Mohammed and the Rise of Islam n 600’s A.D. n loss of much of the Eastern Roman Empire n to a new religious and political power –Islam

Islam n Bedouin Arab named Mohammed n born ca. 570 A.D. n poor family n Kuraish tribe, who dominate Mecca –controlling much of the religious pilgrim trade n raised by relatives

Mohammed n formal education ?? n commercial agent for a wealthy widow –Khadijah –supervising caravans from Mecca, north to Jerusalem –contact with both Jews and Christians n made an impression on his boss and married her –retired to devote himself to his principal interest –religion

Mohammed, con’t n monogamous until his wife died n eventually married nine wives and had assorted concubines n last marriage at 53 to Aishah, daughter of a friend n wives: widows of friends or political marriages

Origins of Mohammed’s Teachings n periods of unconsciousness from childhood –epilepsy or a similar neurological disorder ? –mental illness or hallucinations ? –revelations from Allah by holy trances, spoken to by Gabriel n Mohammed’s explanation –revelations from God

Nature of Revelations n diverse n social, agricultural, medical, military, astronomical, etc.

Historical Origins of His Ideas n Arab polytheism n Judaism n Christianity n Manichaeism

Beginning of His Ministry n at about age 40 n began to preach publicly n continued to receive revelations until death –usually related to current problems or concerns

Early career n not particularly successful n threatened the social, political, and religious structure n threatened the economic basis of Mecca as a center of religious pilgrimage n particularly the Black Rock –sacred to the chief deity of the Arabs n run out of town

The Hejira n flight from Mecca n 622 A.D. n beginning of the Islamic calendar n fled to Medina n welcomed, then resisted n Mohammed becomes an absolute theocrat

Jihad n holy war against Mecca n ten year blockade n a deal was made

The Deal n Mecca preserved as a holy city and place of pilgrimage –to preserve the economic prosperity n the Kaaba preserved as the central shrine –idols destroyed –story of its origins changed –pilgrimage as an act of faith

The Religion: the Koran n the Koran: contains much of Mohammed’s teachings n written down by his followers after his death –from notes and memories n Short: 114 chapters –arranged from shortest to longest –not by subject or chronologically –length is the criterion of order for the text

The Koran, con’t n some “Old” and “New” Testaments stories –but usually changed n parables and fables n polemic and prophecy n “non-religious” subjects

Five Pillars of Islam n uniqueness of God n prayer five times a day n observe the month of Ramadan n give alms to the poor n pilgrimage to Mecca

Additional teachings n dietary laws n no gambling or drinking n no sexual irregularities n no faulty weights or usury n no infanticide n elaborate rules concerning inheritance and property n improvement in the status of women and children

Similarities to Judaism and Christianity n monotheism (defined a bit differently) n insistence on the responsibility of human beings n final judgment and rewards n angels and spirits n practice of virtues

Differences n very jealous and wrathful god, as in O.T. n no “turn the other cheek” n alms giving moderate n heaven conceived a bit differently n no priests or sacramental system n easy conversion

Expansion of Islam n early victories n backsliders (tribes) punished n assaults on: –the Byzantine empire –the Persian empire

Victories n Syria: 635 A.D. n Palestine: 636 A.D. n Persia: captured in one battle –expansion into India –expansion to the borders of China n Egypt n North Africa: the Berbers

Expansion, con’t n Spain A.D. n Battle of Tours: October 732 A.D. –Charles Martel n Siege of Constantinople: A.D. –Leo III –Greek fire n beginnings of Christian reconquests

Reasons for success n exhaustion of Rome and Persia n nationalist sentiments in Egypt and Syria n arguments among Christian factions n speed and size of Moslem armies n simplicity and uncomplicated nature of Islam n acceptance of the Old and New Testament –People of the Book

Consequences of Expansion n loss of the oldest and most central lands of Christendom n aided the ascendancy of the bishop of Rome n virtual collapse of Zoroastrianism as a major religion n radically altered the balance of power between the Roman Empire and the East n disruption of the Mediterranean economic community

Early Problems n Succession ? n generated a permanent split in the Islamic community –Sunnis –Shi’as

Sunnis n considered themselves the “orthodox” followers of Mohammed n consider the Shi’as to be “dissenters” n issue: who leads after Mohammed ?? n the Caliph (or “leader”) n went successively to two original followers –the second: Abu Bakr

Abu Bakr n not particularly popular with the Muslim community n allowed raid, then invasions of Byzantine and Persian territory n subjugated any dissident elements or tribes n disposed of any “new prophets”

Success = strain n success introduced luxury and change n new ideas and new ethnic groups –with their own customs and heritage n rise of a sort of “revivalist element” –Islam had strayed from its original path and purity –Muslims were being led back to paganism –caliphs were becoming idle, corrupt, tyrants

Uman: the third Caliph n murdered: warfare broke out n Ali: cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed n originally passed over as too young n contested the succession n Uman supported by the Umayyad clan –early enemies of Mohammed –refused to accept Ali’s claims

Umayyeds n successful in the war n Ali assassinated in 661 A.D. n beginning of the Umayyed dynasty

Sunnis n accepted the legitimacy of early caliphs n “Sunni” : from an Arabic word – “usage” or “custom” –implies: “precedent”

Shi’as n accepted Ali n word means: “party”, “faction”, “following”

Factions n Sunni and Shi’as dominant n originally political n Shi’as become a party of religious dissent

Perceptions n Sunni: conservative, in favor of the “status quo” –consensus is the guiding principle n Shi’as: defenders of the oppressed, critics of privilege and power –obedience is required only as long as it can be forced, and no longer

Umayyed empire n Atlantic Ocean to India n Syria: center of the Islamic World n eventually displaced by the Persian Abbasids

Abbasids n claimed descent from Mohammed’s uncle n alliance with Shi’ites and other dissident groups n only Spain will remain Umayyed by 800 A.D.