World History: The Earth and its Peoples

1. World History:The Earth and its Peoples Chapter 8 The Sasanid Empire and the Rise of Islam, 200 - 1200 C.E.

2. Objectives • Determine how the social and political developments under the Sasanid Empire paved the way for the spread of Islam. • Illustrate how the Arab conquests grew out of the career of Muhammad. • Identify the reasons for the breakup of the caliphate. • Discuss the relationship between urbanization and the development of Islamic culture.

3. Sasanid Empire, 224-651 CE Sasanid Empire • Present-day Iran • Rivalry with E. Roman Empire • trade and incursion • Ctesiphon • cosmopolitan capital on Tigris • Arab pastoralists • merchants and mercenaries • caravaneers; military saddle • Silk Road • cotton, sugarcane, rice

4. Sasanid Empire, 224-651 CE Religion • Zoroastrianism • state religion of Sasanid • Christianity • state religion of Byzantium • Armenian Nestorians • Jesus: human and divine • Heretics • The Nicene Creed • political pawns in Sasanid • penetration into Arabian peninsula • both religions were intolerant • religion as politics • religion key identifier • Manichaean • battle between good and evil • sets stage for rise of Islam

5. The Origins of Islam Location • Arabian interior; out of ‘sight’ • S. Arabia as inhabitable; urban • contact via caravan trade Mecca • Isolated caravan city • Ka’ba pilgrimage site • Abraham as builder • Ishmael ‘sacrifice’ • Idols • 570 CE orphan birth • Muhammad

6. Muhammad Muhammad • caravan interests • only son died in childhood • Meditation • revelations from Gabriel – 610 CE • “Night of Power and Excellence” • Khadija, Ali, Abu Bakr • preaching • One creator god (Allah) • judgment day • Christianity and Judaism • Islam – surrender to will of God • Muslim – one who submits • more perfect message • No editing process • Threat to Meccan leaders 3:32

7. Formation of the Umma Medina • 215 mile north of Mecca -622 CE • hijra • Beginning of Muslim calendar • Umma • Islamic community • Muhammad as God’s messenger • Expulsion of Jews • Surrender of Mecca – 630 CE • God on Muhammad’s side • New Arab state based on a common religious faith

8. Islamic Succession Muhammad’s Death – 632 CE • no son as successor • only prophet has revelations • Abu Bakr • khalifa – successor • Maintain Five Pillars of Islam • one god / prophet • prayer • Ramadan fasting • alms • Mecca pilgrimage - hajj • Muslim authority • caliphate

9. Islamic Succession Quran – 650 CE • book of Muhammad’s revelations • unalterable word of god Trouble in the ranks • Caliph assassins • 4th caliph • Ali • Battle of the Camel – 656 CE • Ali’s legitimacy • Umayyad Caliphate • Mu’awiya • Son Yazid as successor • Husayn • Ali’s son assassinated – 680 CE • Beginning of Shite religious sect

10. Islamic Succession Shite • Ali as rightful successor • descendents as Imams • secular, not religious Sunnis • 1st 3 caliphs properly chosen • chosen caliphs as Imams 4:47

11. Islamic Conquests, 634-711 CE 2nd Caliph (Umar) • Syria, Egypt, Tunisia (634-644) • Spain and Sind (711 CE) • Reasons for success • political and economical • sophistication • authority of Medina • no forced religious conversion Umayyad Caliphate - 661-750 • Arab rather than religious empire • adapted Byzantine / Sasanid administration • Decline • unrest among non-Arab Muslims demanding political power

12. Abbasid Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate - 750-1258 • “Golden Age” • cosmopolitan culture in Baghdad • translations to Arabic • adopted ways of Sasanids • conversion of non-Arabs • abundance of literary works • The Arabian Nights Decline • too big to rule effectively • local principalities withheld taxes • mamluks • standing army of Turkic slaves • Buyids family • northern Iran

13. Political Fragmentation Samanids • Iranians at Bukhara • Persian literary influence Fatimids • Egyptians at Cairo • Mediterranean economic power Umayyad • al-Andalus, Spain • blended Roman, Germanic, Jew with Arab and Berber • title of caliph (929 CE) • response to Fatimid claim • Jewish thinkers and writers • contributions to cultural growth • ulama - religious scholars

14. Nomadic Upsurge Seljuk Turks - 1030 • nomads from steppes north of Black, Caspian, Aral Seas • Tughril Beg • shah • 1st Turkish Muslim state • Battle of Manzikert - 1071 • Byzantine Anatolia • Effects • cities shrank (food supply) • irrigation suffered; taxes short • aloof to religious infighting • withering of Baghdad

15. Muslim Unification Saladin • ends Fatimid Caliphate - 1171 • Egypt and Syria • captures Jerusalem - 1187 • defeats Crusaders • fight off future Crusades Turkish Mamluks • seize power in 1250 • result of Crusades • defeat Mongols in 1260

16. Islamic Civilization Sharia • Islamic law • no legal legal system in place • sunna • Muhammad’s example • hadith • reports of Muhammad’s words and deeds • second only to the Qur’an • incorporated by legal scholars • Vision • common moral values • minimize ethnic and political divisions

17. Islamic Hadiths

18. Islamic Civilization Conversion • gradual learning about Islam • death and taxes • learn for themselves • no priests • simple process • Arabic profession of faith • literacy • major cause of urbanization • religion as identity • economic opportunity in cities • cities as centers of Islam • growth of market economy • advances in math and sciences

19. Islamic Society Women • status deduced from men • no public role in society • own property, initiate divorce • public veiling • fear of sexual infidelity and meddling in politics • Ex: A’isha Slavery • forbade enslaving ‘People of the Book” Education • madrasas • Sufism • direct union with God through rituals and training