The First Global Civilization: The Rise & Spread of Islam

Spread of Islam

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World Before Islam the Arabian Peninsula was divided into rival tribes and clans that worshiped local gods Agriculture in coastal areas Bedouin culture depended on camel and goat herding Shaped the career of Muhammad, his teachings, & the spread of new beliefs Key towns: Mecca & Medina

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World Social organization of town dwellers Clan Family Culture Language Religion

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World I. Clan Identity, Clan Rivals, & the cycle of Vengence Kin-related clan groups survived the harsh environment due to strong dependence & loyalty to family & the clan Clan councils regulated water places & grazing lands Shaykhs Free warriors – constant fighting weakened bedouin relations with others

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World II. Towns & Long Distance Trade Trans-continental trading system Mediterranean to east Asia A. Mecca Founded by Umayyad clan or the Quraysh Bedouin tribe Ka’ba – important Islamic Shrine

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World B. Medina City of the prophet Muhammad Established in oasis Sedentary agriculture Wheat & date palms Contested by Bedouin & Jewish clans

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World III. Marriage & Family in Pre-Islamic Arabia Women had higher status than in the Byzantine & Sasanian empires Women played a key economic role Milk camels Weaving cloth Raising children Matriarchs Women could have multiple husbands

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World Women cont’ Men had to pay bride-price Not secluded Didn’t have to wear veils Advised clans & councils Ladies we still weren’t seen as equals Stable family life in towns led to patriarchal societies

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World IV. Poets & Neglected Gods A. Poetry No written language so poems transmitted orally Provided a vision of life & society in pre-Islamic Arabia Some poets seen as magical or possessed

Desert and Town: The Pre-Islamic World Religion Animism Polytheism Morality & ethics steamed from tribal customs and codes of honor NOT religion

The Life of muhammad and the genesis of islam Mesopotamia, Byzantine & Sasanian empires established monotheistic religions Christianity & Judaism Muhammad influenced the worship of a single, almighty god Orphaned Resided in Mecca as a trader for Khadijah

The Life of muhammad and the genesis of islam Muhammad revelations from Allah via the angel Gabriel in 610 CE Revelations written in Arabic & collected in the Qur’an Basis for Islam

The Life of Muhammad and the Genesis of Islam I. Persecution, Flight, and Victory Muhammad seen as a threat by Umayyads Plotted to murder him Threatened gods of Ka’ba Hijra – Muhammad’s flight to Medina marking the first year of the Islamic calendar Quraysh launched a series of attacks on Muhammad and his followers in Medina Proclaimed Allah as the one true god by smashing idols on the Ka’ba

The Ka’ba

The Life of Muhammad and the Genesis of Islam II. Arabs and Islam Offered monotheism equal to Christianity & Judaism Distinctively Arab in origin Umma offered political unity for tribal boundaries Bedouins unite and conquered Middle East

The Life of Muhammad and the Genesis of Islam Islam provided ethics Zakat – tax for charity Muhammad’s teachings & revelations in the Qur’an regulated all aspects of Muslim life Last Judgment

The Life of Muhammad and the Genesis of Islam III. Universal Elements in Islam Monotheism Ethics Legal codes Sense of community Egalitarianism

The Life of Muhammad and the Genesis of Islam Five Pillars Confession of faith Prayer facing Mecca 5 x a day Fast during Ramadan Zakat Hajj to Mecca

The Arab empire of umayyads I. Consolidation & Division in the Islamic Community Leadership crisis after Muhammad’s death Caliph – Islamic religious leader Abu Bakr Ridda Wars – defeat of rival prophets

The Arab empire of umayyads II. Motives for Arab Conquests Booty – loot/goods Conversions Jihads – holy war to forcibly spread the Muslim faith

The Arab empire of umayyads III. Weakness of Adversary Empires A. Sasanian Empire Practiced Zoroastrianism Muslims assassinated Sasanian rulers the ended the empire

The Arab empire of umayyads B. Byzantine Empire Christian sects like the Copts & Nestorians rallied to Arabs since they would tolerate Christians and tax them less heavily Empire survived but was constantly under siege by Muslims

The Arab empire of umayyads IV. Succession and the Sunni – Shiite split A. Uthman - 3rd caliph Murdered His death led to the split of Islam into two main sects

The Arab empire of umayyads C. Ali Rejected by Umayyads as caliph Battle of Siffin Loses support Assassinated, 661 Son, Hasan, renounces caliphate Son, Husayn Killed, Karbala, 680 Sunni – follow Umayyads Majority of Muslims are Sunni Shiite – follow Ali’s descendants

The Arab empire of umayyads V. Umayyad Imperium Spread conquests into Central Asia Rival Buddhism Northwest India North Africa Expansion into Europe blocked by Charles Martel and the Franks at Gibraltar Damascus – center of community

The Arab empire of umayyads VI. Converts and “People of the book” Mawali – converts Jizya – head tax non-believers had to pay Dhimmi – “people of the book” Originally applied to Christians and Jew who shared the Bible with Muslims Later Zoroastrians & Hindis

The Arab empire of umayyads VII. Family and Gender Roles Women’s position strengthened Teachings proclaimed equality of sexes Qur’an stressed the moral and ethical dimensions of marriage Men could marry up to 4 wives hadiths

The Arab empire of umayyads VIII. Umayyad Decline & Fall Alienation of Muslim faith led to revolts Abbasid Revolt in Merv Supported by Shiites & Malwai Defeated Umayyads

From Arab to Islamic Empire – Early Abbasid Era Islam became a universal language Sunni rule Suppressed Shiites Seen as heretics Baghdad Bureaucratization of Islamic Empire

From Arab to Islamic Empire – Early Abbasid Era A. Islamic Conversion & Mawali acceptance Integration of Arab & Non-Arab converts Most converted willingly

From Arab to Islamic Empire – Early Abbasid Era B. Town & Country: Commercial Boom & Agrarian Expansion Dhows – sailing vessels Trade with Christians and Jews Urbanization Government & private workshops Artisians poorly paid Slaves did labor and unskilled work Ayan – landowning elite

From Arab to Islamic Empire – Early Abbasid Era C. First Flowering of Islamic Learning Mosques – Islamic place of worship Palaces Science Math