Islam

IslamCh 6

I. IntroductionArabian PeninsulaDesert RegionHome of IslamNomadic backwater peopleTraveled from Oasis to OasisPeople were tribe/ clan focusedResulted in feudsWere polytheistic but had no religious moral code I. Introduction

I. IntroductionMain town centers-Mecca & MedinaMecca housed Kaba and was a center for tradeRan by Umayyad clan of Quraysh tribePeopleWomen had greater freedom (lineage through women)Males were polygamist and women could have multiple partners Status earned through warfareTribes led by ShayksI. IntroductionReligion was not strictGods were neglectedQuraysh tribe was monotheistic and believed in one god, Allah.Muhammads tribeII. Muhammad Born to the Quraysh tribeBoth parents diedRaised by uncle (Abu Talib) and grandfatherFamily was fairly wealthyWas exposed to Christianity/ JudaismII. MuhammadEventually moved to MeccaBecame a merchant and worked under KhadijahBecame disillusioned with life as a merchant

II. MuhammadProblems with way of lifeInequality among classesClass RivalriesInter-clan tensionExtremely wealthy UmayyadsProblems with polytheistic religionsII. MuhammadMuhammad had his first revelation from Gabriel in 610 ADBelieved his visions were the fulfillment/ clarification of other prophetsDid not write visions down.Wives wrote them in the Qur'an and recorded the hadiths (traditions of the prophet) II. MuhammadCame up with 5 pillarsConfession No god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet- La illaha illalah; Muhamador-rasul-allah.Pray five times a day facing MeccaFast during RamadanZakat- Tithe for the poorHajj- pilgrimage to Kaba to worship AllahII. MuhammadOriginally had only a few followersSeen as a threat to Mecca and Umayyad wealth and powerSnuck away to MedinaMediated clan disputes (wise political leader)Umayyad attacked but were defeated10000 converts destroy the idols in KabaMecca convertsMuhammad dies in 632 ADCaused major problems (Sunni and Shiite split)

III. Early Islamic ConvertsArab ConvertsUniversal monotheistic religionNo PriestEnded feuds and vendetta killingsReligious EthicsZakat- charity for the poor and no overtaxing poorRegulate life for Judgment DayIII. Early Islamic ConvertsNon-Arab ConvertsStrict MonotheismDeveloped legal codesEgalitarianismStrong sense of communityAccepted older teachings- Islam just improves itIV. Umayad EmpireStarted with disagreement over a CaliphAli: Muhammads son-in-law (too young)Abu Bakr (632-634): Friend of MuhammadDefeated rival prophets- Ridda WarsUnified Arab Peninsula and invaded Byzantium and PersiaUsed war to unify peopleRaiding to gain wealth (taxes)IV. Umayad EmpireSunni vs. ShiiteSunni- Backed Umayyads (Abu Bakr), Caliph is chosen by dominant clanShiite- Backed Ali, Caliph is descendant of MuhammadExploded when Uthman (3rd Caliph) was murderedAli was proclaimed caliph IV. Umayad EmpireAli was a famous warrior and was winning at the Battle of SiffinLost support by talking out the rest of the battleWas otherthrownAssassinated in 661 ADMuawiya was put in as new Caliph in 660 AD

IV. Umayad EmpireUmayad ImperiumConquest during 7th centuryFrom India to SpainBlocked by Charles Martel in 732 ADMoved political center to DamascusArab/ Muslim aristocracyStrong bureaucracy IV. Umayads EmpireConvertsNon-Arab Muslim converts were called mawaliStill had to pay property taxesNon-believers paid Jizya (head tax)Christians and Jews were called dhimmi (people of the book)IV. Umayad EmpireDeclineBecame very focused on luxuryStopped fighting warsMerv- warriors were suppose to be separatedAlso never got treasure from conquestRevolted and joined the Abbasid party (Muhammads uncle al-Abbas)Formed alliances with other dissenters Mawali (non-Arab converts) also joined the causeIV. Umayad Empire750 AD Abbasid forces defeated Umayyad forces in the Battle on the River ZabResulted in a massacre of the Umayyad clan at a peace banquet.Hunted the rest of the family downV. Abbasid EmpireNamed after Abu al-AbbasidExpanded bureaucracyWazir and Royal ExecutionerHelped control empirePushed for conversion and Mawali acceptanceMawali were exempt from head taxGiven same treatment as Arab MuslimsStopped dividing bootyV. Abbasid EmpireCommercial expansionHeavily involved in tradeIndian numerals became Arabic numeralsGuilds were formedLuxury goods created for wealthySlave labor- mining/ farming Could earn freedomShips called dhows1st global civilization

V. Abbasid EmpireCultural MosqueSchoolsBath housesHospitalsArabicUnified language, language of Qur'anArtCould not use images of people or animalsGeometric designs and flowers 1001 Arabian NightsPreserved classical works and architecture

Sunni vs. Shiite

SunnahShia (or Shi'ah)

adherents calledSunnisShiites, Shi'i

meaning of name"well-trodden path" or "tradition""party" or "partisans" of Ali

current adherents940 million120 million

percentage of total Muslims90%10%

primary locationsmost Muslim countriesIran, Iraq, Yemen

did Muhammad designate a successor?noyes

true successor of the ProphetAbu Bakr, father of the Prophet's favoured wife, 'A'ishah (elected by people of Medina)'Ali ibn Abi Talib, husband of the Prophet's daughter Fatimah (designated by the Prophet)

qualifications for ruler of Islamtribe of the Prophet (Quraysh); later, any qualified rulerfamily of the Prophet

current leadersimamsmujtahids

identity of imamshuman leadersinfallible manifestations of God and perfect interpreters of the Qur'an

Al Mahdiwill come in the futurewas already on earth, is currently the "hidden imam" who works through mujtahids to intepret Qur'an; and will return at the end of time

religious authority other than the Qu'ranijma' (consensus) of the Muslim communityinfallible imams

temporary marriage (mut'ah)practiced in the Prophet's time, but now rejectedstill practiced