ISLAM

1. ISLAM THE FIRST TRANS-REGIONAL CIVILIZATION

2. CURRENT MUSLIM WORLD

3. PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA • The Arabian peninsula • Largely deserts with mountains, oases • Fertile areas in the southern mountains around Yemen • Nomadic Bedouin • Lived in the desert-covered peninsula for millennia • Kept herds of sheep, goats, and camels • Organized in family and clan groups • Importance of kinship and loyalty to the clan • Many tribes were matrilineal with some rights for women • Urbanized Arabs in oases, cities across area • Post-classical Arabia • Romans (Byzantines), Persians had client kingdoms • Roman Nabateans (Arabia Petropolis, Petra) • Herod was an Arabic Jew who ruled a client kingdom • Queen Zenobia of Palmyra • Active in long-distance over land trade • Trade from Damascus to Mecca/Medina to Yemen • Trade across desert to Persian Gulf and along coast • Part of Red Sea trade system; links between Yemen, Abyssinia • Trade includes gold, frankincense and myrrh • Religions • Tribes were polytheist worshipping sun, moon, spirits • Groups of Jews, Monophysite Christians in cities • Zoroastrian merchants throughout region

4. TRADE ROUTES c. 500 CE

5. PHYSICAL MAP OF ARABIA

6. MUHAMMAD’S EARLY LIFE • Muhammad ibn Abdullah • Born in a Mecca merchant family, 570 C.E. • Difficult early life: orphaned, lived with uncle • Married a wealthy widow, Khadija, in 595 • Became a merchant at age 30, exposed to various faiths • Muhammad's spiritual transformation • At age 40, on retreat he experienced visions • There was only one true god, Allah ("the god") • Allah would soon bring judgment on the world • The archangel Gabriel delivered these revelations to Muhammad • Did not intend to found a new religion, but his message became appealing • Conflict at Mecca • His teachings offended others, especially ruling elite of Mecca • Attacks on greed offended wealthy merchants • Attacks on idolatry threatened shrines, especially the Kaa'ba • The hijra • Under persecution, Muhammad, followers fled to Medina, 622 C.E. • The move, known as hijra, was starting point of Islamic calendar • The first ummaorganized in Medina • Organized a cohesive community of the faithful • Led commercial adventure, lanuched raids against Mecca caravans • Helped the poor and needy • Returned in triumph to Mecca after winning wars

7. THE MESSANGER • The "seal of the prophets" • Who was Muhammad • Referred to himself as "seal of the prophets" • Final prophet of Allah but not the Son of God • Held Hebrew scriptures and New Testament in high esteem • Referred to followers as “Peoples of the Book” • If they did not threaten umma, were to be protected • Paid a head tax for right to worship, did not tithe • Could not kill, hurt people of the book unless they attacked Muslims • Determined to spread Allah's wish to all humankind • The Quran • Followers compiled Muhammad's actual revelations after his death • Rewritten by the 2nd Caliph into a work of magnificent poetry • Muslims are commanded to read the Quran, therefore literacy high • Quran ("recitation"), became the holy book of Islam • Suras are chapters; organized from longest to shortest • 147 Suras • The Hadith • Sayings attributed to Muhammad; not included in Quran • Three levels from most accurate/likely to highly suspect

8. CONQUEST OF ARABIA • Muhammad's return to Mecca • Conquered Mecca, 630 • Created a theocratic government dedicated to Allah • Suppressed rebellious tribes in area including Jewish tribes • Destroyed pagan shrines and built mosques • The Kaa'ba • The Kaa'ba shrine was not destroyed • In 632, Muhammad led the first Islamic pilgrimage to the Kaa'ba • The Five Pillars of Islam • Obligations taught by Muhammad, known as the Five Pillars • The Five Pillars bound the umma into a cohesive community of faith • Profession of faith, prayer, tithing, pilgrimage, fasting at Ramadan • Islamic law: the sharia • Emerged during the centuries after Muhammad • Detailed guidance on proper behavior in almost every aspect of life • Drew laws, precepts from the Quran • Drew traditions from Arabic culture, Hadith • Through the sharia, Islam became a religion and a way of life

