This course provides an introduction to the key texts, beliefs and practices of the religion of Islam. The course begins with an examination of the rise of Islam, the life of its Prophet and the early appearance of the main sectarian divisions. Topics explored will include the nature and history of the Qurán and the Hadith, particular aspects of Islamic practice and belief, as well as religious law, theology, philosophy, Sufism, literature, and art and architecture from the earliest period to the present. Students will also explore major developments in the political, social and cultural history of the Muslim world from its origins in seventh century Arabia to rise of the nation-state in the twentieth century, especially its expansion into South and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.