Islamic Law and Society II (Reading Seminar) - ABV100081

• Title: Islamic Law and Society II (Reading Seminar)
• Guaranteed by: Department of Middle Eastern Studies (21-KBV)
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Actual: from 2020
• Semester: summer
• Points: 0
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: summer s.:
• Hours per week, examination: summer s.:0/2, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unknown / unknown (10)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: not taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: PhDr. Josef Ženka, Ph.D.

Course completion requirements

Last update: PhDr. Josef Ženka, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

Course Requirements:

You need to be familiar with reading Arabic texts. We will read primary sources written in their original language, not in translation. No previous knowledge of classical Arabic is required, you will learn the vocabulary during the summer term. The course is run in a seminar format every week. This means that it is vital and imperative that you read carefully, and complete, all assigned texts on time, as well as participate fully in class discussion. Class preparedness will count significantly towards final grades; absences will count against final grades. There will be one short-in-class presentation related to the readings and you will be be expected to produce short response papers to three of them.

 

You will also prepare a 5-10 pages analysis of a fatwa, legal hadith, legal document, a chapter from a fiqh manual in order to understand and explain its author, legal reasoning and terminology.

Literature

Last update: PhDr. Josef Ženka, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

Textbooks:

Hallaq, Wael. Islamic Law: Theory, Practice, Transformations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Vikor, Knut S. Between God and Sultan. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

 

There will be a Moodle course with all the primary readings and guidelines.

We will read an ijaza, legal hadith, an introduction to usul al-fiqh for children of a faqih, fatwas, and chapters from a manual on fiqh and hajj.

Requirements to the exam

Last update: PhDr. Josef Ženka, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

Grading:

Grades will be based on a combination of class participation (including attendance and preparation), assignments (quality and timeliness of submission), the final paper (timeliness of submission and thoughtfulness of analysis).

Active participation and close reading of assigned texts ahead of each class. 50

Students are expected to read the assigned readings carefully ahead of each class and to take an active role in the discussion of the readings during the seminar. Students can miss a maximum of three classes. Any additional absence will affect your final course grade (there will be a penalty of half of the grading point of the final mark for each additional class missed).

Assignments 20

Final paper 30

 

100-86 1

85-75    2

74-61 3

Less than 60 - Fail

 

Entry requirements

Last update: PhDr. Josef Ženka, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

Previous background in Arabic is required for this course. 

At least some exposure to the subject of Islamic law.