9. 6TH CENTURY ARABIA

10. SYMBOLS OF ISLAM

11. EXPANSION OF ISLAM • The caliph • Upon Muhammad's death, Abu Bakr served as caliph ("deputy") • Became head of state, chief judge, religious leader, military commander • First four called Orthodox caliphs because they were original followers • The expansion of Islam • 633-637, seized Byzantine Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia • 640's, conquered Egypt and north Africa • 651, toppled Sassanid dynasty • 711-718, conquered Hindu region of Sind; Iberia, NW Africa • Success due to weakness of enemies, vigor of Islam • Dar al Islam or Dar el Harb? • The Islamic world where the Sharia is in force, Islam dominates • Dar el Harb is the land of the unbelievers, or non-Muslims • The Shia and Sunnis • The Sunnis ("traditionalists") accepted legitimacy of early caliphs • Were Arab as opposed to Islamic • Did not feel caliphs had to be related to Muhammad • The Shia sect supported Ali (last caliph and son in law of Muhammad) • A refuge for non-Arab converts, poor; followers in Irag, Iran • Felt caliphs should be directly related to Muhammad • Two sects struggled over succession; produced a civil war, murder

12. SPREAD OF ISLAM

13. UMAYYAD DYNASTY • The Umayyad dynasty (661-750 C.E.) • Umayyads had been the clan which ruled Mecca before Muhammad • Umayyad elected caliph, won civil war, established dynasty • Ali murdered by caliph’s followers • Established capital city at Damascus in Syria • Ruled for the interests of Arabian military aristocracy • Policy toward conquered peoples • Dhimmis were the conquered Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians • Levied jizya (head tax) on those who did not convert to Islam • Even the converts did not enjoy wealth, position of authority • Umayyad decline • Caliphs became alienated from Arabs by early 8th century • By the mid-century, faced strong resistance of the Shia faction • The discontent of conquered peoples also increased • Umayyad family slaughtered; only one son escaped to Spain • Formed breakaway Umayyad Dynasty in Spain

14. ABBASID DYNASTY • Abu al-Abbas • A descendant of Muhammad's uncle; allied with Shias and non-Arab Muslims • Seized control of Persia and Mesopotamia during 740's • Shattered Umayyad forces at a battle in 750; annihilated the Umayyad clan • The Abbasid dynasty (750-1258 C.E.) • Showed no special favor to Arab military aristocracy • Empire still growing, but not initiated by the central government • Abbasid administration • Relied heavily on Persians, Persian techniques of statecraft • Central authority ruled from the court at Baghdad, newly built city • Governors ruled provinces; Ulama, qadis (judges) ruled local areas • Harun al-Rashid (786-809 C.E.) • Represented the high point of the dynasty • Baghdad became metropolis, center for commerce, industry, and culture • Abbasid decline • Struggle for succession between Harun's sons led to civil war • Governors built their own power bases, regional dynasties • Local military commanders took title of Sultan • Popular uprisings and peasant rebellions weakened the dynasty • A Persian noble seized control of Baghdad in 945 • Later, the Seljuk Turks controlled the imperial family

15. AN URBAN CIVILIZATION • Arab Urban History • Pre-Islamic Arabs were both urban, bedouin • Mecca, Medina, Yemeni cities, cities of Palmyra, Arab Petropolis • Center of the city was a market place often shared with religious center • Cities designed with human-environment interaction in mind • Nomads came to city to trade, city often settled by whole tribes • Arabs had settled in cities in Syria, Iraq, Jordan • Arabic cities linked to wider world through merchants, trade • Arab cities exposed to Jews, Persians, Monophysites, Sabeans • Arabic Empire and Urban Growth • Islam as a culture requires mosque, merchant: very urban in outlook • Capital moved from Mecca to Damascus by Umayyads • Arabs founded military cities on edges of desert to rule empire • As empire grew, needed something more permanent • Abbasids moved capital from Damascus, Kufa to Baghdad • Other designed for purpose cities include Fez, Cairo, Tunis • Increasing agricultural production contributed to growth of cities • Cities: centers for administration, industry, trade, education, faith • Many different ethnic minorities settled in Muslim cities (quarters) • Mosque at center surrounded by suk, square, in decreasing social order

