The Rise and Spread of Islam

1. The Rise and Spread of Islam

2. Why Important??? • Islam spread quickly to become one of the world’s most popular religions • Remains so to this day • Muslim merchants played a crucial role in trade and cultural diffusion

3. Geography • Origins: Arabian Peninsula • Mostly desert • Cities on coasts or near an oasis, thrived on trade • Mecca and Medina most important • Bedouin tribes controlled caravan routes between cities • Nomadic, clans based on kinship http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/942/663946.JPG http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=5769&rendTypeId=4

4. Pre-Islamic Arabia • Polytheistic religion, animistic • Some Jewish and Christian influence • Strong familial ties • Polygamy • Some allowed women multiple husbands (polyandry) • Women enjoyed more freedom than those among neighboring cultures (Byzantine Empire and Persians) • Many Bedouin tribes were matrilineal • Women not secluded or veiled • Poetry main form of artistic expression • No written language among Bedouin tribes

5. Rise of Islam • By 500’s, Arabia was fragmented • Rivalry among Bedouin • Christianity and Judaism increased in influence • Religious disunity • Prophets began to call for unity among the Arabs • Believed a common religion was needed

6. Muhammad • Born around 570 • Grew up with father’s relatives • Educated to be a merchant • Moved to Mecca as an adolescent • Heavily influenced by monotheistic religion (Judaism and Christianity) • 610: received revelation from Allah • Believed his revelation was the final word of god • Foundations of new religion: Islam • Beliefs and teachings recorded in the Qur’an

7. http://theinsanityofthesane.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/quran1.jpghttp://theinsanityofthesane.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/quran1.jpg

8. Muhammad • Teachings unpopular in Mecca at first • Fled to Medina • became skilled politician and spiritual leader • Islamic community became known as umma • Muhammad’s teaching quickly spread • Unified the people of Arabia

9. http://spicetrader.net/immortal/mecca-medina.png

10. Teaching of MuhammadTenets of Islam • Muslim: follower of Islam • 5 Pillars of Islam • Acceptance of Allah as one true god and Muhammad as his prophet • Prayer 5 times daily in direction of Mecca • Fasting during day-light hours of Ramadan • Charity for the less fortunate • Hajj- pilgrimage to Holy Land

11. http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/saudi_arabia/grand_mosque_mecca_soudi_arabia_photo_2.jpghttp://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/saudi_arabia/grand_mosque_mecca_soudi_arabia_photo_2.jpg

12. Beliefs of Islam • Islam: • Is monotheistic • promotes equality of all believers in the eyes of God • Encourages charity for the poor • Belief in judgment in the afterlife (paradise or hell) • Islam was an appealing religion that spread quickly

13. Caliphate • 632: death of Muhammad • Uncertainty about leadership in Muslim community • Some renounced faith due to lack of leadership • Caliph: political and religious successor of Muhammad • Some wanted Ali (Muhammad’s first cousin) to take over • Others felt Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s father-in-law) would be better

14. Umayyad Caliphate • Abu Bakr of the Umayyad clan became caliph (from 632-634) • Began to standardize the Islamic faith, oversee compilation of the Qur’an, reassert Muslim authority among the Arabs • Temporary peace • 656: Civil War erupted after assassination of the 3rd caliph (Uthman) • Those who supported Umayya clan won (661) • Conflict created a major division among the Muslim community

15. Sunni-Shi’a Split • Sunni Muslims supported the Umayyad clan • Believed the first 3 caliphs had been accurately chosen • Shi’a (Shi’ite) Muslims supported Ali to be caliph • Believed the first 3 caliphs were unfairly chosen • The Sunni-Shi’ite conflict still continues to this day.

16. Umayyad Caliphate • 632-750, Umayyad ruled over an Arab Empire • Capital in Damascus, Syria • Major Features • Arabic as official language • Use of gold & silver coins as currency • Muslims enjoyed highest social position • Only pay taxes for charity & received share of wealth from caravans • Most people were dhimmi (non-Muslim) • paid the bulk of taxes • Very little attempt to convert non-Muslims • Est. major area of influence in Jerusalem

18. Umayyad Caliphate • Gender/Family under Umayyad • Muhammad taught respect for women, saw marriage as important social institution • Denounced adultery, forbade female infanticide • Saw men & women as equals in eyes of Allah • Under Umayyad, men allowed 4 wives • Women allowed only 1 husband • Veiling not practiced • Women involved in various occupations (law, commerce, scholars)

19. Abbasid Caliphate • 750-1258 • 750: Umayyad overthrown during rebellion • Abbas took over and established the Abbasid Caliphate • Capital at Baghdad • Abbasid was a “Golden Age” for Islam • Court-life, literature, learning

20. Abbasid Caliphate • Increase in converts during the Abbasid • Missionary work to promote conversion • Urban expansion • Baghdad became a cultural center and economic hub • Trade boomed • Trade routes across the Sahara and throughout the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean • Use of lateen (triangular) sails on ships known as dhows • Extensive trade increased wealth • Reinvested or used to build Mosques, public buildings, religious schools, hospitals (Muslims were unsurpassed in their medical expertise at the time)

21. Arabian Dhowtrade ship Lateen (triangular) sails http://www.mikewashburn.com/frcamp/dhow.jpg

22. Abbasid Caliphate • Cities were filled with artisan and craft shops • Unskilled labor performed by slaves • Slavery was not a hereditary condition • Non-Muslims, usually captives from Africa • Qur’an forbids enslavement of Muslims, Jews, Christians, or Zoroastrians

23. Islamic Law: Shari’a • Over time, Muslim scholars developed an Islamic law code • Shari’a • Legal stability and common moral code • Followed to varying degrees

24. Islamic Learning • Muslim scholars preserved classical works from the Greek and Hellenistic period • Adopted the Indian Numeral system & spread it • Made advances in algebra and trigonometry • Architecture became a form of artistic expression • Mosques with elaborate mosaics inside • Elaborate palaces for entertaining the elite

25. Dome of Rock- Jerusalemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dome_of_the_Rock

26. Declining Position of Women • During the Abbasid, the position of women began to decline • Harems very popular • Legends of harems with thousands of concubines and eunuchs • Veiling and seclusion became popular • Only slave women allowed to appear in public unescorted • However, women did have some rights • Own property, right to divorce and remarry, right to testify in court, and the right to go on hajj

27. Decline of Abbasid Caliphate • By mid-800’s Abbasid began to lose power • Internal unrest (Sunni-Shi’ite conflict) • Courtly excess became a financial drain • Sunni-Shi’ite conflict • Revolts by non-Muslims and Turkish slaves (Mamluks) • Abbasid also faced outside pressures • Seljuk Turks (nomadic group) seized territory to create the Seljuk Sultanate • Crusaders • Mongol Invasion • Abbasid eventually fell in 1258

28. Muslim Conquests under the Umayyad and Abbasid • Muslims began to engage in campaigns against neighboring empires • To gain wealth and glorify their religion • Seized territory from Byzantine Empire • Territorial gains in: Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, Algeria, Morocco • Iberian Peninsula became a hub of leaning and culture within Europe

29. Spread of Islam • Islam spread quickly • Aided by trade • Expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa, the Swahili Coast of East Africa, parts of Europe and Asia • More on this later!!!