Islam

Introduction By the 6 th century C.E. the Byzantine government was the only centralized authority in what remained of the Roman Empire. Its only rival was the Sasanid Empire of Persia ( C.E.), who guarded the Silk Road.

However, a social and economic transformation was underway in the Middle East. The outcome would not be a return to a fragmented less urbanized pattern of life, which had developed in western Europe. Rather, the Sasanid and Byzantine Empires set the stage for a new and powerful religio- political movement called Islam.

42 modern nations are completely Islamic. There are 1 billion Muslims in the world. Only 20% of the world’s Muslims are Arabs.

Mecca Medina Pre-Islamic Arabia

-Arabia was fragmented into dozens, of tribal, nomadic clans, called Bedouins. Each clan had its own deity (usually associated with the goddess of heaven or the moon, which nomadic people could worship anywhere.

The city of Mecca was the main religious and trading center for the Bedouin tribes of Arabia. Before Islam, the Bedouins believed that their many gods were housed in the Kaaba, a black stone shrine in the heart of Mecca.

- The leader of a clan was called the shaykh. He was elected by a council of elder and usually had large herds of animals, and several wives. His will was enforced by a class of warriors.

-The struggle for subsistence in the harsh Arabian desert created strong loyalties to the clan. To be cut off from the clan was fatal. -War often broke out for minor events (an insult, or theft), thus pre-Islamic Arabia was a world of constant fighting.

II. Muhammad -Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570C.E.. He was orphaned at age 6, and was raised by his uncle, who owned a caravan trading business. - Working for his uncle brought Muhammad in contact with Jews and Christians living in Palestine (Damascus & Jerusalem).

Muhammad became very acquainted with Judaism and Christianity, and his religion shows similarities with both beliefs. On one of his many trading trips to Palestine, Muhammad met and married Khadija, a wealthy merchant widow.

- Muhammad became a wealthy merchant. But he was bored and spent lots of free time in the mountains outside Mecca. In 610 C.E., while meditating in the Mountains, Muhammad began to receive revelations from the angel Gabriel, these revelations continue for 20 years.

Mecca Medina - His first revelations attacked idolatry, and the traditional beliefs of the Bedouins. His message was rejected and mocked in Mecca when he tried to preaches publicly.

Mecca Medina In 622 C.E., Muhammad fled Mecca and traveled to Medina to establishes his new government. This event is called the “hijra,” and it marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

In 629 C.E., after converting the people of Medina to Islam, Muhammad led them in the conquest of Mecca.

The Spread of Islam: While in Medina, Muhammad was able to create the umma (Community of the faithful.) Muhammad knew that his religion would not be safe until he created an empire to protect it. By 632 C.E., he had conquered most of Arabia.

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- Muhammad died suddenly in 632 C.E. before appointing a successor. This led to arguments over who should be Caliph of Islam, causing divisions among Muslims to this day.

Caliph: Caliph (Deputy) refers to the Islamic rulers after the death of Muhammad. A Caliph had both religious & civil authority. The first four caliphs continued the expansion of the Islamic kingdom that Muhammad began.

- Sunnis believe the true Caliph should be chosen by those close to Muhammad; but he did not have to be a relative. Most (85%) Muslims are Sunni.

- Shi’ite (word means “division”) believe Muhammad appointed Ali, his son-in-law, before he died. They maintain that the true Caliph must be a direct descendant of Muhammad.

The Ulama: The caliph was never “emperor and pope combined.” Religious leadership in the Umma developed in the office of the Ulama (persons of right knowledge.) Originally the Ulama were companions of Muhammad. But over time the term was applied to a person who dedicated their life to preserving, interpreting, and applying the Qu’ran to the norms of the Umma.

As the guardians of the Muslim conscience, they often criticized caliph rulers when they strayed too far from Muslim norms. Caliphs regularly sought their advice. And their personal legal opinions established a basis for religious and social order. Thus, without building a formal clergy, Muslims developed a workable moral- legal system based on formally trained scholars.

III. The Islamic Faith: Islam’s sacred text is the Qu’ran. Written in the Arabic language it means “recitation” because the faithful recite it daily. Any version of the Qu’ran that is not in Arabic is considered a transliteration (not a translation).

- The Qur’an was composed throughout Muhammad’s life, sometimes written with the aid of his wife and daughter.

- The Qur’an is divided into 114 chapters called suras, arranged from longest to shortest (its a little shorter than the New Testament.)

- Muhammad accepted the Jewish Torah, Psalms, and Gospel of Jesus as “Holy Scripture.”

-Muhammad accepted Jesus as God’s prophet; but he was not crucified nor resurrected.

Muhammad on camel; Jesus on donkey

God’s City: Jerusalem is widely considered the most holy city in the world: –Jews; see it as the center of Biblical Zion, and site of Solomon’s Temple. –Christians; see it as the location of Last Supper, and Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. –Muslims; see it as the location where Muhammad ascended into heaven.

The Dome of the Rock Constructed in 692 C.E. on location of Muhammad’s ascension. Location where Abraham sacrifice took place.

Interior of Dome of the Rock

Basic Islamic Beliefs: -The foundation of Islam is submission to God’s will. The word Islam means submission. The term Muslim means, one who submits.

