1. Islamic Civilization: Pt.1 Islam Divided -- February 6-8, 13

2. The Umayyad Caliphate
  Prophet Muhammad, 622–632   Rashidun Caliphate, 632– Umayyad Caliphate, 661–750

3. The Umayyad Caliphate

4. Islam in Umayyad Caliphate
Islam as Religion:
Embedded in social, political change
Shaped by it: ‘dynamic’ process
Major Developments: simultaneous
‘Division’ between sunni and shia Islam (each with own followers)
‘Evolution’ of Religion as institution (with consequent impact on society)

5. Islam in Umayyad Caliphate
Video Excerpt: “The Caliphate: Pt ‘Division’ [ 6:30 -9:40min; 19:20 – 27:00min]

6. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Issue of Succession:
Key question – what did the Prophet Muhammad mean by his speech at Khoms? [see additional reading ‘Hadith at Pond of Khumms’; also discussed in video]
No dissent over acknowledgement of Ali as ‘leader’: but leader of whom?

7. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Sunni: ‘Ahel as-Sunnah’ (people of the Sunnah or ‘the path’) as shown by Muhammad
Allegiance to that which is ‘traditional’
Belief in hadith – words, sayings of the Prophet
Accepted hadith (reported words of Prophet at Khoms) BUT interpreted it to refer Ali as leader of family NOT leader of community [alternately as ‘friend’ of community]

8. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Accepted that ‘elected’ successor Abu Bakr was ‘righteous’ leader
Later accepted law and jurisprudence based on ‘sunnah’ understood as Prophets words and actions

9. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Shia (Shiite): Means ‘sect’ or ‘faction’ [see video ‘the Caliphate’, 2]
Ali, son-in-law of Muhammad, seen by many as rightful heir by reason of blood (direct family, not only clan)
He and his followers: refused oath of loyalty to Abu Bakr
Known as ‘Alids’:over time majority simply seen as ‘sunnis’; Alids retained reference ‘shiites’

10. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Following years:
Ali gave support to Abu Bakr when Caliphate threatened
But upon death, Abu Bakr let it be known he ‘named’ Umar, his son
controversial: ultimately assassinated by Kharijite (who objected to ‘dynastic’ succession)

11. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Umar had made arrangements for how succession was to take place:
‘list’ of potentials: confer, agree on one
Ali on list, but Uthman was selected
Added new ‘fuel’ to opposition: Uthman was from Umayyad clan, Ali from Hashemite
rivalry for power in Mecca went back generations, well before the rise of Islam [story developed in Video, Add’l Rdgs]

12. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Upon Uthman’s murder 656:
Ali implored upon to accept Caliph and bring peace
For his followers (shia) this was finally about putting the truly ‘rightful’ caliph in charge
But for many of Uthman’s followers – especially Mu’awiya (his military commander), this was unacceptable

13. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Empire in essence ‘divided’:
East: under Caliph Ali who moved his capital to Kufa (Iraq)
West: under Commander Mu’awiya in Damascus (Syria)

14. Islam Divided: sunni and shia
Empire in essence ‘divided’:
BUT: political division also reflected beginning of real religious division as well: Shia Islam (east), Sunni Islam (west)
Even as we speak of ‘evolution’ of Islam, reality was that Islam itself no longer unified with shia believers (east – including Iran) increasing in number as East began to oppose West