Mohammed and the Rise of Islam

1. Mohammed and the Rise of Islam • 600’s A.D. • loss of much of the Eastern Roman Empire • to a new religious and political power • Islam

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

3. Islam • Bedouin Arab named Mohammed • born ca. 570 A.D. • Merchant family, Hasimites • Qurayshis tribe, who dominate Mecca • controlling much of the religious pilgrim trade • raised by relatives -father and mother died by age six -raised by an impoverished uncle

4. Mohammed • formal education ?? We don’t know • Normally only the Poets of the Tribes could read and write • commercial agent for a wealthy widow • Khadijah • supervising caravans from Mecca, north to Jerusalem • contact with both Jews and Christians

5. Mohammed, con’t • He seems to have made an impression on his boss, because of his reputed honesty • married her and retired from commerce • to devote himself to religion • and to making society more fair and equitable

6. Mohammed, con’t • monogamous until his wife died • eventually married nine wives and had assorted concubines • last marriage at 53 to Aishah, daughter of a friend • wives: widows of friends or political marriages • Women alone is such a world were very vulnerable

7. Origins of Mohammed’s Teachings • periods of unconsciousness are indicated: explanations • revelations from Allah by holy trances, spoken to by Gabriel • epilepsy or a similar neurological disorder? • mental illness or hallucinations ? • Mohammed’s explanation: • revelations from God • Very unpleasant and painful for him

8. The Quran • Record of revelations received during visions • Committed to writing c. 650 CE, compiled (Muhammad dies 632) • Under the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan • Tradition of Muhammad’s life: hadith

9. Nature of Revelations • diverse • social, agricultural, medical, military, astronomical, etc.

10. Historical Origins of His Ideas • Arab polytheism • Hanifism: a belief in one God traced to Abraham, by tradition • Judaism • Christianity: Orthodox, Nestorian, Arianism • Manichaeism: a mixture of Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Judaism, and so forth

11. Beginning of His Ministry • at about age 40, after a number of revelations • began to preach publicly • continued to receive revelations until death • usually related to current problems or concerns • Religious, political, social, economic

12. Early religious career • not particularly successful • threatened the social, political, and religious structure, with his doctrine of social equity • threatened the economic basis of Mecca as a center of religious pilgrimage • particularly the Black Rock • sacred to the chief deity of the Arabs • run out of town, or at least encouraged to leave • Went to the desert with his family and lived for about a year

13. The Hijra • flight from Mecca, to Yathrib (Medina) -tradition: invited by the Jews of Medina • 622 A.D. • beginning of the Islamic calendar • forms the umma (community) • welcomed, then resisted • Mohammed becomes an absolute theocrat

14. Muhammad’s Return to Mecca • Attack on Mecca, 630 -- jihad • Conversion of Mecca to Islam • Destruction of pagan sites, replaced with mosques • Ka’aba preserved in honor of importance of Mecca • Approved as pilgrimage site

15. Jihad • holy war against Mecca • ten year blockade • a deal was made

16. The Deal • Mecca preserved as a holy city and place of pilgrimage • to preserve the economic prosperity • the Ka’aba preserved as the central shrine • idols and icons destroyed • story of its origins emphasized the role of Abraham in its placement • pilgrimage as an act of faith, at least once in your life

17. The Ka’aba in Mecca

18. The Religion: the Koran (Qu’ran) • the Koran (Qu’ran): contains much of Mohammed recounting of Allah’s teachings • written down by his followers after his death • from notes and memories, on “stones and parchments” • Short: 114 chapters • arranged from longest to the shortest • not by subject or chronologically • length is the criterion of order for the text

19. The Koran, con’t • some “Old” and “New” Testaments stories • but sometimes the story seems a bit different to Jews and Christians • parables and fables • political polemic and prophecy • “non-religious” subjects • not dissimilar to Jewish and Christian scriptures in some ways

20. Five Pillars of Islam • uniqueness of God • ‘There is no god, but God….’ • prayer five times a day • observe the month of Ramadan • give alms to the poor • pilgrimage to Mecca • If possible, once in your life

21. Additional teachings • dietary laws • no gambling or drinking • no sexual irregularities, as defined by tradition and custom • no faulty weights or usury • no infanticide • elaborate rules concerning inheritance and property • improvement in the status of women and children

22. Changing Status of Women • Qu’ran improves status of women • Outlawed female infanticide • Brides, not husbands, claim dowries • Yet male dominance preserved • Patrilineal descent • Polygamy permitted, Polyandry forbidden • Veil adopted from ancient Mesopotamian practice

23. Similarities to Judaism and Christianity • monotheism (defined a bit differently) • insistence on the responsibility of human beings • final judgment and rewards • angels and spirits • practice of virtues: truthfulness, compassion, etc.

