The Muslim World622-1250

Early Expansion: Arab conquests of the first Islamic century brought vast territory under Muslim rule, but conversion proceeded slowly. In most areas outside the Arabian peninsula, the only region where Arabic was then spoken, conversion did not accelerate until the third century after the conquest.

Rise of Islam600-1200 AD

• How did Muhammad become the prophet of Islam?

• What are the teachings of Islam?

• How did Islam help shape the way of life of its believers?

• How did Arab conquests grow out of the career of Muhammad?

• Why did the caliphate break up?

• How did Muslim societies differ from region to region?

• What was the relationship between urbanization & development of Islamic culture?

Geography

Geographic Context

• Islam emerged from the Arabian Peninsula

• Mostly desert but farming possible in many areas

• Trading on coasts• Bedouins dominated

desert• Traded with others• Frequent wars over water

Arabia Before Muhammad

• Diverse due to geography but linked by caravan trading

• Some Arabs allied w/ Sasanians, some w/Byzantines

• pastoralists in South isolated/independent- dominated caravan trade of incense

• camel saddle• Rise of caravan cities-

Petra• Polytheistic-each tribe had

own gods• Animistic/natural forces,

celestial bodies

Mecca: Religious & Trade Center

• Market town at Xroads of 2 main caravan routes

• Safety zone• Trade/Pilgrimage brought

profit to local merchants• Idols housed in Kaaba-

ancient shrine-believed built by Abraham

• Nearby site where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son -not Isaac-Ishmael son of Hagar

• housed statues of many local gods/goddesses

The Kaaba• black stone

embedded in corner-gift from angel Gabriel to prophet Abraham

• Housed stones, statues, Christian pictures

• Ruling tribe- Quraysh- encouraged tribes to place their idols for protection

• By 500 AD 360 idols were within the Kaaba

Population of Mecca

• Heterogeneous, diverse

• Arab tribes• Syrians-caravan

leaders• Merchants• Traveling monks• Christians• Jews• No social unity

Muhammad’s Early Life

• Born in Mecca in 570

• orphan• Became

shepherd in uncle’s Bedouin tribe

• Became trader• Married older, rich

widow, Khadija• son died• Devoted

husband/father to daughters

Muhammad’s Vision• Troubled by idol worship/

moral decline in society• Went to cave to meditate• He heard voice saying,

“Recite”• “Recite in the name of your

God, the Creator, who created man from clots of blood”

• Angel Gabriel, called him to be messenger of God

• Khadija, Ali,his uncle’s son & Abu Bakr, his BFF, believed in him- became first converts

• received revelations until his death

• These became the Qu’ran• Islam means submission or

surrender

The Hijra: A Turning Point

• Muhammad’s message angered Meccan merchants

• Feared loss of pilgrimage profits

• In 622, faced with murder, Muhammad & followers left Mecca for Yathrib

• Renamed Medina, or “city of the Prophet”

• 1st year of Muslim calendar

Turning Point

• welcomed in Medina as religious & political ruler

• Reputation grew, many converted

• Muhammad & followers attacked- defeated Meccans

Destruction of the Idols

• In 630, he returned to Mecca- destroyed idols in Kaaba

• United Arabs under Islam

• Died in 632

Teachings of Islam

• Monotheistic• The Quran• God is all powerful• People are responsible

for their actions• Final judgment before

God• No official priests to

mediate between people and God

The Five Pillars

People of the Book

• Same God as Jews and Christians

• Quran is God’s final and complete revelation

• Torah & Bible are partial revelations from God

• All are “People of the Book”

Muhammad’s Teachings

• Message of equality & God’s sovereignty based on Judeo-Christian tradition but with major differences

Muhammad’s Teachings

• Allah was the one & only God & all should submit-be thankful to Him

• All believers were equal under Allah

• The rich should share wealth with poor

• Allah knows every person’s destiny

• People should strive to live righteously- avoid impiety

• All would be subject to Judgment Day

Prophet Muhammad & Muslim Army Battle of Uhudillustrated manuscript 1594

The Caliphate

• Muhammad died 632 CE• Crisis - no heir, no

instructions• Abu Bakr –Muhammad’s

father-in-law & loyal follower became 1st Caliph

• “If you worship Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. If you worship God, God is alive.”

