Arab-Muslim Civilisation 1.2 3600-7-AR1-CAM1.2
The course aims to provide students with knowledge of the language, culture, literature, and history of Arab countries, as well as the religion and philosophy of Islam. The material is presented through an interdisciplinary lens that emphasizes the interdependencies among the natural environment, history, socio-cultural transformations and the key achievements of Arab-Islamic civilization.
The course is delivered in six modules, each lasting one or two semesters; students achieve the required learning outcomes upon completing all six modules. Classes incorporate discussion-based learning to support practical understanding through collective text analysis and workshop elements. The course combines lectures with presentations, discussions, and individual student projects.
As part of extensive independent study conducted outside of class and during exam preparation, students are expected to systematically analyze provided teaching materials, research assigned topics, expand their knowledge through additional sources, and consolidate lecture content for the specific module. These activities include critical reading of texts and the independent organization, interpretation, and integration of acquired knowledge, which are vital to achieving the course's intended learning outcomes.
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Term 2026Z:
Introduction to the study of Islam as a religion and a civilization. The course begins with an overview of the origins of Islam against the backdrop of the political and religious situation in the Middle East in the 6th–7th centuries, the career of the Prophet Muhammad, and the Qur’anic revelation. It then presents the doctrines and rituals of Islam, the primary sources of Muslim doctrine, Islamic law, theological and politico-religious movements, as well as Muslim mysticism—Sufism. The subsequent part of the lectures discusses religions that emerged from Islam and within the Muslim milieu, as well as transformations in the contemporary Muslim world, including fundamentalist and modernist trends. Particular attention will be devoted to the concept of jihad—from its origins in the Qur’an and the literature of fiqh, through its development in the times of Ibn Taymiyyah and Abd al-Wahhab, up to the present day. |
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Classroom
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Knowledge: The graduate knows and understands:
K_W03 the most significant phenomena, trends, and literary texts of the Arab-Islamic civilization.
K_W04 key issues within the field of Islamic religion and philosophy.
K_W05 key issues within the field of Islamic art.
K_W06 the influence of the natural environment, economy, international relations, as well as ethnic, demographic, and political situations on the social and cultural aspects of Arab states from both historical and contemporary perspectives.
K_W07 to an advanced degree, the structure of the Arabic language, its grammar, history, and script, as well as its significance in the cultural and historical context of the Arab world.
Skills: The graduate is able to:
K_U03 accurately situate the Arab region within the context of its natural environment, as well as its geopolitical and economic conditions.
K_U04 read and interpret literary texts and other cultural works (film, press, social writings) from the Arab region, correctly placing them in a cultural context; as well as analyze, compare, and identify interdependencies between them and the issues of tradition and modernity.
K_U05 analyze the most significant phenomena of Islamic art.
Social Competences: The graduate is prepared to:
K_K03 reflect on the place and significance of Arab culture within global culture.
Assessment criteria
Oral exam
Attendance will be monitored—two absences (i.e., 4 hours) are permitted during the semester. In the case of an absence due to illness, a medical certificate justifying the absence must be submitted within seven working days from the date of the end of the sick leave indicated on the certificate.