Muslim Societies and Civilisations

This module introduces the rise and development of Islam, from the period of Prophet Muhammad in the sixth and seventh centuries to the rule of the Fatimid Imam-Caliphs from the tenth to the twelfth century. Students are introduced to people, places and events of significance that came to shape the first six centuries of Islam, beginning with its genesis in Mecca and the establishment of the early caliphate in Medina, and tracing the growth of dynastic empires in Damascus, Baghdad, Cordoba and Cairo. Using the city as a space of dynamic creativity, the content presents the flowering of Muslim civilisations in all their manifold aspects. The development of Shia traditions, and the emergence of the Ismailis in this phase of history, features as an integral part of the broader Muslim narrative.