The Muslim World622-1629

Arab conquests brought vast territory under Muslim rule, but conversion did not accelerate until the third century after the conquest

Rise of Islam600-1200 AD

• How did Muhammad become the prophet of Islam?

• What are the teachings of Islam?

• How did Islam help shape the way of life of its believers?

• How did Arab conquests grow out of the career of Muhammad?

• Why did the caliphate break up?

• How did Muslim societies differ from region to region?

• What was the relationship between urbanizations and the development of Islamic culture?

Geography

Geographic Context

• Islam emerged on Arabian Peninsula

• Mostly desert but farming was possible

• Trade on the coasts

• Bedouins dominated desert

• Traded with others• Frequent wars over

water

Arabia (The Empty Quarter) Before Muhammad

• nomadic herders, raided and fought over water & pasture for camels and goats

• Valued their camels, swords

• Enjoyed poetry/ music• No single religion• Each tribe had own gods• Animistic, polytheists• Some worshipped

sprites called jinn or demons - lived in trees, streams, and stones.

• Offered no guidance or moral support

MeccaReligious and Trade Center

• Market town at crossroads of two caravan routes– No killing allowed

• Pilgrimage traffic brought profits to local merchants

• Arabs came to worship at Kaaba

• Believed it was built by Abraham

• site was where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son -Ishmael

• housed many local gods/goddesses

The Kaaba

• black stone embedded in its corner- gift from angel Gabriel to Abraham

• Many idols, even Christian images

• The Quraysh-ruling tribe- encouraged tribes to place their idols for protection

• By 500 AD, 360 idols were within the Kaaba

Population of Mecca

• Heterogeneous, diverse

• Arab tribes• Syrians-caravan

leaders• Merchants• Traveling monks• Christians• Jews• No social unity

Muhammad’s Early Life

• Born in Mecca in 570

• orphan• Became shepherd in

uncle’s Bedouin tribe• Became a trader• Married older, rich

widow, Khadija• son died• Devoted

husband/father to daughters

Muhammad’s Vision

• Troubled by idol worship/moral decline in society

• Went to cave to meditate• He heard a voice saying,

“Recite”• “Recite in the name of your

God, the Creator, who created man from clots of blood”

• Angel Gabriel called him to be messenger of God

• Khadija, Ali,his uncle’s son & Abu Bakr, became first converts

• received revelations until his death

– became the Qu’ran• Islam means submission or

surrender

The Hijra: A Turning Point• Muhammad’s

message angered Mecca merchants

• Feared loss of profits

• In 622, faced with murder, Muhammad and his followers left Mecca for Yathrib

• Renamed Medina, or “city of the Prophet”

• 1st year of the Muslim calendar

Turning Point

• welcomed in Medina as prophet/ruler

• Reputation grew, thousands converted to Islam

• Muhammad and followers attacked and defeated the Meccans

Destruction of the Idols

• In 630, he returned to Mecca and destroyed the idols in the Kaaba

• United the Arabs under Islam

• Died in 632

Teachings of Islam

• Monotheistic• The Quran• God is all powerful• People are

responsible for their actions

• Final judgment before God

• No official priests to mediate between people and God

The Five Pillars

People of the Book

• Same God as Jews and Christians

• Quran is God’s final and complete revelation

• Torah and Bible are partial revelations from God

• All are “People of the Book”

Muhammad’s Teachings

• Message of equality and God’s sovereignty was based on Judeo-Christian tradition but with major differences

Muhammad’s Teachings

• Allah was the one and only God and all should submit and be thankful to Him

• All believers in Allah were equal under Him• The rich should share their wealth with the poor• Allah knows every person’s destiny• People should strive to live righteously and avoid

impiety• All would be subject to Judgment Day

Prophet Muhammad and the Muslim Army Battle of Uhud

illustrated manuscript 1594

The Caliphate

• Muhammad died 632 CE• Crisis - no heir or

instructions• Abu Bakr –Muhammad’s

father-in-law & loyal follower chosen as 1st Caliph

• “If you worship Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. If you worship God, God is alive.”

The Caliphate and the Spread of Islam

• Abu Bakr & next 3 “Rightly Guided Caliphs” unified Arabs & conquered through a series of jihads against neighboring empires

• Attacked Syria, which was controlled by the Byzantine Empire

• Iraq ruled by the Persian Sasanians

The Second “Rightly Guided” Caliph

• Abu Bakr died in 634 CE

• Umar elected 2nd Caliph

• Ruled for 10 years• Captured

Damascus & Jerusalem

• By 644 CE Muslims controlled all of Persian area of Iraq & most of Iran

The Third “Rightly Guided” Caliph

• Uthman ibn Affan• serious conflicts

within the umma• Uthman’s family

were Umayyads had opposed Muhammad and some resented his leadership

• Opposition to Uthman grew

• 659 CE, he was assassinated

Fourth “Rightly Guided” Caliph• Ali ibn Talib – son of

Muhammads’ uncle• Married Fatima• Ali’s followers

believed that only those who were related to Muhammad should rule

• Conflict between Ali and Uthman’s clans

• Ali assassinated by his own followers who were unhappy that he had chosen to negotiate rather than destroy his enemies

