Islamic Civilizations

1. Islamic Civilizations

2. Geography • Arabian Peninsula • 1 million square miles • Three continents • Located between Red Sea and Persian Gulf • Arid and desert • Oasis

3. Bedouin • Nomadic Arabic herders • Lived in kin related clans • Highly mobile • Tent encampments • Strong on loyalty and cooperation of kin • Wealth and status based on possession of animals • Lead by Shaykhs (Sheikh) • Only united for wars and severe crisis

4. Society • Shaykhs • Free warriors • Slaves • Herders • Religion • Blend of animism and polytheism • Focus on worship of nature spirits • Culture • Chief focus on oral poetry • Little on art or architecture

5. Warfare important part of life • Conflict over pastureland/watering holes • Defend one’s honor • “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” • Inter clan rivalries will weaken Bedouin clans compared to neighboring people • Most significant culture in shaping the development of Islam

6. Makkah (Mecca) • Market town • Crossroads • 50 miles from Red Sea • Founded by Umayyad clan • Kaaba • Holy shrine • Statutes of many Arab deities • Annual truce

7. Women Pre-Islamic Arabia • Women had greater freedom • Varied from tribe to tribe • Key economic role– milking, weaving, kids • Not covered or secluded • Greater freedom and higher status than women of the Persian and Byzantine Empire • Lineage matrilineal • Also allowed multiple marriages • But men still greater authority • Earn status through war/battle • Men only polygamy

8. Hanifs • Rejected the worship of idols • Believed in one God • Rejected Judaism and Christianity • Out of this Islam will develop

9. Muhammad • Born into Quraysh tribe- • Banu Hashim clan • orphan-raise by family • Caravan leader • Exposed to Christian and Jewish faith • Marry well and was free of money concerns • Upset with greed of Makkah • Fast, pray and meditated • 610 AD had an revelation • Voice calling him • Only one true God-- Allah

10. Muhammad preached • Ethical system • There is only one God that people everywhere must worship and obey him • All that believe are equal • God measures the worth by their devotion and good deeds • Responsibility of the wealthy and strong to care fore the poor and weak • Tax for Charity • Prepare for Day of Judgment • God punishes evildoers and reward the just

11. Religion becomes known as Islam • Submission • followers are calledMuslim • Attracted poor • Umayyad wealthy merchants and religious leaders upset • Afraid it would stop pilgrimages to the Kaaba • Question the traditional Kaaba gods • Result Muhammad and Muslims persecuted

12. Hijrah • 622 AD Muhammad flees persecution • Threat of assassination • Ask to mediate dispute between Bedouin tribes and Jews • Yathrib • Renames Madinah (Medina) • Marks the beginning of Islamic era • First year of Muslim calendar

13. Madinah Compact • Decreed that all Muslims to place loyalty to Islamic community above the tribe • All areas of life placed under divine law given to Muhammad and Quran (Koran) • Extended protection to Jews and Christians who accepted Islam’s political authority • Must accept Muhammad as the final prophet • His revelations are final authority

14. Umayyad threaten by Islam • Growing power in Madinah • Initial response was to ignore Muhammad as long as he remain in Madinah • More difficult as Muhammad called for raids on caravans heading to Makkah.

15. 630 AD Muhammad returns to Makkah • 10,000 converts will enter the city • Makkah acknowledge Muhammad as prophet • Destroys idols of Kaaba • Kaaba becomes Muslim most sacred place of worship

16. Why was Islam able to spread so quickly and convert so many to a new religion? • Easy to learn and practice • No priesthood • Teaches equality • Non-Muslims- “Peoples of the Book” were allowed religious freedom • But had to pay additional taxes • Easily “portable”--- nomads & trade routes • Jihad (holy war) against pagans and other non believers (infidels)

17. Quran (Koran) • Islamic holy scriptures • Final authority in matters of faith and lifestyles • Moral values- similar to Judaism and Christianity • Honor parents • Charity to poor • Specific rules to guide daily activities • No gambling, no pork, no alcohol • Rules over marriage, divorce, family, inheritance • Arabic

18. Shari’ah • Body of law based on Quran and Hadith • Hadith- sayings of Muhammad • Laws can not be separated from religion • Umma • Community of believers established by Muhammad to oversee daily lives of followers • Main advantage was that it transcend tribal boundaries and made it possible for political unity along the Arab clans.

19. Mosque • Place of worship

20. Three holiest cities • Makkah • Madinah • Jerusalem • Dome of the Rock

21. Dome of the Rock • According to Islam tradition, Muhammad ascended into heaven in Jerusalem form the Dome of the Rock • Inside the shrine is the actual rock and Muslims believe it has the footprints of archangel Gabriel on it. • Muslims believe all souls gather under the rock • Located on the Hebrew Temple Mount the most sacred site for Jews and one of the most sacred sites for Christians • Reason for continuing conflict between Jews and Muslims today.

