Arabia the Cradle of Islam

1. Arabia the Cradle of Islam

2. Introduction of Arabia before the advent of Islam

3. History of Islam • The Arabian Peninsula the birthplace of Islam is one of the hottest and driest regions in the world • mainly of deserts • descendents of Noah’s third son Shem (Sámi in Arabic) • called Semites • Geographically covered the area of Sinai, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. • theses Semitic people have migrated into the Fertile Crescent. • into existing civilizations.

5. sixth century AD, • north of the Arabian Peninsula two great powers were locked in a seesaw power struggle. • The Christian Byzantine kingdom, successors of the Roman Empire was to the Northwest and controlled the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa and the lands of Palestine. • In the northeast lay the Zoroastrian Persian kingdom also called Sassanid Empire. (King of Kings) • Both the Byzantine and Persian kingdoms had client Arab tribes allied to their cause of trade and conquest.

6. Both were very proud • Rated the Arab very low • Called them barbarians (uncivilized person ) • No interaction/no traffic with Arabs • Except Trade • No friends with Arabs • Byzantines and Persians did not like each other either. • Fight with each other (both) • Success and Defeat either • Due to war a lot of damage was caused • Particularly trade • Over-land trade routes to the Far East, India , China which pass through Persia ,were broken

7. Yemen • Highland Country • Favorable Climate • Rain , cold winters • Wheat, millet(grain), barley crops • Grapes, figs(fruit), apricots, walnuts • Famous Mocha Coffee • Sana is Capital City • Richest part of the Arabia

8. Hadramaut • To the East of the Yemen • Coastal Land • Propesous land • Ancient cities and canals ruins in it • Frankincese tree , whose gum yielded a perfume • The people were hardy • People loved the sea and traded with the East and Far East since very ancient times. • They settled in East Africa

9. Nejed • Tableland (elevated flat region) in the centre of Arabia • Two entirely barren areas lies in the south and north of it • In south desert called Rub-ul-khali ( the empty quarter) • In north Nufud desert • Healthy land • Famous for its brave tribesmen and noble horses

10. Hijaz/ Al-Hijaz • It lies in the North of the Yemen and to the West of Nejd • Not as much pleasant climate • Not as much greenery • It has its gardens, oasis(fertile ground in a desert), orchards(area of fruit or nut trees) at Medina and Taif • Now its most important • Two holy Cities • Makkah and Medina

11. Arab Life • No big cities • No enough wealth • No enough people • Lived in small groups • The descendants of a common ancestor, joined to form a clan(group of families), and few clans of same origin make tribes • Life was uncertain and dangerous • Tempers (anger, annoyance) were never cool

12. Fought for the test of their arm and horses • Life was cheap • Death was unimportant • Throughout the life fight for honour • Loved to quote verses, listen to and honour the poets • Enjoy poetic contest • Winners verses hang on the wall of Ka’aba • A century before Islam they have been fighting each other • Then • New trade route were introduced • Eastern Route • Western Route • After trade the life of the people getting changed • Trade served the Arabs well • Makkah became an important trade depot • Connection between Mecca and Yathrib

13. Families in Makkah grew rich • Important tribe was Qurasih • Bani Qureish was the descendant from the Prophet Ibrahim through his elder son Ismail

14. Abd Manaf had two sons • Hashim • Abd Shams------Ommayyah (Son)---Assertive (self confident) person Helping hand with uncle Hasham Families grew into clans • Bani Hasham • Bani Ommayah

15. Bni-Omayyah • Commerce • Trade • Quite Prominent among leaders of the commercial group Bani-Hashsim • Leaned(to rest against or on something for support) • Piety • Hunting • Archery (the activity of shooting with a bow and arrow) • Swordmanship • Trade

16. In the middle of Sixth Century • Leader of Bani-Omayyah was Abu Sufyan grandson of Omayyah • Chief of Bani-Hashim was Abdul Mutalib • Head man was chosen not only for his birth, but also for qualities, experience, seniority, prestige(honor), wisdom • The Headman of Makkah was Abu Sufyan

17. Abu-Sufyan----Muawiya (son) • Able, sober, could read and write, how to deal with men, has considerable native shrewdness (good at judging people or situations) • Abdul-Mutalib—many sons? • Hamza: hunter, warrior, • Abu Talib, Abbas: sober men, good judgment • Abu Lahab: Obstinate (inflexible) man with limited intelligence, mean(unkind) and revengeful • Abdullah: the youngest son

18. Abdullah, the youngest son was married in 570 with Aminah bint Wahhab a lady of rank

19. Birth of Holy Prophet • 570 AD in Makkah • Father died before His birth • Mother died when He was 6 years old • Then Grand father died • Abu Talinb, uncle adopted and raised Him as his own son. • At the age of 12, young Mohammed was taken on a caravan-trading venture to Syria and experienced the world outside of Arabia for the first time. • Christian monk named Buhaira, proclaimed Talib’s  young nephew is the last prophet and warns him about the Jews.

20. At the age of 25, Mohammed marries a 40 year old wealthy, widow named Khadijah who owns trading caravans. • During the next 15 years of his life he interacts with Arabs known as the Hanefites. • Hanefites were Arabs who rejected idol worship and were searching for the true religion. They looked to the religion of the Jews and Christians as being close to the goal. • The Hanefites abandoned (left) their idols and retreated to the caves of Mecca in meditation and prayer.