The Qu’ran teaches that Muhammad was God’s last prophet (following others such as Moses and Jesus.) Jews, and Christians, like Muslims are considered “People of the Book.” (God’s people) Thus Muslims do not consider Islam as a new religion, but a correction of Judaism & Christianity, which had been corrupted.

Man is a creation by Allah (God); he is free to reject God, but will be an outsider of God’s community. Judgment Day of the World; everyone will receive either eternal paradise or eternal torment. The Priesthood of the faithful; personal faith in and fellowship with God is obtained without intermediaries (clergy).

The Islamic holy day is Friday, this is when Muslims gather for collective prayer.

Prayers are formal and memorized and prayed while prostrated (kneeling & bowing.) The word mosque means “place of prostration.”

The Qu’ran requires all believers to follow certain practices, called the “five pillars of Islam”.

1. Shahada; A profession of faith that there is only one God and Mohammed is his Prophet.

2. Salat; the activity of praying five times daily, towards Mecca.

3. Zakata; Almsgiving, Muslims are required to give 4% of their income to the poor.

4. Hajj; a pilgrimage to Mecca once during your life, if you are able. A simple white garment is worn, symbolizing the equality of believers.

5. Siyam; Fasting in the daylight hours during Ramadan, the month of the first revelation.

Forbidden Practices: Drinking alcohol. Gambling. Eating unclean meat (pork, shellfish, etc.) Enslaving “people of the book.” The use of violence to spread Islam. (Violence can be used against non-Muslims to protect Islam.)

The Islamic holy lands must never be violated by non- Muslims.Any violations gives just cause for Jihad.

Jihad has two meanings: –Among extremist fundamentalists, Jihad refers to a “Holy War” against the infidels (non-Muslims), or for Territorial expansion. –Among moderates, Jihad refers to “Defense” of one’s faith; and or an “inner struggle” to submit to Allah by ridding oneself of evil.

IV. Eras of Islamic Civilization: : Life of Muhammad-Founder : First four Caliphs, and expansion within the Middle East : The Ommayad Dynasty, and expansion in North Africa & Spain s: The Abbasid Dynasty, and the “Golden Age” of Baghdad. 1000s-1400s: The Seljuks & Mugals rulers WW I: The Ottoman Empire, & Fragmentation of Islam.

Tours

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Characteristics of Islamic Culture and Society Cosmopolitan – Traditional Islam was open to new ideas as long as they did not contradict the Qu’ran. This quality was learned from the Byzantine and Persian cultures. Meritocracy – since there is no clergy within Islam, anyone talented enough could rule. Thus allowing for social mobility unlike Western Europe or the Byzantine Empire.

Religious Minorities in Islam: Since Islam forbids to use of force to spread the faith, conquered peoples were generally protected, and allowed to maintain their religious autonomy within their communities. In India, Muslim rulers closely cooperated with Hindu leaders in order to obtain stable administrators.

Appeals of Islam: 1. Non-Christians saw Islam as more tolerant, at that time, than Christianity.

2. Islam is a simple religion that all could understand and become their own priest (scholar.)

3. Islamic laws made it benefical for non-Muslims traders, and slaves to convert.

4. Muhammad’s warriors spread Islam by the sword.

V. Historic Contributions of Islamic Civilizations: 1.Medicine – Muslim doctors understood the origins of contagions, and established modern style hospitals that isolated sick patients. –Rhazes; was an Islamic medical expert from the Abbasid Dynasty who studied optics; and Caesarian operations.

Muslim doctors were active in the advancement of surgical techniques, and were among the first to use narcotic and sedative drugs in operations.

2. Mathematics- Islamic scholars developed the decimal system, and concept of the zero.

3. Astronomy- Islamic scholars adopted classical Greek philosophy and translated it into Arabic. Thus saving many classical texts for the modern world.

Greek text taught Muslim astronomers the heliocentric concept (the sun as the center of the solar system). Muslims were the first to argue that the earth was round.

Al-Fazari (d. 777 C.E.) a Muslim astronomer from Baghdad. Through contact with Indian missionaries, he was able to develop a modern astrolabe, used for star navigation on the open ocean.

4.Economics – with their ability to sail into the open oceans, Muslim merchants were able to control the trade routes of the Indian Ocean. Thus controlling all goods between Europe and Asia.

5. Literature- Omar Khyyam, a member of the Abbasid Dynasty was the author of the Rubaiyat and the Book of 1001 Nights.

6.Art and Architecture- The Islamic world produced artistic mosaics, marble and multi- colored tile flooring, and carpets.

The Muslim religion prohibited the picturing of human and natural forms (a form of idolatry.) So Muslim art is a display of great geometric complexity and abstract ornamentation.

Cities were organized and built by Islamic governments, in much the same method as the Roman system. (examples; Baghdad, Cairo, Isfahan and Cordoba.)

The city of Cordoba, Spain was built as a rival to Baghdad. Itslibraries, hospitals, and research institutions Made it an educational destination for Christians scholars.

From 756 – 1031 C.E., Cordoba was the political and cultural center for the Muslim world.

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