1 / 26

The Rise of Islam

The Rise of Islam . Middle East, ca. 600 A.D. Pre Islamic Arabia. Caravan Culture Tribal organization Pilgrimage to Mecca Violent, warrior states based on vendetta culture ghazu (raids) on caravans Patriarchal. The Ka’aba in Mecca. Origins of Islam. Beginning of His Ministry

topaz
Download Presentation

The Rise of Islam

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Rise of Islam

  2. Middle East, ca. 600 A.D.

  3. Pre Islamic Arabia • Caravan Culture • Tribal organization • Pilgrimage to Mecca • Violent, warrior states based on vendetta culture • ghazu (raids) on caravans • Patriarchal

  4. The Ka’aba in Mecca

  5. Origins of Islam • Beginning of His Ministry • Muhammad in Mecca • The Hijra • Umma: community of believers

  6. The Quran • Record of revelations received during visions • Committed to writing c. 650 CE (Muhammad dies 632) Tradition of Muhammad’s life: hadith

  7. Five Pillars • Confession of faith • Prayer 5 times a day • Charity to the needy • Fasting during the month-long Ramadan • Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during one’s lifetime

  8. Early Problems • Succession • Mohammed had no surviving male children • generated a permanent split in the Islamic community • Sunnis • Shi’as

  9. Islam, Women, and Slaves • Qu’ran improves status of women • Outlawed female infanticide • Brides, not husbands, claim dowries • Rights under Islamic law • Yet male dominance preserved • Patrilineal descent • Polygamy permitted, Polyandry forbidden • Veil adopted from ancient Mesopotamian practice • Slavery

  10. Umayyad Policy toward Conquered Peoples • Favoritism of Arab military rulers causes discontent • Limited social mobility for non-Arab Muslims • Head tax (jizya) on non-Muslims • Umayyad luxurious living causes further decline in moral authority

  11. The Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258 CE) • Abu al-Abbas Sunni Arab, allied with Shia, non-Arab Muslims • Seizes control of Persia and Mesopotamia • Defeats Umayyad army in 750 • Invited Umayyads to banquet, then massacred them • Only Spain remains Umayyad • North Africa is disputed territory, ultimately Fatamid Mosque of Abu Abbasal-Mursi in Alexandria

  12. Nature of the Abbasid Dynasty • Diverse nature of administration (i.e. not exclusively Arab) • Militarily competent, but not bent on imperial expansion • Dar al-Islam • Growth through military activity of autonomous Islamic forces

  13. Abbasid Decline • Civil war between sons of Harun al-Rashid • Provincial governors assert regional independence • Dissenting sects, heretical movements • Abbasid caliphs become puppets of Persian nobility • Later, Saljuq Turks influence, Sultan real power behind the throne • Crusades

  14. Imperial Breakdown • Problems with rural population • Declining position of women • Nomadic Incursion • Impact of Christian Crusades

  15. Reasons for Islam’s success • exhaustion of Rome and Persia • End of a 400 year war • nationalist sentiments in Egypt and Syria • arguments among Christian factions • speed and size of Muslim armies • simplicity and uncomplicated nature of Islam • acceptance of the Old and New Testament • People of the Book

  16. Consequences of Islamic Expansion • loss of the oldest and most central lands of Christendom • aided the ascendancy of the bishop of Rome • virtual collapse of Zoroastrianism as a major religion • radically altered the balance of power between the Roman Empire and the East • disruption of the Mediterranean economic community

  17. Re-centering of Islam • No religious center • Madrasses • Sufi brotherhoods • Asceticism, mysticism • Some tension with orthodox Islamic theologians • Wide popularity

  18. Cultural influences on Islam • Persia • Administration and governance • literature • India • Mathematics, science, medicine • “Hindi” numbers • Greece • Philosophy, esp. Aristotle • Greek medicine • Rome and Byzantium • Architecture

  19. Islamic Art and Architecture • Found all over the world • Influenced from other classical traditions • Expression of divine presence • Both secular and religious • Major practices: • Metalwork • Pottery • Painting • Calligraphy • rugs

  20. Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount Jerusalem

  21. The Courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

  22. Islamic Civilization • Law and Dogma • Shari’a: Codification of Islamic law • Based on Quran, hadith, logical schools of analysis • Extends beyond ritual law to all areas of human activity • This is the basis the idea of an “Islamic republic” for instance • Converts and Cities • Persian Literature • Scientific Achievements A depiction of a Medieval Islamic astronomer. Thought by some to represent Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi.

More Related