1. Mr. Toma Midwest City High School
Chapter Six The First Global Civilization: The Rise and Spread of Islam
Mr. Toma Midwest City High School

2. Arabian Peninsula
Landscape was dry and inhospitable, although coastal regions had extensive agriculture.

3. Pre-Islamic Arabia
Bedouin (nomadic) cultures were first civilizations on Arabian peninsula.
Organized into clans (kin-related) and tribes (groups of clans).
Clan cohesion and wars over pasturelands (needed for grazing lands) caused inter-clan rivalries.

4. The Eastern Mediterranean
By about 600 c.e. lands of Rome had been overtaken by the Goths and Vandals and the East Roman Empire (Byzantine) was spreading its influence into northern territories.
The Sasanid (neo-persian) Empire ( C.E.), which was led by warrior elites, main purpose was to serve as military strongpoints protecting long distance trade. The Silk Road brought many new crops to Mesopotamia and the Sasanid’s again reestablished Zoroastrianism as the faith of the empire. 2nd Persian Empire
The proclamations of both Zoroastrianism and Christianity as official faiths marked the emergence of religion as an instrument of politics both within and between empires.
This politicization of religion greatly affected the culture of the Silk Road and would shape governments to follow.

5. The Byzantine Empire During the Reign of Justinian

6. Pre-Islamic Arabia Transcontinental trading was very common
Wealthy merchants were the elite.
Mecca: important city for trading and site of religious shrine (Ka’aba)for polytheistic worship.
Tribes often matriarchal because husbands were often traders.
Religion: animism and polytheism.

7. Abrahamic Religions
Monotheistic faiths of Middle Eastern origins that trace a common origin to Abraham.
Judaism
Christianity
Islam

8. Life of Muhammad
570 CE: Muhammad was born into a prominent and respected clan
Raised by his Uncle, a merchant.
Became a merchant when he marries a wealthy businesswoman Khadija; widely traveled into Christian and Jewish regions.
610 CE: received first of many revelations in Mecca.
Muslims believe that God transmitted revelations to Muhammad through Angel Gabriel.
Revelations were later written down in Arabic and are called the Qu’ran.

9. The Religion: the Koran (Qu’ran)
the Koran (Qu’ran): contains much of Mohammed recounting of Allah’s teachings
written down by his followers after his death
from notes and memories, on “stones and parchments”
Short: 114 chapters
arranged from longest to the shortest
not by subject or chronologically
length is the criterion of order for the text

10. The Koran, con’t some “Old” and “New” Testaments stories
but sometimes the story seems a bit different to Jews and Christians
parables and fables
political polemic and prophecy
“non-religious” subjects
not dissimilar to Jewish and Christian scriptures in some ways

11. Mecca  medina
Mecca
Located in the mountains along the Red Sea on the western coast of Arabia.
Most important link of the Arabian trading system
Founded by the Umayyad clan of the Quraysh tribe.
Medina (Yathrib): Oasis town. Dominated by two Bedouin and three Jewish clans.
Wells and springs made farming possible.
Engaged in trade on a much smaller scale.

12. Mecca  medina Begins with a small following, quickly grows.
Umayyad Merchant clan leaders saw Muhammad as a threat and planned on killing him.
In 622 CE, he flees from Mecca to Medina. (hijra)
Continued to gather believers (Umma)
629 CE: journeys back to Mecca and conquers city; Ka’aba is now a Muslim shrine
632 CE: dies without naming a successor.

13. Significance of Islam Islam means “submission” to Allah (God).
Muhammad is last of a series of prophets (including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus)
Islam transcended tribes, clans and class divisions.
Strong sense of community: helped to end many feuds between tribes and built community based on religion.
Created an ethical system and legal/moral code: people now were held accountable for actions.
Allah (God) in Arabic

14. 5 Pillars of Islam Confession of faith (Uncompromising monotheism)
Salat Pray, facing Mecca five times a day
Fast during Ramadan (commemorates Muhammad’s first revelation)
Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca to worship at ka’aba)
Zakat Give to charity, social responsibility

15. Additional teachings dietary laws no gambling or drinking
no sexual irregularities, as defined by tradition and custom
no faulty weights or usury
no infanticide
elaborate rules concerning inheritance and property
improvement in the status of women and children

16. Changing Status of Women
Qu’ran improves status of women
Outlawed female infanticide
Brides, not husbands, claim dowries
Yet male dominance preserved
Patrilineal descent
Polygamy permitted, Polyandry forbidden
Veil adopted from ancient Mesopotamian practice

17. Similarities to Judaism and Christianity
monotheism (defined a bit differently)
insistence on the responsibility of human beings
final judgment and rewards
angels and spirits
practice of virtues: truthfulness, compassion, etc.

18. Differences an emphasis on compassion and mercy alms giving moderate
heaven conceived a bit differently
no priests or sacramental system
easy conversion: the Shahadah
‘There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.’

