This course examines the origins and development of Islamic philosophy and theology within the broader context of the Islamic intellectual tradition. It defines Islamic philosophy, discusses its relation to Western and particularly Greek philosophy, and analyzes the development of Islamic theology, Kalām, in response to Islamic philosophy. The course introduces the most important schools of theology and their founders, as well as different philosophical schools that emerged within the Islamic world.

Course Requirements:

Midterm Final Paper

30% 40% 30%

The mid-term and final exams will consist of essay questions in which there is a range of choice, e.g. choose three of four questions.

Undergraduate students are expected to write a term paper of ten pages on a subject of their choice which must be approved by the instructor in advance of its completion.

Required Reading:

1. Fakhry, Majid. A History of Islamic Philosophy. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
2. Martin, R., M. Woodward, and D. Atmaja. Defenders of Reason in Islam. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 1997.
3. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 2006.
4. Watt, Montgomery. Islamic Philosophy and Theology. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996.
5. Reading packet.

Course Outline:

1. Introduction - Discussion of methodology and bibliographical sources.
2. The Islamic religion and its principles - Qur'ān and Revelation: the intellectual meaning of the Qur'ān- relation to Islamic philosophy and theology
3. The periods and schools of Islamic philosophy
4. Early peripatetic philosophy to Ibn Sina
5. Isma'īlī philosophy
6. Islamic philosophy in the Maghrib
7. The foundation of Kalām- the Mu'tazilites
8. Ash'arism (the early period)
9. The confrontation between philosophy and Kalām in Islamic history
10. Later Kalām
11. Twelve-Imam theology and philosophy
12. The school of Illumination (ishrāq) and the Illuminationist tradition
13. Mulla Sadra and philosophical activities in Persia in the 17th and 18th centuries
14. Islamic philosophy and theology today
15. Conclusion