16. HARUN AL RASHID & BAGHDAD

17. CHANGED ECONOMICS • Merchants, pilgrims, travelers exchanged foods across empire • Exchange and spread of food and industrial crops • Indian plants traveled to other lands of the empire • Staple crops: sugarcane, rice, new varieties of sorghum and wheat • Vegetables: spinach, artichokes, eggplants • Fruits: oranges, lemons, limes, bananas, coconuts, watermelons, mangoes • Industrial crops: cotton, indigo, henna • Effects of new crops • Increased varieties and quantities of food • Industrial crops: basis for a thriving textile industry • Foodstuffs increased health, populations of cities • Agricultural experimentation • Numerous agricultural manuals • Agricultural methods and techniques improved • Improved irrigation

18. A VAST TRADE ZONE • Camels and caravans • Overland desert trade traveled mostly by camel caravan • Caravanserais (motel, corrals) in Islamic cities • Trading goods usually luxury in nature • Maritime trade based on technological borrowing • Arab, Persian mariners borrowed • Compass from the Chinese • Lateen sail from southeast Asian, Indian mariners • Astrolabe from the Hellenistic mariners • Organization and dominance of trade • In North Africa across Sahara, down Nile, SW Asia, to India • Eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Arabia Gulf down coasts • Many cities grew rich from trade • Entrepreneurs often pooled their resources in group investments • Different kinds of joint endeavors • Banks • Operated on large scale and provided extensive services • Letters of credit, or sakk, functioned as bank checks • Exchange of Ideas included Islam, technology, culture

19. ISLAMIC TRADE

20. WOMEN’S CHANGING STATUS • Pre-Islamic Arab Women • Arabs as nomads allowed women many rights • Women often poets, tribe leaders • Some evidence of matrilineal tribes • The Quran and women • Quran enhanced rights, security of women • Forced husbands to honor contracts, love women • Allowed women to own property, protected from exploitation • What produced the change • Foreign Contacts changed the perspective • Adopted veiling from Mesopotamia, Persia • Isolation from India through purdah, harem • Muslim rights for women • Often weaken through Hadith, traditions • Often reduced, ignored • Patriarch beliefs reinforced by conquest • Yet Quran, sharia also reinforced male domination • Role of Hadith, Arab traditions reinforced male domination • Women in West Africa, Central Asia • Much freer than their Arab, Persian, Indian counterparts • Carryover of traditions from previous cultural tolerance of women

21. IMAGE OF WOMEN

22. ISLAM & OTHER CONTACTS • Persian influence on Islam • After Arabs most prominent of Muslims, resisted Arabization • Cultural traditions often borrowed heavily by Islam • Became early followers of Shia • Government and regionalism • Many advisors (vizer is Persian word) to Caliphs were Persian • Cultured, diplomatic language of Abbassid court became Persian • Literary achievements • Omar Khayyam was greatest of Medieval Muslim poets • The Arabian Nights largely in a Persian style • Turkish influences • Central Asian nomads converted to Islam, developed literary culture • Invaded SW Asia and made caliphate dependent on Turkish nomads • Formed military might, leadership of late Abbassid state • Indian Influences • Purdah and harem borrowed from Hindus • "Hindi numerals," which Europeans called "Arabic numerals" • Greek Influences • Muslims philosophers especially liked Plato and Aristotle; Greek math • Effort of harmonizing two traditions met resistance from Sufis

23. ISLAMIC CULTURAL TRADITION • Quran, sharia were main sources to formulate moral guidelines • Constant struggle between what is Arabic and what is Islamic • Use of Arabic script as only language of Islam strengthened trend • Persians, Turks, Indians, and Africans struggled for acceptance • Promotion of Islamic values • Ulama, qadis, and missionaries were main agents • Education also promoted Islamic values • Sufis • Islamic mystics, effective missionaries • Encouraged devotion by singing, dancing • Led ascetic, holy lives, won respect • Encouraged followers to revere Allah in own ways • Tolerated those who associated Allah with other beliefs • The hajj • The Kaa'ba became the symbol of Islamic cultural unity • Pilgrims helped to spread Islamic beliefs and values

