic state after Muhammad’s death. Finally, we will discuss the establishment of dynastic rule through the rise of the Umayyad dynasty in Damascus, which often is referred to as the Golden Age of Islam under the rule of the Abbasid dynasty.
You'll Walk Away with
- Knowledge of the history of the first Islamic state’s establishment
- An understanding of Mecca’s role in the development of Islam
- Familiarity with important dynasties in the region
Ideal for
- History buffs
- All members of the community—working, retired, and in between
NO open sections available for this course at the moment. Please check back next semester.