1. Cultural Studies I The Rise and Spread of Islam – Chapter 11 November 2010

2. Islamic Civilizations Origins Islam began on the Arab Peninsula – one of the world’s youngest religions Islam was proclaimed by Muhammad in the town of Mecca in 610 CE How is it linked to Judaism and Christianity?

3. Islamic Civilizations Origins Islam began on the Arab Peninsula – one of the world’s youngest religions Islam was proclaimed by Muhammad in the town of Mecca in 610 CE How is it linked to Judaism and Christianity? Muslims believe that Islam is the third and final revelation of God’s truth, the first two being Judaism and Christianity Muhammad is believed to be the final culmination of the tradition of prophets that extends from Abraham to Moses to Jesus Muslims believe Muhammad received the word of Allah (God) directly and recorded it in the Koran (Q’uran), or holy book

4. Arabian Peninsula: the context Mecca, located 50 miles inland from the Red Sea, has a natural spring, making it an important stopping point for nomadic Arabs (Bedouins) who traded along caravan routes across the dry, desert peninsula People on the Arabian peninsula worshipped more than one god – stored images of these gods in a square black structure at the center of the city of Mecca, known as the Kaaba (literally ‘cube’) The Kaaba is believed to have been linked to the astronomical year with 360 idols, each associated with seasonal rituals – Also believed to have held a sacred black stone, probably a meteorite, which ‘fell from heaven’ – Legend has it: workers were rebuilding the Kaaba and were ready to place the sacred stone inside when a fight broke out between Arab tribes about who would have the privilege of laying the stone. All agreed that the first passerby would lay the stone – turned out to be the Muslim prophet Muhammad (570- 632). He placed the stone on his cloak and gave a corner to each tribal leader. What does this say about how Muhammad is viewed and the position he held?

5. -The kaaba is a cube-shaped object in the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia and is the most sacred site in Islam. -The building has a mosque around it, the Masjid al-Haram -all Muslims must face the kaaba during prayers no matter where they are in the world -it is now covered with cloth

6. Why do you think Islam spread so quickly?

8. Basic tenets of Islam A single God, or Allah, is all-powerful – he created the universe Humankind is Allah’s supreme creation and are created in the image of Allah Men and women possess distinct individual souls which are immortal and can live eternally with Allah, providing they live their life according to Islamic teaching (which, like all religions, can be interpreted in a variety of ways) To achieve heaven, Muslims must accept belief in Allah as the one and only supreme being and must practice their religion according to the ‘five pillars’ of Islam: 1.Shahadah: Repetition of the creed 2.Daily prayer (Daily prayer is recited five times per day and cleanse themselves before praying. During prayer, Muslims must face in the direction of Mecca) 3.Almsgiving (giving to the poor and needy, 1/40 of one’s income) 4.Fasting during Ramadan (abstain from food, drink, medicine, tobacco, sex from sunrise to sundown) 5.Pilgrimage to Mecca once in one’s lifetime if one is able

9. Islamic art Forbids of representation of god’s creatures Islamic design motifs are recognizable and can be divided into three main categories: – Floral design – Geometric designs – Calligraphy, writing in Arabic script

10. Floral motifs

11. geometric designs

12. calligraphy

14. Muslim Culture Muslims vary according to local cultures – just like Christians in Korea are different from southern American Baptists and Catholics in Italy, Muslims are different around the world and dress differently depending on local customs “I am a Muslim”: – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQXh20OuhIc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQXh20OuhIc&feature=related Muslim call to prayer: – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAvlimEYEpQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAvlimEYEpQ

20. Muslim Culture Muslims vary according to local cultures – just like Christians in Korea are different from southern American Baptists and Catholics in Italy, Muslims are different around the world and dress differently depending on local customs “I am a Muslim”: – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQXh20OuhIc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQXh20OuhIc&feature=related Muslim call to prayer: – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAvlimEYEpQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAvlimEYEpQ

21. Mosques: Muslim places of worship The five daily prayers are held in mosques as well as Friday congregations, as Friday is the holy day for Muslims The Imam leads the prayer Mosques originated on the Arabian Peninsula but are found on all inhabited continents Many mosques have a minaret, or tall slender tower that is situated at one of the corners of the mosque – Minarets were originally intended to bring mosques on par with Christian churches with their bell towers – Mosque architects borrowed the shape of early bell towers, which were used for essentially the same purpose: calling the faithful to prayer Worshipers must wash before entering the mosque – washing areas are a key feature in mosques Mosques have no furniture – worshipers sit on the floor

25. Mosque design Extremely flexible – there is no one pattern for mosque design Mosques must have the following features: – Must face in the direction of Mecca – Must have an open area for worshipers – Mihrab – niche in the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca Other features include: – A minbar, or stepped feature from which the Imam conducts the service – carpets

29. China Tunisia

30. Yogyakarta, Indonesia Melaka, Malaysia

31. Pakistan Poland How is the variation of mosque styles similar to the variation found in Christian houses of worship?

32. Mosque at Cordova, Spain, started in 786 CE (Islam is said to have begin in 622 CE) Muslims came to dominate trans-Saharan trade routes. Islam became the dominant faith of North and West Africa as well as Spain and Portugal. By the 10 th century, Cordoba became the most important center of learning in Europe. Sephardic and Spanish Jews were important contributors to this vibrant and sophisticated Spanish culture.