24. TURKS & ISLAM • Early Turkic Tribes • Originated in Central Asia, Mongolia • The Götürk Empire arose c. 6th century • Confederacy of tribes united under khans • Remained nomadic but adopted Syriac script • Some conversion to Christianity, Buddhism • Broke up over rivalries between clans • Turkish tribes Turks migrated • Towards Iran, Russian Steppes • Became the Khazars and Seljuks • The Seljuk Turks • The Sultanate • Converted to Sunni Islam while in Central Asia • 1037: group migrated into Iran, set up a sultanate • 1055: captured Baghdad and later Jerusalem • 1071: defeated Byzantines at Manzikert and occupied Anatolia • Sultans and Mameluks • Left Abbasid caliphs as figurehead • Sultans were military commanders and governors of provinces • Mameluks were slave soldiers – Turkish slaves formed military aristocracy • Large numbers settled Anatolia producing a flowering of Turkish culture • Sultanates of Delhi and Egypt were Mameluk, Turkish

25. THE CRUSADES • Religiously sanctioned wars • Muslim Jihad has its Christian counterpart • Early Islam sanctioned Holy Wars, initially Christianity did not • Muslim conquest of largely Christian lands changed tradition • Christian Reconquista in Iberia • Christian knights sanctioned by Church fought Muslims • Warfare in Iberia, Sicily, Sardinia, Crete preceded 11th century • “The Crusades” • A Changed Situation in Southwest Asia • Turkish conquests changed situation • They conquered Holy Land • Arabs had permitted pilgrimage, Turks curtailed it • The Byzantine Empire • Byzantines in Schism with West asked Pope for help • Pope saw chance to reunite churches and end schism • Church calls for crusades, offers indulgences • More than nine crusaders • Initial one conquered Holy Land and set up crusader states • Next crusades all called to defend conquests • Opened up West to Islamic contacts but had not impact on Islam

26. OTHER ISLAMIC REGIONS • Al-Andalus • Iberian Peninsular largely conquered by Muslim Berbers 711 – 714 • Claimed independence from the Abbasid dynasty • Participated in commercial life of the larger Islamic world • Products of al-Andalus enjoyed a reputation for excellence • Cordoba was a center of learning, commerce, architecture • After death of Abd al Rahman III broke up into petty kingdoms • A unique blended culture • Arab, Latin, German, Islamic, Christian, Jewish • Very tolerant and integrated society • Warred for 700 years with Christian kingdoms in north • North Africa • Strong followers of Shia, broke with Abbassids • Berbers followed many puritanical Shia like movements • Eventually Fatimids conquered Egypt, formed rival caliphate • Central Asia • Largely Turkish, Persian and Islamic but not Arabic • Tended to be distant from Baghdad and more tolerant • Integrated into trans-Eurasian trade network

27. MUSLIM SPAIN & THE RECONQUISTA

28. EGYPT DURING PERIOD • Arab Conquest of Egypt • Conquered c. 639 CE when Coptic Christians opened borders to Muslims • Arabs ruled through governors but did not seek conversions • Umayyad and Abbasid rule weakened and local sultans took great power • Over-taxation led to revolts and settlement of Arab tribes as soldiers • Fatimid Egypt • Arab Shia Muslim dynasty of Egypt 909 – 1171 • Rulers belonged to Ismaili branch of Shia Islam • Proclaimed themselves Caliphs • Established Cairo • Ayyubid Egypt • A Sunni Dynasty of Kurdish origins 1171 – 1341 • Saladin dissolves Fatimid rule, proclaims himself sultan • Spends early part conquering Holy Land, Hejaz, North Africa • Warred with Crusaders but established an amicable relationship • Lifestyles • A period of toleration between Muslims, Jews, Coptic Christians • A time of great prosperity where Egypt was a center of interactions • Conversion was slow but gradual: Arabic replaced Coptic as main language