Sources of Wisdom and Authority (Life of Muhammad) 1 – Situation in Arabia

Homework - review Feedback – what did you find out about the social, religious and political background in pre-Islam Arabia? Discuss with your partner, then with the rest of the class.

Your Task – Research Using your homework, Watton and the iPads, you are going to research further into the situation in pre-Islamic Arabia. Write information on the sheet you’ve been given.

Tribal people Trading Mecca – centre of trade Free trade system Wealth Bedouin Polytheism

Monophysite Christians Judaism Christianity Orthodox Christians Nestorian Christians Monophysite Christians Hanifs

Tribal People Nomadic (moved around, did not stay in one fixed place). Tribal leaders were in control of their own tribes, including rules/behaviour etc. In-fighting within the tribe (especially over who would be the next leader). Disagreements between the tribes also, including long-running feuding.

Trading Trading routes across Arabia (from Mecca and Medina through to Syria). Caravans of tribal traders moving around. Usually livestock or things made from livestock e.g. leatherworks. Small element of luxury goods such as small amounts of gold, frankincense etc. Trading kept the rich, rich and the poor, poor.

Mecca – centre of trade Big town/small city. Built up to be a hub of trading by people such as Muhammad’s grandfather. Key stopping point on the trade route. Some people had settled in and around – links to polytheism/ka’ba.

Corruption Women treated as second-class citizens, sex objects, a means to have children (no rights). Exploitation of the poor by the rich. Gambling was rife (often how people became rich). Drinking was rife. Lack of morals. Lack of structured law/rules system.

Wealth Jews were the richest in the society. Often linked to corruption (exploiting the poor/gambling etc). Not evenly divided amongst everybody. Money could be made from pilgrimages linked to polytheism – again, often resulted in exploitation.

Bedouin Polytheism Animistic – belief that inanimate objects were inhabited by spirits (trees, rocks etc). Belief in jinns – either good or evil (links to Islam). Pilgrimages – including to the Ka’ba (full of idols and statues). No holy books – no guidance on how to behave. Immaterial god/s (links to Islam).

Judaism Fled from Israel and Palestine to Arabia. Converted many Arabs to monotheism, though struggled to accept non-Jews as truly part of the religion. Often not ‘pure’ Judaism due to nomadic tribes, blending with polytheism etc. Richest in society.

Christianity Main religion in South, North and East – state religion of the South where there was a cathedral. Problems over people truly understanding the nature of God/Jesus (uneducated people). This led to three different ‘schools’ of Christianity, each believing slightly different things.

Orthodox Christians Similar to modern-day Christianity. Belief in the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit). Therefore Jesus is simultaneously God and the Son of God (could people understand this?)

Nestorian Christians “Thou art my beloved Son, today I have begotten thee” (Luke, Bible). Jesus became the Son of God through his actions on Earth. Only became divine after the resurrection (therefore any miracles performed while Jesus was alive were done by God and not Jesus).

Monophysite Christians Jesus was God the whole time. God appeared to become man to bring the people further instructions and salvation.

Hanifs A few Arab thinkers had moved away from Bedouin polytheism (and became monothesitic) But they found that neither Judaism nor Christianity was right for them either – wanted a more Arab form of monotheism Spent a lot of time praying Refused to worship idols/eat meat sacrificed to idols Became Muhammad’s first followers

Progress Check Plenary What have you learnt this lesson? Facts – e.g Ideas/viewpoints Similarities/differences - diversity Key words/concepts Examples of how religion affects the world around us – e.g. culture What contribution to your learning did you make? Contributed to class discussion Worked in a pair/group Organised my time well Found out information for myself Answered thoroughly and thoughtfully Completed extension task Monitored my progress Peer/ self assessed work How did you learn it? Research work Discussion Questioning Pairs/ group work - collaborative Independent learning Using technology e.g video/ internet What do you need to do in order to make further progress? Do further research Background reading Develop my writing technique Contribute more in class Proof read my work Give examples to back up my ideas Make connections between different beliefs and faiths