teaching
- My Teaching Philosophy
- A Writing Handbook for Students
- Writing About Literature
- Journal Writing
- Common Writing Errors and Solutions
introductions
- Classical Period
- Plato
- Aristotle
- Middle Ages
- Renaissance
- Neo-Classicism
- Enlightenment
- Romanticism
- Realism & Naturalism
- Twentieth Century
- Post-Colonialism
islam
- Introduction to Islam
- Islamic Studies
- Abraham: Father of Three Faiths
- Islam and Democracy
- Islam and Charity
- The Schools of Islamic Law
- Islam in South Jersey
- Islam in Malaysia
talks
- Reading and Democracy
- Literary Criticism: Who Needs It?
- Schopenhauer and Freud
- Rhetoric and Philosophy
- Plato and Aristotle on Democracy
essays
Home page
Dr. M.A.R. Habib (Rafey Habib) is a leading scholar in the areas of literary criticism, theory and philosophy. He is a Professor of English and the author of seven books, including three histories of literary criticism, a study of T.S. Eliot's philosophical background, and two translations of Urdu poetry. His own book of poetry, Shades of Islam: Poems for a New Century, is due to appear in September 2010. Also forthcoming this year is his Literary Criticism: From Plato to the Present: An Introduction (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).
His interests also extend to Islamic philosophy and literature, as well as postcolonial studies. He believes that it is a matter of some urgency to foster an improved mutual understanding between the Islamic world and Western cultures. He has given numerous talks on various aspects of Islam, such as Islam and Democracy, and is currently working with colleagues at Rutgers University to establish a cultural diversity of courses, including Islamic literature in English translation.
He also believes that, in an era where existing democracies are under various kinds of threat, and where democracies in various parts of the world are struggling to be born, it is important that we promote and disseminate the skills of critical reading and writing in order to foster an informed and responsible participation in the democratic process. He believes that learning is not merely an intellectual experience but a moral, emotional and political process, whose deepest roots and profoundest inspiration lie in humility, humanity and compassion. On this site are included a number of his talks, details of his published works, his teaching philosophy and interests, a sampling of his poetry, as well as accounts and photographs of his extensive travels, his other activities, and his family and friends. There are a number of resources here which students are welcome to use, provided that appropriate documentation is used, remembering that all of the material on this site has been written by the author and that most of it is already published in various forms.
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