ISLAM THE FIRST TRANS- REGIONAL CIVILIZATION

CURRENT MUSLIM WORLD

PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA The Arabian peninsula –Largely deserts with mountains, oases –Fertile areas in the southern mountains around Yemen –Nomadic Bedouin Organized in family and clan groups Importance of kinship and loyalty to the clan Post-classical Arabia –Active in long-distance over land trade –Religion was polytheist

6 TH CENTURY ARABIA

PHYSICAL MAP OF ARABIA

MUHAMMAD’S EARLY LIFE Muhammad ibn Abdullah –Born in a Mecca merchant family, 570 C.E. –Became a merchant at age 30, exposed to various faiths Muhammad's spiritual transformation –At age 40, he experienced visions There was only one true god, Allah ("the god") The Quran –Followers compiled Muhammad's actual revelations after his death The Hadith –Sayings attributed to Muhammad; not included in Quran

THE HIJRA (FLIGHT) Conflict at Mecca The hijra –Under persecution, Muhammad, followers fled to Medina, 622 C.E. The umma –Organized a cohesive community called umma in Medina The "seal of the prophets" –Referred himself as "seal of the prophets," - final prophet of Allah –Held Hebrew scriptures and New Testament in high esteem Referred to followers as “Peoples of the Book”

CONQUEST OF ARABIA Muhammad's return to Mecca –Conquered Mecca, 630 The Kaa'ba –The Kaa'ba shrine was not destroyed The Five Pillars of Islam –Obligations taught by Muhammad, known as the Five Pillars –Profession of faith, prayer, tithing, pilgrimage, fasting at Ramadan Islamic law: the sharia –Emerged during the centuries after Muhammad –Detailed guidance on proper behavior in almost every aspect of life

EXPANSION OF ISLAM The caliph –Upon Muhammad's death, Abu Bakr served as caliph ("deputy") The expansion of Islam –Success due to weakness of enemies, vigor of Islam –Referred to Islamic world as Dar al Islam The Shia and Sunnis –The Shia sect supported Ali (last caliph and son in law of Muhammad) –The Sunnis ("traditionalists") accepted legitimacy of early caliphs –Two sects struggled over succession; produced a civil war, murder

SPREAD OF ISLAM

UMAYYAD DYNASTY The Umayyad dynasty ( C.E.) –New caliph won civil war; murdered Ali; established dynasty Policy toward conquered peoples –Dhimmis were the conquered Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians –Even the converts did not enjoy wealth, position of authority Umayyad decline –Caliphs became alienated from Arabs by early 8th century –By the mid-century, faced strong resistance of the Shia faction –The discontent of conquered peoples also increased

ABBASID DYNASTY The Abbasid dynasty ( C.E.) Abbasid administration –Relied heavily on Persians, Persian techniques of statecraft –Governors ruled provinces; Ulama, qadis (judges) ruled local areas Abbasid decline –Governors built their own power bases, regional dynasties –Local military commanders took title of Sultan –Popular uprisings and peasant rebellions weakened the dynasty –Later, the Seljuk Turks controlled the imperial family

AN URBAN CIVILIZATION Arab Urban History –Pre-Islamic Arabs were both urban, bedouin Nomads came to city to trade, city often settled by whole tribes –Arabic cities linked to wider world through merchants, trade Arabic Empire and Urban Growth –Islam as a culture requires mosque, merchant: very urban in outlook –As empire grew, needed something more permanent Abbasids moved capital from Damascus to Baghdad –Increasing agricultural production contributed to growth of cities

CHANGED ECONOMICS Merchants, pilgrims, travelers exchanged foods across empire Effects of new crops –Increased varieties and quantities of food –Industrial crops became the basis for a thriving textile industry

A VAST TRADE ZONE Camels and caravans –Overland desert trade traveled mostly by camel caravan Maritime trade based on technological borrowing –Arab, Persian mariners borrowed Compass from the Chinese Lateen sail from southeast Asian, Indian mariners Astrolabe from the Hellenistic mariners –Organization and dominance of trade Many cities grew rich from trade Banks Exchange of Ideas included Islam, technology, culture

ISLAMIC TRADE

Other Islamic Regions Al-Andalus –Islamic Spain –Cordoba, center of learning, commerce and agriculture North Africa –Strong Shia followers, broke w/ Abbasids Central Asia –Turkish, Persian, and Islamic, but not Arab

MUSLIM SPAIN

MUSLIM CENTRAL ASIA

WOMEN’S CHANGING STATUS Pre-Islamic Arab Women –Arabs as nomads allowed women many rights The Quran and women –Quran enhanced rights, security of women What produced the change –Foreign Contacts changed the perspective –Muslim rights for women Often reduced, ignored Patriarch beliefs reinforced by conquest

IMAGE OF WOMEN

ISLAMIC CULTURAL TRADITION Quran, sharia were main sources to formulate moral guidelines Constant struggle between what is Arabic and what is Islamic Promotion of Islamic values –Ulama, qadis, and missionaries were main agents Sufis –Islamic mystics, effective missionaries The hajj –Pilgrims helped to spread Islamic beliefs and values

ISLAM & OTHER CONTACTS Persian influence on Islam –After Arabs most prominent of Muslims, resisted Arabization –Government and regionalism Many advisors (vizer is Persian word) to Caliphs were Persian –Literary achievements The Arabian Nights largely in a Persian style Turkish influences –Formed military might, leadership of late Abbassid state Indian Influences –"Hindi numerals," which Europeans called "Arabic numerals" Greek Influences –Muslims philosophers especially liked Plato and Aristotle; Greek math