SS 101 Islamic Studies Final Exam

Fall 2020
Max Time: One hour
Part I
Please write short notes on any ten of the following (two marks for each term; expected length:
50–100 words)
1. The panopticon
2. Mu‘allaqāt
3. Occasionalism
4. Miḥnah
5. New Agers
6. Sālik
7. “Salafi burnout”
8. Iḥyā’ ‘ulūm al-dīn
9. Munqidh min al-Ḍalāl
10. Amina Wadud
11. Theodicy
12. al-Ghazālī (d. 1291)

Part II
Attempt one question from this section.

Q. 1 Islamic Literature and Sufism Give a brief response to each of the following parts.
(Six marks for each part; suggested time for each part: eight minutes)
1. This question is about Qur’anic views of poetry.
a. Briefly explain the context behind the Qur’an’s condemnation of poets in Surah al-
Shu‘arā’ (“The Poets”), verses 224-226. [Only discuss who these poets were and
why they were criticized in these verses] (three marks, expected length: 150 words)
b. Briefly explain the context behind the Qur’an’s appreciation of poets in Surah al-
Shu‘arā’ (“The Poets”), verse 227. [Only discuss who these poets were and why
they were praised in these verses] (three marks, expected length: 150 words)
2. In the Qur’an, verse 37:49 describes the ḥūris of paradise as ‘hidden eggs.’
a. On the basis of your knowledge of the mu‘allaqah of Imru’ al-Qays, briefly explain
what this hidden-ness symbolized about certain Arab women of the time. In other

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 words, explain who these women were and why their ‘hidden-ness’ was considered
prestigious. (three marks, expected length: 150 words)
b. On the basis of your knowledge of the mu‘allaqah of Imru’ al-Qays, briefly explain
what these eggs symbolized for the Arabs of the time. In other words, explain what
types of ‘eggs’ these were, and what made them beautiful and precious. (three
marks, expected length: 150 words)
3. Answer this question with reference to Ibn al-‘Arabī’s commentary on the following lines
of poetry:
Halt at the abodes and weep over the ruins and ask the decayed habitations a
question
“Where are the loved ones? Where are their camels gone?” (They answer),
“Behold them traversing the vapour in the desert”
For each of the highlighted words, briefly explain
a. Their old meanings in jāhilī qaṣīdah (three marks, expected length: 150 words)
b. Their new Sufi meaning (three marks, expected length: 150 words)
4. This question is about Omid Safi’s views on contemporary perceptions of “Sufism.”
a. How did Orientalists contribute to the widespread notion that “Sufism is un-
Islamic”? (three marks, expected length: 150 words)
b. Who were the New Agers and how did they contribute to the widespread notion
that Sufism was un-Islamic? (three marks, expected length: 150 words)
5. Answer this question with reference to the following lines of poetry by Rumi:
I am holding a cup in my hand
By God if you do not come
Till the end of time
I promise not to pour out the wine
Nor to drink a sip

Your jalāl has made me a jalīl

Your dalāl has made me a dalīl
I am the progeny of the Khalīl
I'll find my way through fire

Interpret these lines of poetry paying special attention to the words highlighted in bold. (six
marks, expected length: 300 words)

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Q. 2 Kalām and Modernity Give a brief response to each of the following parts.
(Six marks for each part; suggested time for each part: eight minutes)
1. Briefly explain the following theological terms:
a. Tashbīh (two marks, expected length: 50–100 words)
b. Tanzīh (two marks, expected length: 50–100 words)
c. Bilā kayf (two marks, expected length: 50–100 words)
2. This question pertains to Muslim theological debates regarding theodicy.
a. Briefly explain the Mu‘tazilite position on theodicy (three marks, expected length:
150 words).
b. Briefly explain the Ash‘arite position on theodicy (three marks, expected length:
150 words).
3. This question pertains to Muslim theological debates regarding human free will and
Divine justice.
a. Briefly explain the Mu‘tazilite position on human free will and Divine justice.
(three marks, expected length: 150 words).
b. Briefly explain the Ash‘arite position on human free will and Divine justice.
(three marks, expected length: 150 words).
4. This question is about modern movements of reform and revival in Islam.
a. Discuss the key convictions held by “conservative salafis.” (three marks, expected
length: 150 words).
b. Briefly discuss how Timothy Winter uses the Qur’anic metaphor of good and bad
trees to criticize the salafis. (three marks, expected length: a few sentences).
5. This question is about Islam and feminism.
a. How does Jonathan Brown contrast Amina Wadud’s interpretation of verse 4:34
(the so-called “wife beating verse”) with those of traditional ‘ulamā’? (three marks,
expected length: one long or two medium-length paragraphs).
b. Briefly explain how and why, according to Rumi, domination in spousal
relationships varies with the inner state of men. (three marks, expected length: one
long or two medium-length paragraphs).