World History: The Earth and its Peoples Chapter 8 The Sasanid Empire and the Rise of Islam, 200 - 1200 C.E.

Objectives Determine how the social and political developments under the Sasanid Empire paved the way for the spread of Islam. Illustrate how the Arab conquests grew out of the career of Muhammad. Identify the reasons for the breakup of the caliphate. Discuss the relationship between urbanization and the development of Islamic culture.

Sasanid Empire, 224-651 CE Sasanid Empire Ctesiphon Arab pastoralists Present-day Iran Rivalry with E. Roman Empire trade and incursion Ctesiphon cosmopolitan capital on Tigris Arab pastoralists merchants and mercenaries caravaneers; military saddle Silk Road cotton, sugarcane, rice

Sasanid Empire, 224-651 CE Religion both religions were intolerant Zoroastrianism state religion of Sasanid Christianity state religion of Byzantium Armenian Nestorians Jesus: human and divine Heretics The Nicene Creed political pawns in Sasanid penetration into Arabian peninsula both religions were intolerant religion as politics religion key identifier Manichaean battle between good and evil sets stage for rise of Islam

The Origins of Islam Location Mecca Arabian interior; out of ‘sight’ S. Arabia as inhabitable; urban contact via caravan trade Mecca Isolated caravan city Ka’ba pilgrimage site Abraham as builder Ishmael ‘sacrifice’ Idols 570 CE orphan birth Muhammad

Muhammad Muhammad Meditation Threat to Meccan leaders caravan interests only son died in childhood Meditation revelations from Gabriel – 610 CE “Night of Power and Excellence” Khadija, Ali, Abu Bakr preaching One creator god (Allah) judgment day Christianity and Judaism Islam – surrender to will of God Muslim – one who submits more perfect message No editing process Threat to Meccan leaders 3:32

Formation of the Umma Medina Umma Surrender of Mecca – 630 CE 215 mile north of Mecca -622 CE hijra Beginning of Muslim calendar Umma Islamic community Muhammad as God’s messenger Expulsion of Jews Surrender of Mecca – 630 CE God on Muhammad’s side New Arab state based on a common religious faith

Islamic Succession Muhammad’s Death – 632 CE Abu Bakr no son as successor only prophet has revelations Abu Bakr khalifa – successor Maintain Five Pillars of Islam one god / prophet prayer Ramadan fasting alms Mecca pilgrimage - hajj Muslim authority caliphate

Islamic Succession Quran – 650 CE Trouble in the ranks book of Muhammad’s revelations unalterable word of god Trouble in the ranks Caliph assassins 4th caliph Ali Battle of the Camel – 656 CE Ali’s legitimacy Umayyad Caliphate Mu’awiya Son Yazid as successor Husayn Ali’s son assassinated – 680 CE Beginning of Shite religious sect

Islamic Succession Shite Sunnis Ali as rightful successor descendents as Imams secular, not religious Sunnis 1st 3 caliphs properly chosen chosen caliphs as Imams 4:47

Islamic Conquests, 634-711 CE 2nd Caliph (Umar) Reasons for success Syria, Egypt, Tunisia (634-644) Spain and Sind (711 CE) Reasons for success political and economical sophistication authority of Medina no forced religious conversion Umayyad Caliphate - 661-750 Arab rather than religious empire adapted Byzantine / Sasanid administration Decline unrest among non-Arab Muslims demanding political power

Abbasid Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate - 750-1258 Decline mamluks “Golden Age” cosmopolitan culture in Baghdad translations to Arabic adopted ways of Sasanids conversion of non-Arabs abundance of literary works The Arabian Nights Decline too big to rule effectively local principalities withheld taxes mamluks standing army of Turkic slaves Buyids family northern Iran

Political Fragmentation Samanids Iranians at Bukhara Persian literary influence Fatimids Egyptians at Cairo Mediterranean economic power Umayyad al-Andalus, Spain blended Roman, Germanic, Jew with Arab and Berber title of caliph (929 CE) response to Fatimid claim Jewish thinkers and writers contributions to cultural growth ulama - religious scholars

Nomadic Upsurge Seljuk Turks - 1030 Effects nomads from steppes north of Black, Caspian, Aral Seas Tughril Beg shah 1st Turkish Muslim state Battle of Manzikert - 1071 Byzantine Anatolia Effects cities shrank (food supply) irrigation suffered; taxes short aloof to religious infighting withering of Baghdad

Muslim Unification Saladin Turkish Mamluks ends Fatimid Caliphate - 1171 Egypt and Syria captures Jerusalem - 1187 defeats Crusaders fight off future Crusades Turkish Mamluks seize power in 1250 result of Crusades defeat Mongols in 1260

Islamic Civilization Sharia Vision Islamic law hadith no legal legal system in place sunna Muhammad’s example hadith reports of Muhammad’s words and deeds second only to the Qur’an incorporated by legal scholars Vision common moral values minimize ethnic and political divisions

Islamic Hadiths

Islamic Civilization Conversion gradual learning about Islam death and taxes learn for themselves no priests simple process Arabic profession of faith literacy major cause of urbanization religion as identity economic opportunity in cities cities as centers of Islam growth of market economy advances in math and sciences

Islamic Society Women Slavery Education status deduced from men no public role in society own property, initiate divorce public veiling fear of sexual infidelity and meddling in politics Ex: A’isha Slavery forbade enslaving ‘People of the Book” Education madrasas Sufism direct union with God through rituals and training