Cultural scholar Hussein Rashid will explore the representation of three prophets in Muslim traditions: Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), and Joseph (Yusuf).

Each week, participants will look at Qur’anic sources, visual arts, and literature, discovering the long history of highlighting the moral lessons of prophets in painting and literature. The course will focus on paintings from the 15th century onwards, from South Asian and Persianate contexts. Rashid will highlight the well-known Persian poet Rumi and his writing about each of these prophets, exploring the depth of meaning for believers. For Yusuf, in particular, his story is popularized by the poet Jami, who focuses the events in Genesis and the Qur’an as an allegory of the soul’s search for God.

Discover the rich representation of these lessons on canvas and in print.

Class meets Monday, May 16, 23 and Tuesday, May 31 from 7-8 pm ET. Class will take place live online with an opportunity to interact with the instructor and be recorded for later viewing by patrons.