Course Description
Islamic mysticism, both as a set of metaphysical doctrines and as it is expressed in religious practices. Particular attention will be given to the doctrinal development of Sufism, its literature, major figures, and the process of consciousness transformation.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Additional readings and a research paper along with more extensive examinations to reflect the additional responsibilities.
Athena Title
The Sufi Way
Prerequisite
Junior or senior standing or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every odd-numbered year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will obtain a broad knowledge of the major doctrines and practices of Sufism throughout its history.
- Students will be able to describe general principles of consciousness (i.e., psychological and spiritual) transformation in Sufism.
- Students will learn a methodology for the scholarly study of religion and apply it a) most importantly to the study of Sufism, and b) and to a lesser extent to the study of your own beliefs (for the sake of better understanding differences between your own beliefs and the beliefs of Sufis).
- Students will learn a basic vocabulary of concepts and names that are crucial to understanding Islam in general and Sufism in particular.
- Students will refine their skills in writing a research paper and to apply them to writings of Sufis.
Topical Outline
- Introduction to Sufism and Islamic Spirituality
The Qur’an and Its Spiritual Significance
Faith, Practice, and Interior Life in Islam
The Life of the Prophet, Sunnah, and Hadith
Core Theological Concepts: God, Cosmos, and Eschatology
The Science of the Soul and Sufi Psychology
Sufi Practices: Prayer, Meditation, and Islamic Rites
The Origin and Early Development of Sufism
Major Sufi Orders and Their Teachings
Key Sufi Thinkers: Ibn ‘Arabi, Rumi, and Others
Sufi Literature: Poetry and Mystical Writings
Sufism Across Regions: Africa, Persia, Turkey, and Beyond
Sacred Music, Dance, and Islamic Art
Female Spirituality and Saints in Sufism
Sufism Today: Modernity and Its Influence in the West