24. Differences • an emphasis on compassion and mercy • alms giving moderate • heaven conceived a bit differently • no priests or sacramental system • easy conversion: the Shahadah • ‘There is no God by Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.’

25. Islamic Law: The Sharia • 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

26. Expansion of Islam • early victories • backsliders (tribes) punished • Apostasy = treason = death • assaults on: • the Byzantine (Roman) empire • the Persian empire

27. Spread of Islam

28. Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount Jerusalem

29. Victories • Syria: 635 A.D. • Palestine: 636 A.D. • Persia: captured in one battle • expansion into India • expansion to the borders of China • Egypt: help by local Christians • North Africa: the Berbers

30. Expansion, con’t • Spain 711-720 A.D. • Battle of Tours: October 732 A.D. • Charles Martel • Siege of Constantinople: 717-718 A.D. • Leo III • Greek fire • beginnings of Christian reconquest of former Roman/Christian territory

31. Reasons for 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 Moslem armies • simplicity and uncomplicated nature of Islam • acceptance of the Old and New Testament • People of the Book

32. Consequences of 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

33. Early Problems • Succession ? • Mohammed had no surviving male children • Daughter: Fatima • Son-in-law: Ali, child of his uncle • generated a permanent split in the Islamic community • Sunnis • Shi’as

34. Sunnis • considered themselves the “orthodox” followers of Mohammed • consider the Shi’as to be “dissenters” • issue: who leads after Mohammed ?? • the Caliph (or “leader”) • went successively to followers -Abu Bakr, then Oman -then Uthman and

35. The Shia • Disagreements over selection of caliphs • Ali passed over for Abu Bakr • Served as caliph 656-661 CE, then assassinated along with most of his followers • Remaining followers organize separate party called “Shia” • Traditionalists: Sunni

36. Abu Bakr • not particularly popular with the Muslim community • allowed raid, then invasions of Byzantine and Persian territory • subjugated any dissident elements or tribes • disposed of any “new prophets”

37. Success = strain • success introduced luxury and change • From original caliphs to the Umayyad caliphs • new ideas and new ethnic groups • with their own customs and heritage, to try to assimilate • rise of a sort of “revivalist element” • Islam had strayed from its original path and purity • Muslims were being led back to paganism • caliphs were becoming idle, corrupt, tyrants

38. Uthman: the third Caliph • murdered: warfare broke out • Ali: cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed • originally passed over as too young • contested the succession • Uthman supported by the Umayyad clan • early enemies of Mohammed • refused to accept Ali’s claims

39. Umayyeds • successful in the war • Ali assassinated in 661 A.D. • by the Kharijites • beginning of the Umayyed dynasty

40. 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

41. Sunnis • accepted the legitimacy of early caliphs • “Sunni” : from an Arabic word • “usage” or “custom” • implies: “precedent”

42. Shi’as • accepted Ali • word means: “party”, “faction”, “following”

43. Factions • Sunni and Shi’as dominant • originally political • Eventually the differences became dogmatic in emphasis • Shi’as become a party of religious dissent

44. Perceptions • Sunni: conservative, in favor of the “status quo” • consensus is the guiding principle • Shi’as: defenders of the oppressed, critics of privilege and power • obedience is required only as long as it can be forced, and no longer

45. Umayyed empire • Atlantic Ocean to India • Syria: center of the Islamic World • eventually displaced by the Abbasids • an Arab family claiming decent from Mohammed

46. 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

47. 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

48. 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

49. Caliph Harun al-Rashid (786-809 CE) • High point of Abbasid dynasty • Baghdad center of commerce • Great cultural activity

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