19. Islamic Law: The Sharia
Codification of Islamic law
Based on Quran, hadith, logical schools of analysis
Extends beyond ritual law to all areas of human activity
This is the basis the idea of an “Islamic republic” for instance

20. Muhammad's Successor?
Muhammad died in 632 CE: debate over who should succeed him.
Decided that a caliph (political and religious successor) should be designated.
Ali: cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad
Deemed too young
Abu Bakr: father-in-law, chosen because he understands politics of region and tribes. Ruled as Caliph C.E.

21. Sunni and Shia Muslims
The main division between Sunni and Shia Muslims is originally not a religious one, but a political one.
Sunni Muslims: Abu Bakr was the best choice as caliph; caliphs should be chosen from the umma (Muslim community). (85%)
Shia Muslims: Ali should have been picked as caliph (successor should have been kept in the family). They do not recognize the authority of Sunni Muslim leaders. (15%)
Over centuries, differences in belief and law develop which contributes to many major disputes in the region until this day

22. Geographical distribution of Sunni and Shia Muslims

23. Spread of Islam
Islamic faithful slowly converted Bedouin tribes, some through conquest and force but most are peaceful.
Ridda Wars, Series of battles Led by Abu Bakr to defeat rival prophets and larger clans.
Great desire to spread religion; expands by military conquest.
Full integration of converts into umma
No distinction between new converts and those who were raised in the faith
Converts do not have to pay dhimmi tax (non Muslim tax)

24. Rivals to Islamic expansion

25. Sasanian Empire Sasanian Empire
Last pre-Islamic heir to the Persian Empire
Power in hands of autocratic ruler, who was manipulated by wealthy landowning aristocrats
Rapid Muslim victories due to poorly prepared Sasanian troops. Capital taken which leads to collapse of empire
651 CE- last ruler assassinated and Persia is conquered

26. Tensions with the Byzantine empire
Muslim invaders received support of Coptic Christians in Egypt and Nestorians in Syria because Muslims taxed them less than the Orthodox church did.
Ultimately cannot defend against Arab assaults.
Muslim naval supremacy challenged Byzantine control of Mediterranean. By 640 Alexandria in Egypt had been taken.
Muslim invaders reduced strength of Byzantine Empire in N. Africa, Mediterranean, S. Italy

27. Caliphs and caliphates
Caliph = Islamic religious and political leader
Caliphate = dynasty of Islamic caliphs
Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliphs ( )
Abu Bakr; Umar; Uthman; Ali
Umayyads ( , centered in Damascus)
Abbasids ( , centered in Baghdad)
Córdobas ( , Iberia)
Fatimids ( , North Africa, Shi’a)
Almohads ( , North Africa, Iberia)
Ottomans ( )

29. Umayyad Caliphate 661-750 Damascus= Umayyad capital
Umayyads conquer many during this period, and unite areas through expansion.
People could convert to Islam, but little incentive because converts were inferior to born Muslims  Few Muslim converts during Umayyad era
Muslim Arabs were first class citizens
Paid lower taxes
Could join imperial administration and army
Received share of riches from conquests

30. Decline of umayyads Umayyad extravagance and riches
Luxurious lifestyles  Legitimacy is questioned; abandoned frugal, simple lifestyle of Muhammad
People resent extravagance of Umayyads, see them as corrupt and decadent.
Abbasid family/army rebels defeat the Umayyad army at the Battle of the River Zab in 750. The Abbasid Caliphate takes over
An Umayyad survivor, Abd-ar-Rahman I, flees to the Iberian Peninsula and creates the Caliphate of Córdoba.

32. Abbasid caliphate 750 C.E. – 1258 C.E.
Abbasids begin as Shi’ites but change to Sunnis.
Abbasids built new capital in Baghdad, Iraq
Converts (Mawali) are seen as equals.
Continue Umayyad style of excess and luxury
Harems: Originate with Abbasids, a household of wives and concubines
Abbasid caliphs are increasingly distracted, and the power of the wazir, or chief administrator, increases.
Head of caliph’s inner councils
Royal executioner
Built administrative infrastructure

34. CÓrdoba caliphate in Al-andalus 756-1031
Al-Andalus: Islamic Spain
711: Berbers (North African Muslims) move into Iberian peninsula
732: Halted at Battle of Tours in France
756: Umayyads arrive and begin Córdoba Caliphate
Preserved Greco-Roman knowledge that provides the basis for Islamic developments.
Unique Spanish Arabic style emerges in art, vocabulary, architecture.

35. Commercial Boom
Abbasids used dhows with triangular sails to carry goods for trade.
Muslims participate heavily in Indian Ocean Trade; become the dominant traders.
Muslims collaborate with Christians and Jews to trade.
Different Sabbaths meant trading all week
Artisans created glassware, jewelry, furniture, carpets.
Region with few natural resources.

36. Islamic Culture Architecture focused on great mosques with minarets.
Greco-Roman learning that had been lost after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire was recopied by Muslims and distributed throughout the empire for their use.
Writings from Aristotle (philosopher), Hippocrates (physician), Ptolemy (astronomer) and Euclid (mathematician) were saved.