The Islamic World 600 to 1500 A.D.

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The Islamic World 600 to 1500 A.D.

• Arabia
• - Land of Contrasts
• - Well watered in the South
• - Desert and Oasis communities in the North
• Mecca
• - Crossroads for trade routes
• - Site of the Kaaba Shrine

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Bedouin Society

• Nomadic
• Basic unit is the tribe
• - Townsmen (Oasis), Nomads, Semi-nomads
• - Ruler is the Sheikh (warrior in the North and
  Religious leader in the South)
• - Council of Elders (majlis)
• - Tribes are autonomous
• - herding and raiding or trade are means of
  support

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Pre-Islamic Religion

• Polytheistic with Supreme God Allah heading a
  community of local spirits
• Community of faith, no priests
• Each tribe possesses a sacred stone
• All tribes worship a sacred black meteorite
  called Kaaba located in Mecca
• Surrounded and heavily influenced by Judaism,
  Eastern Orthodoxy(Christianity) and Zoroastrians

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5th and 6th Century Changes

• Economic importance of Arabia Grows
• - Byzantine/Persian wars cut trade routes
• - Sea route from India to Arabia expands
• - Trading communities become wealthy
• - Friction grows between wealthy merchants and
  the Bedouins

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• Into this increasingly intense world steps
  Muhammad
• Orphaned member of powerful Kurash tribe in Mecca
• Works as caravan manager for his uncle until he
  marries a wealthy widow
• Age 40 he starts asking questions How to live
  properly?
• Meditates and finally receives revelations from
  the Angel Gabriel

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God calls Muhammad to Teach

• Relies on other religions, but introduces some
  new ideas
• Agrees with Rigid monotheism of other religions
  and absolute power of God (Allah)
• Contrasts
• No chosen people, God is tied to all people
• Jesus is a prophet not God as God cant mingle
  with earthly substance
• All pious monotheists are Muslims they are just
  misguided and dont realize it

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Principle of Islam

• Humans must behave morally
• Use reason as a tool to find their way
• All who submit to Allah are brothers (Islam)
• Social justice is central to Islam
• One is required to exert oneself (Jihad) to
  spread the word

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Quran

• Originally Muhammad memorizes the revelations
  from Gabriel and the Quran (recitation) is
  spoken
• Eventually written down about 651 A.D.
• Principles of submission, absolute obedience
• Followers of earlier prophets have strayed and
  Muhammad is the last and greatest prophet
• hadith (reports of the words/actions of
  Muhammad)became the chief source of legal and
  religious norms.

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5 Pillars of Islam

• Confession of Faith There is no God but Allah,
  and Muhammad is his prophet
• Daily prayer (first 3 then 5 times daily towards
  Jerusalem then Mecca)
• Fast during Ramadan (atonement)
• Zakat (tithe or charitable giving)
• Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca once in lifetime)

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Early Islam

• Claims to be last prophet of one and only God
• Muhammad and 30 followers eventually flee to
  Medina a rival city (Hegira)
• Basic ideas emerge
• No alcohol, pork
• Honesty, modesty, fair inheritance
• Womens rights marriage, divorce
• Hajj, and worship rituals

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Early Islam

• Muhammad rejected by Jews of Medina
• Forms powerful political block by raiding
  caravans and attracts followers
• Defines community of followers as the Umma
  (community)
• Seizes control of Medina and then conquers Mecca
  with army of 10,000
• People of the Book (dhimmis) are largely left
  alone if the submit to Muhammad

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The Rise of Islam 610-750 AD.

• Muhammads Vision (Khadija)
• -Monotheism, 5 pillars (declaration of faith,
  daily prayer, charity, Ramadan fast, hajj)
• People of the book, Sharia
• First Four Caliphs to 750 AD. Conquer Syria,
  Palestine, Persia, Egypt, North Africa
• Why? Neighbors weak, Mobile war, unity
• -tax non-Muslims, protect People of the Book

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Expansion of Islam

• 3 Phases
• 650 Arabic phase
• 650-950 A.D. Ummayad and Early Abbasid
• Post 950 Post Abbasid and Mongol/Turkic
• Western
• Arabia, Egypt, Mesopotamia (Arabic Speakers)
• North Africa Trade precedes conquest many elites
  are Pre-converted, Spain 711, France, 719,
  Defeated by Charles Martel 733

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Expansion of Islam

• Eastern
• Destroy Persian Army in 651A.D., well into
  central Asia by 700 and reach India 713 A.D.
• Why the success?
• Jihad spread the faith
• Religious cohesion and Zeal Not unusual to have
  nomad invasions, but religion keeps them from
  being absorbed like earlier invasions
• Equality no peasants means it is attractive to
  the poor
• Byzantines and Sassanid Persians locked in a war
• Fine Arnies Fixed salaries, pay and loot
  attractive to Bedouins, Martyrdom,
  (loot,loot,loot)
• Tolerance of dhimmis (People of the book) NO!!!!
  polytheists

