1. Background and Rise of the Islamic Empire
Islam Overview

2. How do we know what we know?
No written biography of Muhammad until after death in 767
Problems with this –
Different texts
Alterations
Qu’ran compiled 50 yrs after death
Civil Wars:
3 in 1st 120 yrs
Histories “written” to support own side

3. Paper? Who cares? Way of recording government system/laws
Printing of Qu’ran

4. Historians Examine Sources:
Tax records
Census
Graves
Memoirs
Oral history
Found not insular (isolated to one place) – incorporated area cultures

5. Prophet Muhammad:
Born 570 CE in Mecca to ruling tribe (year 1 of Islamic calendar)
Years of meditation
Message through Angel Gabriel from God in a cave
Continued to receive messages for 23 years

6. Role of the Prophet Muhammad
Only a messenger – uncorrupted truth
Straight from God
Last prophet
Not the originator – that is God
Other prophets before:
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus
Abraham – father of Jews
Son Ishmael - 1st Muslim
Teachings of early prophets –
Corrupted by other faiths

7. Abraham
Hagar
Ishmael
Muhammad
Sarah
Isaac
Jesus

8. Qu’ran God’s word On paper (late 800s) Prophet’s message
Compiled by Umar (2nd caliph – 634 CE)
On paper (late 800s)
Muslims defeated central China
Got paper
Paper mills:
Baghdad – late 800s
Egypt 900
Morocco & Spain 1100

9. Content of Qu’ran Length – approx. same as New Testament
Absolute word of God
Poetic form
Molded Arabic literature
Each syllable is sacred
Preferred to be in Arabic – not translated

10. Qu’ran - continued
Basis of:
Faith
Government
Social system

11. Other Islamic Scripture
Sunna: example of thinking & living set by the Prophet Muhammad
Written in the Hadith
Recorded words and deeds of Muhammad

12. Jesus and Jews Not the son of God Jews Then wouldn’t be monotheism
Can’t have more than 1 entity to worship
Jews
Not accepting Qu’ran as updated “truth” that had already been told

13. ISLAM
FAITH
SOCIAL
GOVERN-MENT
CULTURE
A complete system

14. 5 Pillars of Islam: Orthodox Beliefs & Practice
1. Declare: “There’s no god but God and Muhammad is his Prophet”
2. Pray: 5 times/day facing Mecca; assembly for recited prayer Fridays midday
3. Alms: 2.5% of income to poor – especially widows and orphans

15. Pillars continued 4. Ramadan: 1 month – 9th month of Islamic calendar
Honors 1st revelation in Qu’ran from Muhammad
Fast each day
Okay to eat at night
Month’s end feast
Tablets of Abraham, Torah, Psalms, Gospels all in same month
Punished in some countries for not observing
Iran – non-Muslim had lips burned; others public flogged for eating
Kuwait – fine
Algeria - prison

16. Pillars continued Hajj (pilgrimage) once in life to Mecca
Ka’bah: box in the middle of the central mosque in Mecca
Supposedly built originally by Abraham & Ishmael
Originally contained idols of local gods
Most sacred place of Islam
Contains the Black Stone
Stone Adam was given by God to absorb sins
Now is black with all of the sins of the world

17. 6th Pillar: Jihad Sacred Struggle Not required
Different interpretations
Call for physical warfare
Preserve
Spread dar al-Islam (political rule of Islam)
Self-defense
“God loves not aggressors”
Internal spiritual struggle to be devout

19. After death: Devout Reject Free will is limited Paradise Burn in hell
God has all power

20. Just a continuation of ancient system
Practices were already there in cultures where the Islamic Empire had spread
Prayer
Regular times and locations
Christians & Jews
Washing before
Animal sacrifice practices
Area pagans
How animals are slaughtered
Jews (kosher)
Circumcision
Jews

21. Why did people convert? Threat? Devout? Increased horizons:
Religious, political, economic, social
Access to world (like Christianity)

22. By the Sword Probably not to gain believers Political Military
Economic
Easier to rule if Muslims were separate
Hierarchy of ruling class
Muslims didn’t have to pay taxes

23. Shari-a: Islamic Law Similar to Jews Marriage Proper conduct
Promote right
Prevent wrong
Law of society
Day to day
Eat, dress
Marriage
Men obligated to support wives
Up to 4 wives okay

24. Women: Question if worse before
Because of Islam or because of exposure to other cultures?
Byzantine:
Veil
Marriage/divorce practices
Economic status
Qu’ran
Men over women
Dress code because seen as seductive

25. Different systems of Islamic Law: regional based on interpretation:
Arabian Middle East & Southern Asia
North, Central, & Western Africa
Southern Arabia & Southeast Asia
Saudi Arabia

27. Structure Caliph Umma Initially – Muhammad’s successors
Leader of Muslim community
Umma
Original Muslim Community (100 followers in Mecca)
Muslim Community

28. Civil Wars Movement from tribal to cosmopolitan New social structures
Mixed Arab and non-Arabs
Divided into upper and lower classes
New practice of assimilating
Non-Arabs were conquered
1 Umma (1 Muslim culture)
Spread use of Arabic
660 CE Umayyad dynasty – Damascus, Syria
750 CE Abbasid dynasty – Baghdad (until 1258 CE)

29. Succession of caliphs
Caliph’s job: “successor of the messenger of God”
Administration of the Empire
Political
4 “Rightly-Guided Caliphs”
1. Abu Bakr
Relative
Mobilized troops
Took Middle East, Central Asia & North Africa

30. 2. Umar I 3. Uthman 4. Ali Administrator of territories
Didn’t encourage conversion
Built forts to separate Muslims from conquered people
3. Uthman
Assassinated by Arab troops from Egypt
4. Ali
Assassinated because Uthman followers thought he was too easy on Uthman’s assassins

31. Other significant caliphs
Mu’awiya
Started 90 yr rule of Umayyad caliphate
Moved capital to Damascus, Syria
6. Yazid – claimed position
son of Mu’awiya
Husayn – son of Ali declared war
Died in battle = martyr
Shi’a or Shi’ite
Partisans of Ali

32. Now: All first 11 assassinated
Waiting on 12th (mahdi – rightly guided one)
Usher in new age of Islam

33. Shi’as Believe in religious purity
Caliph – represents religious principles
Not imperial
Only descendents of Ali as imam
Ali – son in law and cousin of Muhammad
Ali was by divine appointment
Special authority over people
Imam – right caliph
Hereditary line
Just Imam has already been here and will return

34. Sunnis Follow Prophet’s example Imam Just Imam is yet to come
Descendents of Abu Bakr
Father in law of Muhammad
Just Imam is yet to come

35. Differences Imam: Ali’s descendents
“rightly guided one” already has been & will return
Imam by divine appointment
Imam must be pure
Knowledgeable, brave, wise, just, pious
Special authority
Imam: Abu Bakr’s descendents
“rightly guided one” yet to come
Imam can be elected
Ok is sinful b/c God appoints
Can’t rise up against Imam even if unjust
Shi’as
Sunnis

36. Poorest people in Sunni governed country
16% of Muslims worldwide
Iran – 95%
Iraq 60%
Pakistan
Poorest people in Sunni governed country
Discrimination
Clearer religious hierarchy
Ayatollahs – clerics for law
83% of Muslims worldwide
Less religious authority
Sunna: religious teachings of Muhammad
Shi’as
Sunnis

37. spread of world religions
Empire of Islam Part 2