religion & politics: prophets, schisms & the...

The Four “Rightly Guided” Caliphs, c. 632-661 CE

Onward...

Religion & Politics: Prophets, Schisms & the Umma

The Sassanians of Ctesiphon, Iraq, c. 225 through 650 CE)

The Achaemenids of Persepolis, Iran, c. 510 BCE through 325 BCE)

Beginning of Islamic calendar, Arabian Peninsula, 622 CE

Dissemination of Islam, c. 632-660: Syria, Iraq, parts of Iran, parts of North Africa

The Umayyads of Damascus, 661-750 CE

Birth of Muhammad, c. 570 CE

The Abbasids of Baghdad & Samarra, 750-c.1253 CE

Three Principal Goals for Topic 1

1. The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

2. Islam as a political system - “conquest”

3. How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”

Islam as a political system - “conquest”

Karbala

Palmyra

Ctesiphon

Persepolis

Jerusalem

The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

EgyptGreat Temple of Hatshepsut. Deir

el Bahri, Egypt. C. 1465 BCE

Great Temple of Amun. Karnak, Egypt.C. 1465 BCE

The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

Islam on the “Silk Road” & the Indian Ocean

Networks of the Pre-Modern World

The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

“Middle East”: Legacies of Greeks and Romans

Corinthian Temple (“Maison carée”). Nîmes, France. Dedicated 4 CE.

© Alka Patel 2016

Temple of Ba'alshamin. Palmyra, Syria.1st-2nd centuries CE.

Legacies of Greeks and Romans IntegratedCorinthian Temple (“Maison carée”).

Nîmes, France. Dedicated 4 CE.© Alka Patel 2016

The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

“Middle East”: Legacies of Greeks and RomansPalmyra, Syria: Monumental Arcade c. 2nd century CE

Romans in Syria by 1st century CE

How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

Louis VignesTwo-part panorama featuring Colonnade Street, 1864. Albumen print. 8.8 x 11.4 in. (22.5 x 29 cm), each

print. The Getty Research Institute, 2015.R.15

Colonnade Street with plan. Jean-Baptiste Liénard Lepagelet after Louis-François Cassas. Etching. From Voyage pittoresque de la Syrie, de la Phoénicie, de la Palestine, et de la Basse Egypte (Paris, ca. 1799), vol. 1, pl. 53. The Getty Research Institute, 840011

Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”

Plan of the Temple of Bel. Charles-Nicolas Varin after Louis-François Cassas. Etching. From Voyage pittoresque de la Syrie, de la Phoénicie, de la Palestine, et de la Basse

Egypte (Paris, ca. 1799), vol. 1, pl. 28. The Getty Research Institute, 840011

Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

© Los Angeles Times 2015

Louis Vignes (1831-1896). Views and panoramas of Beirut and the ruins of Palmyra, 1864.

How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”

Taq-i-Kisra. Ctesiphon, near Baghdad, Iraq. Mid-6th century CE.

The Sassanians: Iran &Iraq

The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

Taq-i-Kisra. Ctesiphon, near Baghdad, Iraq. Mid-6th century CE.

Rome: Arch of Constantine: south side, 312-315 CE.

Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

The Prophet’s House and Mosque. Madina, Saudi Arabia. C. 622-30.RECONSTRUCTION

The Prophet’s House and Mosque. Madina, Saudi Arabia. Founded 622-30.

Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

The Prophet’s House and Mosque. Madina, Saudi Arabia. C. 622-30.RECONSTRUCTION

Initial orientation toward Jerusalem, then toward Mecca

How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”

The Ka’aba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Pre-Islamic-present day.

Pilgrimage to Mecca (Ar. hajj)

Islam as a political system - “conquest”

The Ka’aba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Pre-Islamic-present day.

Cevahir al-Ghavaib: Tercüme-i Bahr al-Acaib. Commissioned by Sultan Murad III (r. 1574-95); written by Mustafa Cenabi: the Ka'ba at Mecca,

c. 1582

Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”

The Ka’aba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Pre-Islamic-present day.

Multiple “Pasts” & “Presents”

Politico-Religious Islam: Sunnis and Shi‘as

Lived Islam: the Five Pillars* (Ar. arkan al-Islam or arkan al-din)

Declaration of Faith (Ar. shahada)*

Daily Prayers (Ar. salah)

Giving of Alms (Ar. zakat)

Fasting during Ramadan/Ramzan (Ar. sawm)

Pilgrimage to Mecca (Ar. hajj)

Imam Husain Shrine. Karbala, Iraq. Founded c. 690.

Politico-religious Islam: Shi‘ism

Politics & ReligionMotivating factors behind patronage

1. The Inheritance of Islam - regional context

2. Islam as a political system - “conquest”

3. How we know what we know - the generation of “knowledge”