1. The Early Islamic World

2. Pre-Islamic Arabia, c. 600 Bedouin clans
Camel herders and town dwellers
Frequent feuds over pasturing/water resources
Trade network
Place of women
Role of religion < tribal customs

3. Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam
Merchant, travels introduced him to monotheism
Revelations , later written into the Qur’an (=recitation)
Escape from Mecca, 622
Return in triumph, 628
Death left no clear successor

4. The Appeal of Islam
Uncompromising monotheism in a land that had known only insignificant gods
Belonged to no single tribe or clan – possibility of unity
Arab in origin (alternative to foreign faiths of Judaism and Christianity)
Ethical system to heal social divisions

5. Five Pillars of Islam
Statement of faith: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”
In Arabic:

6. Prayer 5 times a day, facing Mecca
How to pray:

7. Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

9. Final two pillars:
Fasting during Ramadan
Zakat (tithe for charity)

10. After Muhammad – Division Within…
4 caliphs, though disagreements about whether the caliph should be a direct relative of the prophet
Ali, 4th caliph and Muhammad’s cousin and brother-in-law, was rejected and assassinated by the Umayyads
Continued split between Sunni and Shi’ites Muslims

11. …but also great success
Under caliphs, Arabia was reunited following brief breaking away after Muhammad’s death
Sassanid (Persian) empire conquered and much Byzantine territory seized
Strength of Arab armies combined with weakness of neighbors

12. Motives for expansion? Release of martial energy?
Payback for centuries of contempt?
Not a motivation at least at first: conversion. Qur’an: “There is no compulsion in religion.” Also: did not want to share booty of conquest or give up right to tax non-Muslims.

15. Umayyad Empire, 660-750 Treatment of Women Dhimmis Mawali Shi’ite
Merchants
Ayan
Small farmers
Treatment of

16. Umayyads alienated many
Placed capital at Damascus
Soldiers, especially on frontiers, unhappy with distant, corrupt, unfair rulers
Abbasid rebellion started in eastern part of empire (Iran) but spread, drawing support from dissident groups, among them Shi’ite ans and mawali

17. Abbasid Empire 750-850: unified, center at Baghdad Treatment of Women
Dhimmis
Mawali
Shi’ite
Merchants
Ayan
Small farmers
Treatment of

18. Abbasid Empire, cont.
: breakup into regional dynasties: Umayyads in Spain, Fatimids in Cairo (ruled Egypt & Syria), Turkish tribes swept into Middle East from Central Asia, converted to Islam and controlled the Islamic heartland
Authority of caliph became more religious than political
Regional sultans sought confirmation of their power from the caliph

20. Abbasid Empire, cont. 11th-13th c.: new external threats
Christian Crusades
Mongols – threatened entire Middle East, remained in power in Iran & Iraq, where they converted to Islam
Invasions helped cause the fall of the old states & slow creation of 3 new states

21. 3 New states emerge, 1258-1600 Safavid (Shi’ite) dynasty in Iran
Moghul dynasty in India
Ottoman Empire centered in Asia Minor (which will conquer Byzantines in 1453)

22. Credits Slide 6 photo: (Uzbek Muslims paying)
Slide 7 photo: (search for Hajj)
Slide 8 photo: (search for Ka’ba)
Slide 13 map:
Slide 14 map:
Slide 19 map: