Islamic Civilization & Culture SS.B.2.4.1; SS.A.3.4.4; SS.D.2.4.6; SS.A.1.4.1; SS.A.1.4.2; SS.B.1.4.4

Islamic Prosperity  Trade with China, Byzantine Empire, India and Southeast Asia= rich Arabs  Camel caravans carry trade from Morocco to countries past Caspian Sea  Trade=rich cities; Baghdad, Cairo & Damascus were centers of culture/$$$  Bazaar: central market for the city

Islamic Society  To be Muslim is not to worship Allah, but to live as the Quran says. As Allah decreed, so mush humans live  “All men are equal” the poor of Islamic society got more respect than the poor of Europe, China and India; however slavery did exist (slaves not =)  Slaves mostly served in military, and were always non-Muslims

Role of Women  Quran grants spiritual and social equality  Woman allowed to earn money, own property, played role in spread of Islam  Islam teaches different roles form men and women in social & family structure  Men protect women, patriarchal society  Men allowed more than one wife; dowry  Women could choose to marry, divorce  Quran does not required veiled women

Preservation of Knowledge  In the time of the Arab Empire, the writings of the Greeks were forgotten in Europe.  Greek writings translated into Arabic, placed in a library called The House of Wisdom in Baghdad  Paper comes to M.E. from China  Books, bookstores and libraries become norm  Europe rediscovers writings of Greeks and Romans in 1100s

Arab Art & Knowledge  Gave Europeans number system, and introduced the number “0” (zero)  Ibn-Rushd provides commentary to Greek philosophy  Arab astronomers develop the astrobale  Ibn-Sina writes medical encyclopedia intro ideas like contagious disease  Ibn-Khaldun historian introduces the cyclical nature of history

Art & Architecture  Islamic art and architecture draws from Arab, Persian and Turkish tradition  Mosques are best example of Islamic art  Minaret: towers attached to mosques  Samarra mosque in Iraq was largest of its kind  Alhambra palace in Granada is good rep of arabesque architecture  Arabesque: repeated geometric patterns decorating buildings