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The Islamic World 600-1400

Explore the origins of Islam, Muhammad's religious leadership, the spread of Islamic states, political dynamics, and social hierarchies in classical Islamic society. Learn about the religious, social, and economic structures that shaped the Islamic world from 600 to 1400.

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The Islamic World 600-1400

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  1. The Islamic World600-1400

  2. The Origins of Islam • Arabian Peninsula • Urban- artisans, merchants, religious leaders • Rural- Bedouin nomadic tribes; political and military sophistication • Mecca- Ka’ba, commercial center

  3. Arabian Social and Economic Structure • Social unit was the tribe (loyalty-protection/support) • Trade, caravan guards • North/central- warriors • South- religious aristocracies

  4. Muhammad’s Rise as a Religious Leader • Muhammad (570-632) • Revelations from Gabriel: “oneness of Allah” and “Judgment Day” • (651) Qur’an • Hadith • Sunna, “normative example”

  5. The Tenets of Islam • Islam “surrender to God” • Muslim “one who submits” • Muhammad last of prophets • Not a new message • Five Pillars of Islam:

  6. Islamic States and Their Expansion • Hijra 622 (Beginning of Muslim Era) • To Medina • 8 year conflict between Medina and Mecca • Muhammad was a military and political strategist • Unified through the “umma” not tribe • Established Arab unity among Bedouin tribes through the umma

  7. Islam’s Spread Beyond Arabia • Two powerful empires in 6th century Middle East • Byzantine empire • Sassanid empire • Muslim conquests • Arabian peninsula, Egypt, N. Africa, Syria, Persia, Iberian peninsula

  8. Reasons for the Spread of Islam • Jihad- • Arab military advantages and political weakness of opponents • Christian and Jewish perspectives-

  9. The Caliphate and the Split Between Shi’a and Sunni Alliances • Sunni • Umayyad Dynasty, Damascus (Syria), caliph court, political, ulama • Shia/Shi’ites • Imam

  10. The Abbasid Caliphate 750-1258 • 747 Abu Al Abbas led rebellion against Umayyad • Baghdad capital- center of trade, intellectual achievements, medicine, astrology, Greek texts translated • Significance of Arabic language in Islam • Persian elite class • Cosmopolitan • Islamic center • “Divine right” • Slave soldiers (Turks)

  11. Administration of the Islamic Territories • Adopted from Byzantine and Persian • Caliph • Vizier • Ulama • Emirs • Native officials • Diwan

  12. Fragmentation and Military Challenges • Pay taxes = some autonomy • Long distance = disobedience

  13. Breakaway Territories and Shi’a Gains • 755 independent state in Cordoba, Spain • 800 Tunisia, N. Africa • 820 Khurasan kingdom • 946 Shi’a Iranian overran Baghdad • 969 Shi’a “Fatimids” conquered N. Africa

  14. The Ascendancy of the Turk • The Turks were victims of slave raids. • Converted to not be captured • 1020 and 1030s Seljuk Turks conquered Persia, Iraq, and Syria to establish a Sunni state • 950-1100 Turk expansion to Byzantines (Anatolia) • Most Christians converted to Islam

  15. The Mongol Invasions • 1206 Mongols united Mongol, Tartar, and Turkish peoples under Chinggis (Ghengis) Khan and conquered North China. • 1219-1222 Mongols conquered Arabs from Persia to Central Asia (Khwarazm). • 1258 the last Abbasid caliph was assassinated in Baghdad when Mongols led by Huleou took over Persia and created the IL- KHAN • 1260 Damascus • Syrians withstood Mongols in Battle of AynJalut

  16. Muslim Society The Life of the People • Idea of social equality was basic Muslim doctrine (among Muslims alone) • Arabs regarded themselves as superior

  17. The Social Hierarchy • Caliph’s household and ruling Arab Muslims • Converts- required to subordination to Arab tribes • Dhimmis (ZIH-MEEZ)- “People of the Book” • Respect Islam, pay taxes • Appointed to high positions • Status dropped after Crusades and Mongol empires

  18. Jews in Islam • Marginalized in Christian social order, then expelled from many European countries • Marginalized in Islam, however given commercial liberties and respect

  19. Slavery • Humane, moderate, no excessive work, opportunity for manumission • Not “People of the Book” • Women: housekeeping, dancers, concubines • Men: soldiers, construction, mines, loading docks, mines, and eunuchs

  20. Islam vs. American slavery • Race not recognized • No plantation system (Zanj revolt in Persia) • Not hereditary

  21. Women in Classical Islamic Society • Pre-Islam Arab tribes • No problem • Sold into marriage • Mostly domestic roles; some political exceptions

  22. Early Islamic view on women • Quran: equals, political, economic rights • By Abbasid dynasty • Patriarchal tendency absorbed from Persia and Byzantine • Veiling • Quran has no specific rule about veiling • Purdah

  23. Marriage • Too important for romance • Arranged at 12 years old • Raised children • Polygamy tolerated (4) • Divorce permitted

  24. Trade and Commerce • Favorable capitalism • Looked down on agricultural labor • “…honest, truthful Muslim merchant will stand with martyrs on the day of judgment.”

  25. Waterways main commercial route: • Mediterranean, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Volga River (Russia), Aral Sea (China), Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Indonesia, and Philippines • Cairo, Egypt

  26. Textiles, glass, gold, silver, copper exchanged for Asian spices, dyes, and medicine • Sakk • “Bill of exchange” • “Joint Stock Company” • By product-

  27. Cultural Developments

  28. The Cultural Centers of Baghdad and Cordoba • Examples of cosmopolitan Muslim civilization

  29. Literature • “The Thousand and One Nights” • “Aladdin and His Lamp” • “Sinbad the Sailor” • “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”

  30. Cordoba • One Million people, 1600 mosques, 213,000 houses, 60,000 mansions, 80,000 shops, 27 schools (400,000 volumes in library) • Contrast with Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Gall in Switzerland

  31. Education and Intellectual Life • Valued education, especially religious learning • Qur’an basic text • Reading, writing, study of Qur’an • Madrasa • Arabic

  32. Teachers role- • Memorization • Careers: • Women in education

  33. Compare/contrast Islamic schools to Chinese and European IslamicEuropeanChinese • Arabic, Algebra, medicine, astrology

  34. Them Mystical Tradition of Sufism • Reaction to materialism of Umayyad Dynasty • Fasting, meditation, prayer • Absence of materialism and politics

  35. Muslim-Christian Encounter • Most significant encounter • Exchange: • Positive until Crusades 1095 and Reconquista of Span 722-1492 • Trade contacts, especially Venetians

  36. Andalusia, Spain • Jewish, Christian, Muslim harmonious coexistence • Mozarabs- • Eventually met with criticism and prejudice • Muslim converts sentenced to death • 1250 Reconquista

  37. Beyond Andalusian Spain • Muslim attacks on Europeans in 8th and 9th centuries • Doctrine controversies:

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