Search the Community

Salaam Alaikum dear brothers and sister: I am currently enrolled in a course in my university called: Pathways to Enlightenment. This is a required senior seminar course, but the specific topic/course focus was allowed to be selected by us. For this class I am to write a 20 page research paper on a topic of my choice. ​Here is a description of the topic: Research Paper: Students choose their own area of interest that emerges from (or merges with) the course theme of Enlightenment, and then write a series of four 5 page essays that will eventually form into a whole. Think of this as a book with a title that includes the word Enlightenment, and then chapters that indicate an engagement with the different disciplinary lenses we’ve been using. These papers require a use of common course readings AND original research materials. The “chapters” will need to be revised in order to create a fully coherent whole turned in during the final exam period colloquium. Conferences with me throughout the writing process are required. For my topic, I decided I will be focusing on the topic of Karbala and Muharram, and how this is a sort of "enlightenment" particularly for Shiite Muslims. Since I will need to look at the topic through a historical lens, I was wondering if anyone could provide me to some academic, well-researched articles pertaining to the topic of Karbala, and perhaps the history of Islam following the death of Muhammad pbuh. I know there are many, many resources out there; therefore, I was wondering if any brothers or sisters knew some great works on the topics of the history of Karbala, or a general history following Muhammad's death, a general timeline, etc. etc. All resources would be greatly appreciated. Salaam.