• last caliph who knew Muhammad personally

Shi’a & Sunni Sects

• Mu’awiyah - governor of Syria took over leadership

• Moved capital to Damascus

• Began Umayyad Dynasty

• Conflict with descendants of Ali- called Shi’a- over leadership

• Shi’a led many revolts against the Umayyads

Sunni

• caliph should be chosen by leaders of the community

• Should be pious

• Political leader-not religious authority

• Inspiration came from Muhammad’s example

Shiites

• True successor must be descended from Muhammad’s daughter and son-in-law Fatima and Ali

• Descendants were divinely inspired

• Admire martyrdom as demonstration of faith

Sufi• Arabic for wool• Mystics- sought

communion with God through meditation, fasting, prayer & other rituals

• Respected for their piety & miraculous powers

• Helped to spread Islam through missionary work

• Blended Muslim beliefs & culture w/ local traditions

Inducing an Ecstatic State

Which of the following was not under Muslim control by 750?

Spain, Egypt, Syria, Ethiopia?

End of Umayyads (Mostly)• Religious & political opposition led to

downfall of the Umayyad caliphate• Abbasids overthrew Umayyads in 750 AD• Murdered all Umayyads • Only Prince Abd al-Rahman escaped and

fled to Spain (al-Andalus) which was controlled by Berbers-Muslims from N. Africa

• Set up a rival Umayyad caliphate

Rise of Abbasids

• Moved capital to Baghdad in 762AD• Key trade routes• Strong bureaucracy• Treasury• Army• Diplomats• Taxed land, imports, exports and non-

Muslims

More Rivalry

• Abbasids could not maintain the unity of the caliphate

• Fatimid Caliphate formed in N. Africa and spread across Red Sea and into Arabia and Syria

• Still united under Islam, language, trade, economy

Umayad vs. Abbasid

• Umayyad/Sunni• Arab-Islamic Identity

• Damascus• Focus on

conquest/expansion• insular

• Used Byzantine and Sasanid administrative

methods• Arab realm, not religious

empire• Few Converts, resented

Arab control

• Abbasid/Shi’a• Appealed to Non-Arabs

(Mawali)• Baghdad

• Increased conversion• Strong Persian Influence

• Many converts• cosmopolitan• Golden Age

Muslim Trade Network

• Connected to all parts of the world

• Single language • Single currency• Banks• Sakks (checks)

Islam: A Way of Life

• Both a religion and way of life

• Islamic law govern many aspects of daily life

• Traditions determine ethical behavior and influence family relations

Shari’a Law

•Does not separate religious from secular

•Applies the Qu’ran to all legal situations

•Regulates moral conduct

•Family life

•Business practices

•Government

•Helped unite Muslims

•Legal ruling is called a fatwa

Reasons for Success?

• Byzantine & Persian empires weak

• Common faith– Strong belief in Islam and

paradise • Arabs welcomed as

liberators from harsh Byzantine & Persian rulers

• Well trained, excellent leadership, bold, efficient fighting methods– Camel and horse cavalry

Muslim Culture: Cities

• Symbolized strength of caliphate

• Baghdad was capital of Abbasid empire

• Baghdad’s city plan included circular design and protective walls

Social Classes

• Muslims by birth

• Converts to Islam

• Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians

• slaves

Role of Women

• All are equal• Men are the

managers of the affairs of women

• Women should be obedient

• Legal rights: marriage, family, divorce, property

• Shari’a allowed men to have 4 wives

“If the wives of a man, or the daughters of a man go out into the street, their heads are to be veiled. The prostitute is not to be veiled. Maidservants are not to veil themselves. Veiled harlots and maidservants shall have their garments seized and 50 blows inflicted on them and bitumen poured on their heads.”

Responsibilities of Women

• Varied with income of husband

• Poor women worked with husband

• Wealthy women managed household

• Access to education• Raised children• During early period

women could participate in public life and gain an education

• Over time, secluded/veiled

Muslim Science & Scholarship

• Muhammad promoted learning

• Astronomers and Mathematicians were necessary:

• Time of prayer• Direction of Mecca• Curious about the

world• Desire for truth

Art and Science Flourish

• House of Wisdom• Research, editors,

linguists and technical advisors

• Standards and techniques for research

• Used Greek ideas• Influenced later

European learning

Muslim Literature:

• The Qur’an• Poetry• Popular

Literature

One Thousand and One Nights

Muslim Art

• Calligraphy

Muslim Architecture

Muslim Contributions

• Medicine– Cataract surgery

• Math– algebra

• Science– Scientific observation– Experimentation