W64E Understanding Islam: History, Beliefs and Living Tradition (Zoom; OLLI @ U of A)
Zoom | Registration opens 12/16/2025 10:00 AM EST
There are more than two billion Muslims in the world and about 50 countries where Islam is the majority religion. We will cover the history of Islam from its birth through the present day as one of the largest world religions. We will discover Islam as both a way of life and a religion, be introduced to its major texts and explore the influence of geography and cultural diversity in how these texts are applied.
Note: Daylight Savings Time begins on March 8, 2026. After that date this class will begin at 2:00 pm EST.
Born and raised in Lebanon (18 different religious and ethnic legally recognized communities), Samih Baalbaki retired as a lawyer after spending his last 17 years based in Dubai and traveling extensively on professional assignments to over 20 Muslim countries in the Middle East, North Africa and southeast Asia. For the last 8 years, with OLLI at CCU as well as other educational institutions, Samih has taught courses on Islam, Middle Eastern politics and current affairs. Samih is a native Arabic speaker. Passionate about teaching, Samih has taught two weekly Zoom classes throughout the Covid-19 confinement.
*This registration item is ZOOM-only; there is not an in-person component to this course. It is offered and run by The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arizona.*