Islamic Texts Circle: Non-Muslims in the Qur'an

The Islamic Texts Circle introduces the broader CMES community to important themes in the Islamic tradition via its holy scripture, the Qur’an, and via its long history of exegesis. Participants will gain exposure to the rich and variegated interpretive angles developed in the fourteen-hundred years of Islamic history, so that they may discuss relevant themes in the form of a productive dialogue. All texts on the theme of discussion will be provided ahead of time. No prior experience is necessary. Please join us for this unique opportunity to learn about Islam from its primary sources! RSVP to cmes@berkeley.edu to receive a copy of the texts. Asad Q. Ahmed is Associate Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies in the Department of Near Eastern Studies, the University of California, Berkeley. Ahmed specializes in early Islamic social history and pre-modern Islamic intellectual history, with a special focus on the rationalist disciplines, such as philosophy, logic, and astronomy. He received his B.A. in 2000 from Yale University, majoring from the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Literature. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 2007 from the Department of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University.