Pre-Islamic Arabia and the birth of Islam Chapter 06, Part 1 Pre-Islamic Arabia and the birth of Islam

PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA The Arabian peninsula Largely deserts with mountains, oases Fertile areas in the southern mountains around Yemen Nomadic Bedouin Lived in the desert-covered peninsula for millennia Kept herds of sheep, goats, and camels Organized in family and clan groups Importance of kinship and loyalty to the clan Many tribes seem to have been matrilineal with some rights for women

PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA Post-classical Arabia Romans (Byzantines) and Persians had client kingdoms in area Active in long-distance over land trade Trade from Damascus to Mecca/Medina to Yemen Trade across desert to Persian Gulf and along coast Part of Red Sea trade system; links between Yemen and Abyssinia Trade includes gold, frankincense and myrrh Religion was polytheist Groups of Jews in Arabia; Monophysite Christians in cities

6TH CENTURY ARABIA

PHYSICAL MAP OF ARABIA

Muhammad and His Message Born 570 to merchant family in Mecca Orphaned as a child Marries wealthy widow c. 595, works as merchant Familiarity with paganism, Christianity and Judaism as practiced in Arabian peninsula

Muhammad’s Spiritual Transformation Visions/revelations c. 610 CE Archangel Gabriel Monotheism – Allah Attracts followers to Mecca

The Quran Record of revelations received during visions Committed to writing c. 650 CE (Muhammad dies 632) Tradition of Muhammad’s life: hadith

Conflict at Mecca Muhammad’s monotheistic teachings offensive to polytheistic pagans Economic threat to existing religious industry Denunciation of greed affront to local aristocracy

The Hijra Muhammad flees to Yathrib (Medina) 622 CE Year 0 in Muslim calendar Organizes followers into communal society (the umma) Legal, spiritual code Commerce, raids on Meccan caravans for sake of umma

The “Seal of the Prophets” Muhammad – the final prophet Accepted the authority of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus Held in high esteem Hebrew scriptures and the Christian New Testament Muhammad had been entrusted a more complete revelation, one that communicated Allah’s plan for the world

Muhammad’s Return to Mecca Attack on Mecca, 630 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

The Ka’aba

The Five Pillars of Islam No god but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet Daily prayer Fasting during Ramadan Charity Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

Muslims at Prayer

Jihad “struggle” “holy war” Against vice Against ignorance of Islam Against unbelievers who threaten Islam

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

The Caliph No clear to successor to Muhammad identified Abu Bakr chosen to lead as Caliph Led war against villagers who abandoned Islam after death of Muhammad