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Successors to Muhammad

• No clear successor to M when he dies
• Will Islam survive? Revolts follow his death
• First 4 Khalifs
• Abu Bakr elected Khalifa (successor)
• Enforces Qurannic law dies 534
• Duties emerge links religion and govt , but not
  a Pope!!!! Control military and economy, publish
  Quran

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Successors to Muhammad

• Ummar 634-44 surge out of Arabia, seize fertile
  crescent, Egypt, Most of Iran, after he dies
  continue to N. Africa and rest of Iran by 650
• 3rd Khalif Uthman
• Accused of advancing his family and is
  assassinated
• Dispute arises is the Khalif supposed to be
  related to Muhammad, the best leader or most
  moral person???

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Successors to Muhammad

• Ali is elected but cousin of Uthman Muaiwya
  refuses to accept him
• Civil war and Ummayad 661-750 family rises to
  power with Muaiwya Khalif
• Leads to permanents split in Islamic Sects

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The Ulama

• Khalif is not a Caesar-pope
• Religious leaders are separate and preserve,
  interpret and apply the Quran
• Develop legal concepts, grammar rules, phonetic
  alphabet and script
• Scholars called Ulama
• By 9th Century serve as legal advisors,
  theologians, and interpret criminal law
• Called Sharia Law legal, social, commercial,
  political, ritual, moral issues all addressed
• Ulama not a formal Clergy but form a new Scholar
  elite

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Islamic Sects

• Sunnis (Sunna tradition)
• Best qualified leader should be Khalif
• Absolute ruler, community/unity most important
• Rely on Quran, views of the Prophet (sunnas) and
  Ulama (Ummayad are Sunnis)
• Kharijites (seceders)
• Bedouin warriors strict Quran principles
• Total equality, only morally pure can lead
• Depose leaders for immorality
• Khalifs live in luxury are corrupt and sinners
  are not Muslims
• Constantly split and re-split as each decides who
  real Khalif is.

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Islamic Sects

• Shiites (Partisans) are family of Ali
• Family of Muhammad or his daughter should be
  Khalif
• Divide political and religious authority
• Khalif is political and Military leader
• Imam is descended from Muhammad, sinless,
  inspired by God
• Resolves conflicts over Quran
• Mahdi, the guided one, will one day arise and
  create a Messianic age ending in Judgment day

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Umayyad Dynasty 661-750 AD.

• 3rd Caliph is murdered and replaced by Muhammads
  son-in-law Ali and Ali is then killed
• Splits Islam over Caliphate
• Umayyads Arab phase
• local officials, vast wealth, religious bias
• Appoint governors, collect taxes
• Use local bureaucracy to run empire
• Khalif is shadow of God on earth and Emirs
  (governors) and Amirs (Military) below him

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Umayyad Dynasty 661-750 AD.

• Govern Empire with Sharia
• Ulama runs schools (Madrasah) in every city and
  scholars travel so law code is uniform
• Religious and political unity call Dar al Islam
• Diwan
• Sets up precedence of tribes Arabs superior
• Arabic survives because Quran is not translated
• Non Arabs are 2nd class, become clients of Arab
  tribes
• Constant Arab/Persian Tension
• Early on decide Islam is universal and anyone can
  convert even though the lose the head tax on
  non-muslims

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Abbasid Dynasty 750-1258

• Kill Umayyads at a banquet
• End Arab domination
• Universal conversion to Islam
• Mosques, Minarets, markets, massive trade in
  Baghdad
• Umayyad Spain breaks away 850, Seljuk invasion
  900 -1055, Crusades 1099-1244, Mongols 1216-1258

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Abbasids 750 - 950

• Emerge from Oxus River Region in central Asia
• Use Asians and Persians to seize control 750 A.D.
• Leaders form various ethnic groups
• Persian language grows
• Move capital to Baghdad from Damascus
• Spain and N. Africa remain Ummayad
• Come to rely on Viziers (Prime minister) and
  Mameluk slave warriors to protect state
• After 850 steady decline and splintering of Empire

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Abbasids Decline 850- 950

• 850 N. Africa Breaks away under Harun Al Rashid
• Iran breaks away
• Slave revolt in Mesopotamia
• Buyid Clan seizes control945 but keeps Abbasids
  as figureheads Buyid are Shiites
• Seljuks invade in 1055 and keep Abbasids as
  figureheads to 1258
• Royal court is huge, costs terrible, layers of
  officials corrupt

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Culture

• Social mobility, slavery (servants), sea and
  desert trade roots (spreads math, sugar, paper,
  bank check,
• Arabesque, calligraphy, literature, medicine,
  astronomy, philosophy