33. Like Islamic Africa, Islamic Spain maintained its own indigenous traditions while it absorbed Muslim ones. Religious tolerance was extended to all, although Muslims were exempt from taxes, while Christians and Jews were not. Muslim mathematicians in Spain invented algebra and introduced the concept of zero to the west. What did this system replace?

35. Mosque of Sultan Sulayman, 1550-57, Istanbul -main mosque of Istanbul, enormous complex that includes tombs, hospitals, and facilities for traveling merchants

37. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, 532-37 CE Mosque of Sultan Sulayman, Istanbul, 1550-57 CE How is the Hagia Sophia similar to the Mosque of Sultan Sulayman? Why are they so similar?

40. Alhambra Palace, Granada, Spain – palace fortress one of the masterpieces of Muslim Moorish architecture

42. The architectural function is obscured – structural features are disguised in light-looking lacy webs, stone ceilings appear to float

46. -Court of the Lions, Alhambra -Quintessential Moorish style -emphasis on decorative surfaces, all surfaces ornamented

47. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, late 680s-692 CE This is a holy site for Jews, Christians and Muslims?

48. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, late 680s-692 CE This is a holy site for Jews, Christians and Muslims -site of patriarch Abraham’s aborted sacrifice of his son, Isaac -site of Solomon’s Temple where Jesus debated rabbis and where he preached

49. Interior views of the Dome of the Rock

50. Intricate tile work on the exterior of the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

51. Hisham’s Palace, Jericho, Palestine

52. 1550 CE Persian miniature painting, depicting the Prophet Muhammad ascending on the Burak into the Heavens -the art form peaked during the 13 th -16 th centuries -was heavily influenced by Chinese paintings as the Mongol rulers of Persia brought with them numerous Chinese artists (Islamic angels depicted wearing Chinese robes!) -Persian miniatures influenced later Mughal miniatures

53. Chinese miniature painting, 1494 CE

54. Silk Road

55. Persian miniature, depicting the construction of a fort, Heart, Afghanistan, 1494 CE

56. Isfahan, Iran, 1669

57. Mughal miniature, newly crowned emperor on throne

58. 17 th century Mughal painting

59. Islamic Heritage The Thousand and One Nights – a compilation of prose tales from Persian, Arabic, and Indian sources – The tales were united into a single narrative between the 8 th and 10 th centuries in Baghdad – The framing tale derives from the Indian story of Scheherazade [SHAHH-raa- zaad], a woman who chooses to marry King Shahryar [shahh-ra-YAHR], who so fears the prospect of female infidelity that he kills each new wife on the morning after their wedding night. – Scheherazade knows that if she tells a story each night and constructs it so it reaches the climax just after dawn, the king must let her live until the next evening to hear the tale’s ending – After a thousand nights (and about 250 tales), the king comes to appreciate Scheherazade’s beauty, wit, and civilizing power and spares her the fate of his previous wives – The story shows the centrality of love and sexuality in Islamic culture – most of the eroticism and ribald humor have been sanitized in western re-tellings – The stories of Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba and Aladdin are among the stories in the tale that are still popularized today

60. Islamic Heritage (continued) Islam is often considered outside the Western tradition, but it is a fundamental part of Western heritage Western music and the Western orchestra originates in Muslim musical traditions The love poem is first developed in the Muslim world Decorative effects in Medieval architecture reflect the interlace and arabesques of Islamic architecture Other inventions by Muslims: – Coffee – the beans were first used to make coffee by Arab Muslims in the 15 th century – Sugar refineries and sweets – Muslims developed advanced ways to produce and refine sugar which led to the production of confectioneries by the Arabs – The three course meal in Islamic Spain: soup, main course and dessert (10 th century) – Petroleum industry, 8 th century, when the streets of Baghdad were paved with tar, derived from petroleum

61. Inventions (continued) Kerosene lamp, 9 th century Litter collection facilities, Cordoba Modern soap bar Toothpaste Medical school Public hospital Wind-powered fountain Alcohol as antiseptic Cough medicine Cancer surgery General anaesthesia Magnifying glass algebra Hydropowered water raising machine, 1206

62. Divergences between Christianity and Islam Islam’s insistence Jesus is a ‘mere’ prophet and not the son of God and its belief that the Qur’an superseded both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures inevitably came into conflict with the Christian West To the European Christians who joined the First Crusade in 1095, Islam represented the forces of darkness – 100,000 Christians gathered to march to Jerusalem to ‘liberate’ it from Muslim domination A symbol of this tension is an Islamic bronze griffin, which once sat on top of a Cathedral in Pisa, Italy – To Muslims, the griffin was a symbol of eagle-like vigilance, lion-like courage and the rich history of Mesopotamia and Persia. – When Christians stole the griffin and placed it on their cathedral, they changed its meaning to symbolize the dual nature of Christ: divinity (eagle) and humanity (lion). To the Christians, this creature was the image of the Christian victory over Islam.

63. Baghdad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CisfV42nWpg National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad – looted in 2003 during the American invasion of Iraq

64. Baghdad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CisfV42nWpg National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad – looted in 2003 during the American invasion of Iraq *half of its contents still missing

65. Afghanistan Pre-Islamic gold crown, 1 st century AD, collapsible for easy transport by ancient nomads