1. Pre-Islamic Arabia up to the 600s Chapter 6 (part 1 of 5)

2. Islam did not arrive until the 600s

5. Arabian Peninsula Before Islam People considered backwards Lived in the desert Nomads who rode camels Bedouins = Arab nomads who rode camels

6. Clans Tough to survive in desert Families joined to form clans Clans joined to form tribes Rubin Family Insana Family Bergersen Family Costello Family Rubinsana Clan Bergello Clan L’Town Tribe

7. Clan Leadership Clan councils – Shaykhs met to make rules, enforced by warriors Shaykhs = Clan leaders selected by elders Examples of Rules: Regulated use of watering holes and grazing land

8. Clan Hierarchies Shaykhs Large herds, several wives, many children Warriors From families who made up the clan Slave Families conquered from other clans

9. Wealth Disparities

10. Within clans some families were wealthy, while some were poor Within tribes, some clans wealthy, some poor RubinsRubins InsanasInsanas RubinsanaRubinsana BergloBerglo

11. The Big Problem – Clan Fighting Fights constantly broke out between clans Fought over issues such as: -Grazing land -Defeat in horse race -An insult These feuds often lasted 100s of years Constant infighting hurt the bedouins: -Drained resources -Weakened bedouins compared to their neighbors

12. Women in Pre-Islamic Arabia Had more status than in surrounding empires (Byzantine and Sasanian) Played key economic roles: milking camels, weaving clothes, raising children Women did not have to wear veils, that came later Women still not equal: couldn’t be warriors, and property inheritance/divorce laws favored men

13. Religion In Pre-Islamic Arabia, religion was mostly mix of: 1.Animism 2.Polytheism Animism = worship of naturePolytheism = belief in many gods

14. Pre-Islamic Arab Culture Poetry was main cultural output and how we know what life was like Pre-Islamic art and architecture not advanced Visitors to Arab cities like Mecca thought architecture was unimpressive

15. 2 Major Cities: Mecca and Medina

16. Grew b/c along trade route Ruling Tribe = Quraysh Ruling Clan = Umayyad

17. The Ka’ba 1)Religious shrine in Mecca 2)Site of yearly truce as pilgrims came to Mecca 3)Helped business b/c visitors traded in peace 4)Big reason for Mecca being major city 1)Religious shrine in Mecca 2)Site of yearly truce as pilgrims came to Mecca 3)Helped business b/c visitors traded in peace 4)Big reason for Mecca being major city

18. City of the Prophet Muhammad Constant fights for control left Medina behind Mecca Like Mecca, grew b/c along trade route (formerly called Yathrib)