THE ISLAMIC EMPIRE: HEIR OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Obj: to trace the rapid spread of Islam by looking at factors that made it so attractive to believers ARABIAN PENINSULA – FERTILE IN THE SOUTHWEST; DESERT EVERYWHERE ELSE POLYTHEISTIC PRE-ISLAM BEDOUINS: NOMADIC PEOPLES HEJAZI: MERCHANTS, MORE URBAN, STATIONARY MECCA: RELIGIOUS & TRADING CENTER, KA’BAH SANCTUARY Groups of people were different but respected each others customs; obligation to family, honor family, proud, generous, courageous. Shared religious traditions: 3 months war free, all prayed in Mecca at the Ka’bah, fighting not tolerated in Mecca
THE RISE OF ISLAM: SUBMISSION TO ALLAH MECCA :TRADING HUB, MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES, PEOPLE & RELIGIONS IN AND OUT OF AREA – CONTROLLED BY QURAISH MOHAMMED 570-632 – BORN INTO QURAISH TRIBE, ORPHANED AT A YOUNG AGE, RAISED BY GRANDFATHER, CAME UNDER GUIDANCE OF A WEALTHY WOMAN, MARRIES HER 610 VISION OF THE ANGEL GABRIEL, PREACH GOD’S WORD, FINAL CULMINATION OF THE PROPHETIC TRADITION OF ABRAHAM & MOSES MUSLIM: ONE WHO SURRENDERS
PREACHING & CONVERSION ATTEMPTS TO CONVERT FAMILY FIRST – FEARS OF ECONOMIC DECLINE & PLACE AS LOCAL WORSHIP TRAVELS TO YATHRIB AT THEIR REQUEST 622 HIJRAH –BEGINNING OF MUSLIM CALENDAR NAME CHANGE TO MEDINA “CITY OF THE PROPHET” & MUHAMMAD POLITICAL & RELIGIOUS LEADER 630 ENTERS MECCA & QURAISH SUBMIT TO ISLAM, MONOTHEISM & CONTINUED TO THRIVE RELIGIOUSLY & ECONOMICALLY
RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS – 5 PILLARS OF ISLAM
SPREAD OF ISLAM DEATH – NO SUCCESSOR 1ST 3 CALIPHS ‘DEPUTY OF THE PROPHET’ UMAYYAD’S MILITARY CAMPAIGNS TO SUBDUE TRIBES NOT ACCEPTING OF NEW LEADER 651 CONQUEST OF PERSIA COMPLETE 646 CONTROL NORTH AFRICA 711 SPAIN EARLY SPREAD NOT RELIGIOUS CRUSADE – WANT REVENUE BUT RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM HELPS WEAKNESSES OF BYZ & PERSIANS DISCONTENT BY OPPRESSED OF BYZ & PERSIAN EMPERORS
SCHISM: SUNNI & SHI’A (SHIITE) 644-656 CALIPH UTHMAN – NOT POPULAR RIVALS APPOINT ALI – RELATIVE OF MUHAMMAD ALI MURDERED BY UTHMAN’S FAMILY 661 UMAYYAD CALIPH & RULED UNTIL 750 FROM DAMASCUS ALI FOLLOWERS DON’T ACCEPT UMAYYAD’S SHI’A (PARTY OR FACTION) MINORITY – ONLY BLOOD RELATION SUNNI – BEST CANDIDATE CAN RULE- HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT 15% VS 85%
PHILOSOPHICAL, MEDICAL & MATHEMATICAL ADVANCES ARABIC TRANSLATIONS OF GREEK PHILOSOPHERS BY END OF 10TH C. IBN SINA (AVICENNA) MUSLIM PHILOSOPHER: RECONCILE GREEK PHILOSOPHY W/ ISLAMIC THEOLOGY – DIFFICULT TASK MEDICAL DISCOVERIES IBN RUSD (AVERROES) COMMENTARIES ON PHILOSOPHY (ARISTOTLE) MAJOR INFLUENCE ON 13TH C. SCHOLARS & WESTERN VIEWS OF ARISTOTLE ADAPTATION OF HINDU #’S & USE OF 0 (ZERO)