22. Five Pillars of Islam • Faith (Shahada) • Confession of Faith • Muhammad view as a Prophet– not a God • The last of Prophets • Just not accept by Christians and Jews • Allah is the God to Muslims, Christians and Jews • Muslim descendants of Abraham through son Ishmael

23. Prayer (Salat) • 5 times each day– set rituals • Facing Mecca • Imam • Prayer leader • Any male with proper religious education can serve as imam • Muezzin • Calls to prayer from a minaret

24. Alms (Zakat) • Charity • Fasting (Sawm) • Ramadan • Considered a method of self-purification

25. Pilgrimage (Hajj) • Mecca Those who complete pilgrimage can add the title hajji to their name

32. Jihad • Often refer to as the sixth pillar • Not correct in calling it a Holy war • Better translation would be “fight” or “strive” in the path of Allah • Even though the Quran contains some militant verses that suggest wars of conquest for conversion were a permissible form of jihad, Muhammad taught that there was a proper way to fight jihad. • No harm to civilians who were not front line combatants • Nor were they to destroy property or environment • Muslims were required to offer peace first and to provide protected status to those who submitted peacefully, even if they chose not to convert

33. 632 AD Muhammad dies • Did not provide line of succession • How do you replace a prophet? • Initially looks like Islam might fail with Muhammad’s death • Some Bedouin tribes will renounced faith • Others argued over succession • Ridda • Wars fought to defeat rival prophets and restore unity of Islam

34. Create position of Caliph • First Caliph was Abu Bakr • First four Caliphs called the “Rightly Guided Caliphs” • All had personal relationship with Muhammad

35. Motives for Arab conquest • Took mind off internal problems • Easy to beat neighbors • Military prowess • Religious zeal • Weakness of border empires • Unity of Faith gave them common cause • Pent-up energy from warrior people • Kept tribes from fighting each other • Booty • Not driven by desire to win converts • Avoid conversions • Wanted tax money • Key was to keep people not Muslim

36. Frustration in Islamic community • Century of personal animosities • Who control the booty • Spark to conflict – murder of 3rd caliph • Member of Umayyad clan

37. Ali (son in law of Muhammad) • regains control but does not punish assassins • War on • Ali winning in beginning but some will lose faith in him • Mu’awiya – • an Umayyad claim he the new caliph • Ali will be assassinated • Son Husayn tries to regain power but is also killed

38. Feud continues Today • Backers of Umayyad vs. backers of Ali • Caliph goes through dominant clan vs. caliph that goes through descendants of Muhammad • Division into Sunni and Shi’ite

39. Division of Islam • Sunni • Majority of Muslims • Believe caliph is primarily a leader not a religious authority • Any devout Muslim could serve

40. Shi’ite • Believe that only a descendant of Muhammad & Ali could be caliph • Stress spiritual rather than political aspect of Islam • Found primarily at Iran, Iraq and Lebanon

41. Both Sunni and Shi’ite accept • Oneness of God • Accept Quran • Pilgrimage to Mecca

42. Umayyad Dynasty • 661-750 • Moved capital from Madinah to Damascus • Caliph Uthman • Dislike by many Arabs • First Caliph to be chosen from Muhammad’s early enemy- Umayyads/

43. Spread of Islam into India, China, North Africa, Spain • Battle of Tours • Stop the spread of Islam into Europe • Charles Martel • Show tolerance to Jews and Christians

44. Arab/Muslim aristocracy ruled over non-Arabs/Muslims • Tried to keep Muslims separate • Only Muslim Arabs are First class citizens • Don’t want to lose taxes • Remember Muslims can’t tax Muslims

45. Many unhappy with Umayyad tax system • Non Arab Muslims paid higher taxes, got lower wages etc. • Mawali • Muslim converts • Non Arab • But converts still had to pay taxes • Dhimmi • “People of the Book” • Everyone else in empire who believed in another religion • Muslims tolerate of other religions • Taxes

46. Family and Gender Rolein Umayyad Dynasty • Women position actually good • Muhammad has stressed importance of marriage, fatherhood– adultery illegal • Can have up to 4 wives but must be able to support them • Rid of infanticide • More property rights to women • No Veiling– Why cover? Allah made me this way • Remember women had been some of Muhammad strongest early followers

47. Umayyad Decline and Fall • Umayyad caliph’s growing addiction to luxury and soft living • Stop fighting wars, built palaces & revolts start around empire • Merv • 50,000 warriors had married local women • Rarely given share of booty • Annoy at Umayyad elite • Upset that Umayyad sending in new troops • Hurt their pride that view their warriors not good enough • Joined the Abbasid movement

48. Abbasid Dynasty • Will defeat the Umayyad • Murder all the Umayyad ruling family except one who escape to Spain • Will establish the Al Andalus in Spain • Preserve Greco-Roman culture • Scientific and mathematical • Influence Spanish architecture and art

49. Move capital to Baghdad • Round city • One of wealthiest cities in world

50. Government • Absolutist government • More than Umayyad • Growing power of wazirs • Political advisor or minister