Course code

HIL6583.HT

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Islami ajalugu

Course title in English

History of Islam

ECTS credits

6.0

Assessment form

Examination

lecturer of 2025/2026 Spring semester

Üllar Peterson (language of instruction:Estonian)

lecturer of 2026/2027 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Brief description of the course

The course provides a systematic overview of Islamic history from the life of the Prophet Muḥammad to the end of the classical period (1258). The lecture course is thematically divided into two parts. The historical section examines the life of the Prophet, the period of the first four caliphs, and the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates. The analytical section focuses on foundational Islamic texts, theology, and law: in particular, it considers the Qurʾān and its commentaries, the Sunna, works of Islamic historiography, and texts related to Islamic law, i.e., šarīʿa. Lectures are complemented by seminars in which selected primary sources are read and analysed. The course supports the development of analytical and comparative skills, as well as the ability to interpret historical processes in a broader cultural and contemporary context. The thematic focus of the course may vary from year to year depending on the instructor.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- demonstrates systematic knowledge of the main periods, events, and developments in Islamic history up to the 13th century;
- analyses and compares different periods and processes in Islamic history;
- interprets primary sources of Islamic tradition (e.g., the Qurʾān, the Sunna, historical and legal texts), using appropriate academic approaches and terminology;
- explains the relationships between historical developments and contemporary processes in the Islamic world;
- uses digital resources responsibly in the study of historical and textual materials;
- works independently and collaboratively, communicating effectively both orally and in writing in a multicultural academic environment, and applying a critical and responsible approach to the analysis of historical phenomena.

Teacher

Üllar Peterson

Study programmes containing that course

Asian Studies (HTAUB/27)
Asian Studies (HILAB/26.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/25.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/24.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/23.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/22.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/21.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/20.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/19.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/17.HT)
Asian Studies (HILAB/16.HT)