The Caliphate & Spread of Islam

• Abu Bakr & next 3 “Rightly Guided Caliphs” unified Arabs-conquered through series of jihads against neighboring empires

• Attacked Syria, which was controlled by Byzantine Empire

• Iraq ruled by Persian Sasanians

The Second “Rightly Guided” Caliph

• Abu Bakr died in 634 CE

• Umar elected as Second Caliph

• Ruled for 10 years• Captured

Damascus & Jerusalem

• By 644 CE Muslims controlled all of Persian area of Iraq-most of Iran

The Third “Rightly Guided” Caliph

• Uthman ibn Affan• serious conflicts

within the umma• Uthman’s family

were Umayyads-had opposed Muhammad- some resented his leadership

• Opposition to Uthman grew

• 659 CE, he was assassinated

Fourth “Rightly Guided” Caliph• Ali– son of

Muhammad’s uncle• Fatima- Muhammad’s

daughter• Ali’s followers believed

only Muhammad’s blood relations should rule

• Conflict between Ali & Uthman’s clans

• Ali assassinated in 661 by own followers-unhappy b/c he negotiated rather than destroyed his enemies

• last caliph who knew Muhammad personally

Shi’a & Sunni Sects

• Mu’awiyah - governor of Syria took over leadership

• Moved capital to Damascus

• Began Umayyad Dynasty

• Conflict with descendants of Ali- called Shi’a- over leadership

• Shi’a led many revolts against Umayyads

Sunni

• Caliph should be chosen by leaders of the community

• Should be pious

• Political leader-not religious authority

• Inspiration came from Muhammad’s example

Shiites

• True successor must be descended from Muhammad’s daughter & son-in-law Fatima & Ali

• Descendants divinely inspired

• Admire martyrdom as demonstration of faith

Sufi

• Arabic for wool• mystics sought

communion w/ God through meditation, fasting, prayer & other rituals

• Respected for piety & miraculous powers

• Helped spread Islam through missionary work

• Blended Muslim beliefs & culture w/ local traditions

Inducing an Ecstatic State

Which of the following was not under Muslim control by 750?

Spain, Egypt, Syria, Ethiopia?

End of Umayyads (Mostly)

• Vigorous religious & political opposition led to downfall of Umayyad caliphate• Abbasids overthrew Umayyads in 750 AD• Ruthlessly murdered all Umayyads • Only Prince Abd al-Rahman escaped & fled to Spain (al-Andalus) which was

controlled by Berbers-Muslims from N. Africa• Set up rival Umayyad caliphate

Rise of Abbasids

• Moved capital to Baghdad in 762AD• Controlled key trade routes-provided access to goods,

gold, information• Strong bureaucracy• Treasury kept track flow of money• Taxes on land, imports, exports, non-Muslims• Special department managed the army• Diplomats sent to major courts Europe, Asia, Africa• Foreign diplomats welcomed to Baghdad

More Rivalry

• Abbasids could not maintain unity of caliphate• Fatimid Caliphate formed in N. Africa- spread across Red Sea, into

Arabia & Syria• Still united under Islam, language, trade, economy

Muslim Trade Network

• Connected to all parts of the world

• Single language • Single currency• Banks

• Sakks (checks)

Islam: A Way of Life

• Both a religion & way of life

• Islamic law govern many aspects of daily life

• Traditions determine ethical behavior & influence family relations

Sharia

•Does not separate religious from secular

•Applies the Qu’ran to all legal situations

•Regulates moral conduct

•Family life

•Business practices

•Government

•Helped unite Muslims

•Legal ruling is called a fatwa

Reasons for Success?

• Weakness of Byzantine & Persian empires

• Common faith– Belief in Islam &

paradise

• Arabs welcomed as liberators from unpopular Byzantine & Persian rulers

• Bold, efficient fighting methods– Camel & horse cavalry

Muslim Culture: Cities

• Symbolized strength of caliphate

• Baghdad was capital of Abbasid empire

• Baghdad’s city plan included circular design & protective walls

Social Classes

• Muslims by birth• Converts to

Islam• Christians,

Jews, Zoroastrians

• slaves

Role of Women

• All are equal• Men are

managers of women’s affairs

• Women should be obedient

• Legal rights: marriage, family, divorce, property

• Shari’a allowed men to have 4 wives

“If the wives of a man, or the daughters of a man go out into the street, their heads are to be veiled. The prostitute is not to be veiled. Maidservants are not to veil themselves. Veiled harlots and maidservants shall have their garments seized and 50 blows inflicted on them and bitumen poured on their heads.”

Responsibilities of Women

• Varied with income of husband

• Poor women worked with husband

• Wealthy women managed household

• Access to education• Raised children• During early period

women could participate in public life & gain an education

• Over time, secluded/veiled

Muslim Science & Scholarship

• Muhammad promoted learning

• Astronomers & Mathematicians were necessary:

• Time of prayer• Direction of Mecca• Curious about world• Desire for truth

Art and Science Flourish

• House of Wisdom• Research, editors,

linguists, technical advisors

• Standards, techniques for research

• Used Greek ideas• Influenced later

European learning

Muslim Literature

• The Qur’an• Poetry• Popular

Literature

One Thousand and One Nights

Muslim Art

• Calligraphy

Muslim Architecture

Muslim Contributions

• Medicine– Cataract surgery

• Math– algebra

• Science– Scientific observation– Experimentation