The Post-Roman World: Islam

The Arabian Peninsula Chronology : Outbreak of First Plague Pandemic 565: Death of Justinian : Byzantine- Persian Wars Life of Muhammad c. 570: birth c. 610: begins receiving revelations in mountains 622: Hijira to Medina 630: Hajj to Mecca 632: death

View of the Arabian Desert

Hijaz Mountains of Western Arabian peninsula

The Byzantine Navy destroys the Ummayad Fleet using Greek Fire during the First Siege of Constantinople (674) Illumination from the Madrid Manuscript of the Chronicle of John Skylitzes, 11th century

Rashidun Caliphs ( ) 636: Battle of Yarmuk, Arab armies take over Byzantine Syria 640: Battle of Heliopolis, Arab armies take over Byzantine Egypt : Conquest of Persia and Mesopotamia Ummayad Dynasty ( ) 674: First siege of Constantinople 711: Conquest of Visigothic Kingdom (Spain) : Second siege of Constantinople

The Islamic Empire,

Tenets of Islamic Faith  Origins  Positioned as successor to Judaism and Christianity; also contains dualist principles of Zoroastrianism  Draws upon as well as reacts against native beliefs and culture of the Arabs  Holy Texts  The Qur’an: holy book, officially only in Arabic, written in 655  Hadith: sayings of Muhammad  Five pillars of Faith (from the Sahih Muslim, Nishapur, ninth century)  Shahadah: Basic creed; “There is one God and Muhammad is his prophet”  Salat: prayer five times a day  Sawm: fasting requirements, especially during Ramadan  Zakat: almsgiving  Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca  Principle of Jihad: Greater/Lesser Jihad

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, c. 690

Next Class  Thursday: Read Einhard (online); Research Prospectus Due  Looking Ahead: Second Short Essay due next Thursday