Arabs and Islam- Submission to the Will of Allah

Rise of Muslim State: 600-1000 Ad

Middle East, 7^th century

Arabian Peninsula

Mecca (urban center)

Tribes

Desert

Christianity, Judaism, polytheism

Nomadic

-Not a monotheistic entity

-80% of arabics are not muslims

-Before MuHammad M.E. was tribal

-Meca was the only city

-Religions were Christianity, Judaism, and polytheistic

Culture influences on Islam

-Persia because of administration and governance and literature

-India because of mathematics, science, medicine, “Hindi” numbers

-Greece because of philosophy, esp. Aristotle

-The Judes-Christian World because of monotheism and religious tradition

-The Silk and Royal Roads, diversity of ideas and desire for money.

The Koran

-as long as the New Testament

-114 suras, arranged from the longest to the shortest

-Most suras are collections of Muhammad’s teaching with no theme

-Cannot be translated, only paraphrased

-defines what Arabic is

The Origins

-Muhammad received revalation from the angel Gabriel in the cave of Hira in 610--622àHijrahàMuhammad flees Mecca for Medina, the beginning of the Muslim calendar

(1 A.H.)*

The Sharia

Codification of Islamic law

Based on Quran, hadith, logical school of analysis

Extends beyond ritual to all areas of human activity

Outlines how to live life

Five Pillars of Islam

1. God is Allah- Muhammad is his prophet

2. Salat- pray 5 times a day facing Mecca

3. Zakat- alms- giving 2.5% of income

4. Sawm- Ramadan- fasting

5. Hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca (2-3 million every year)

Muhammad returns to Mecca

Attacks Mecca (630)

Converts up to Islam

Destruction- pagan sites replaces w/ mosques

(Ka’aba preserved in honor of importance to Mecca)

Mt Moriah Rock- Muhammad ascended into heaven

Dome of the Rock Mosque (Jerusalem)

3 holy sites:

Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem

When Muhammad died, Saudi Arabia was dominantly Muslim

4 Selected Successors (caliphs)

Abu Bakr- caused split between Sunnis and Shi’ites

Ali Bin Abitalib- Abu’s rival elected (656-661); caused huge fight, ended democracy

Why did it spread so dang quickly and convert so many people?!

Inherent Appeal

Simplicity rights for women

Equality high moral teachings

Jihad

Military skill

Tolerance

Good government

Conversion Incentives

Tax on “people of the book” (Christians, Jews, Hindus, etc)

Forced conversion of pagans

Trade

Indonesia and sub-Saharan Africa

Expansion

Highly successful attacks on Byzantine (Sassanid territories)

Difficulties leading rapidly expanding territory

Caliph

No clear successor to Muhammad identified

Abu Bakr chosen to lead

Led war against villagers who abandoned Islam post Muhammad’s death

Schism (700 AD)

Reasons:

Who should succeed to Caliphate?

Incorporation of non-Koranic elements into Islam- worldlier

Worldliness of caliphs, discrimination against non-Arab Muslims

Shi’ites

10%

shia=party or faction

Radical fundamentalists

Mostly Iran

Sunnis

Sunna= beaten path

90%

Umayyad Dynasty (661-750 AD)

Meccan merchant class

Capital- Damascus, Syria

Associated w/ Arab military aristocracy

Expansion:

All N. Africa (Atlantic)

W. Europe

Central Asia

Wall of China

711 AD: conquer Spain and Portugal

Expansion into W. Europe blocked in France by Charles Martial (732)

Caliphs brutally liquidate all rivals

Bloom of architecture, arts, agriculture, and science

Policy towards conquered peoples:

Favoritism of Arab military rulers causes discontent

Limited social mobility of non-Arab Muslims

Umayyad luxurious living causes further decline in moral authority

*this was a general pattern of China, Rome, India in Golden Ages

Abassid Dynasty (750-1258)

Abu al-Abbas Sunni Arab allie w/ Shia, non-Arab Muslims

Seizes control- Persia, Mesopotamia

Defeats Umayyad army (750)(invite to banquet then massacre)

Empire center moves to Iraq and Iran

Baghdad becomes center of world at 2 million

Science, art, architecture, learning, wealth

Lighted streets, public baths, public libraries, hospitals everywhere

2^nd Umayyah Dynasty in Spain (9^th century)

Cordoba competes w/ Baghdad

Decline

Civil war between sons of rulers

Regional revolts for independence

Caliphs become puppets of Persian nobility

Turks gain influence until Turkish Sultan was real power behind throne

Economy of early Islamic World

Spread food/ industrial crops

Routes: India to Spain

Western diet adapt to new variety

New crops adapted to different growing season

Agricultural sciences develop

Cotton, paper industries develop

Major cities emerge: Baghdad and Cordoba, Spain were the largest

Formation of Hemispheric Trading Zone

Historical precedent of Arabic trade

Muslim Empire encompasses silk route

Camel caravans

Maritime trade

Banking and trade

Scale of trade causes banks to develop

Sakk- checks

Uniformity of Islamic law throughout (dar al-Islam and Islamic Empire)

Promotes trade

Joint ventures and stock companies are common

Changing status of women

Quran improves status

Outlaw female infanticide

Brides, not husbands, claim dowries

Male dominance still preserved

Patrilineal descent

Polygamy permitted, polyandry forbidden

Veil use continued

Effects of Islam

Preserved classical learning: Greece, Rome, India, some China

Innovations- astronomy, math

Link between East and West

“Arabic” numbers from India

Trigonometry from India

Ironically, sanctuary for Judaism

Contributions

Alcohol benzine alfalfa almanac

Alkali boron algorithm azimuth

Alchemy zircon algebra most star names

Spread of Islam

Jihad

3 levels:

Personal: soul

Verbal

Physical

Byzantium

-The Ruin of Constantinople Byzantium falls in 1453 Ce

532 – The Blues vs. Greens

-rival teams competing in events such as chariot races

-their fans had different political and religious points of view

-Justinian (blue)

-results in ruin of city

The Justinian Code

-created in 528 bce

-contained 4652 laws condensed from Roman law

Changes

-The rights of women, children, and slaves were extended

-harsher penalties

Adopted as a model for many new nations legal’s systems

Crusades

4 Major Crusades (Holy Wars)

Christians vs. Muslims (Christian jihad… haha)

Pope Urban intitiated this @ Clermont

“Killed by a Muslim- go to heaven”

Causes (Why go?)

Pope Urban II gave a speech in Clermont which started the Crusades.

-get set free from sins if involved with the Crusades indulgences

Push factors (reasons to leave)

No civilization

Cold

“Life was nasty, brutish and snort”

Better life: Jerusalem good, anywhere Muslim good/better

Primogenitures- 1^st son gets everything, 2^nd, 3^rd, etc gets nothing

No opportunity for business

Wanted to travel

Pull factors

Ticket to heaven

Gain land and money

People to know:

Pope Urban

Peter the Hermit

Missionary, spread word of Crusades

Salaah Al-Din

Greatest of Muslim Warriors

Alexius emperor of Byzantines

Richard the Lionheart

King of England

Events to know:

1^st crusade wins the holy land

Controlled until 2^nd crusade

2^nd- 1187

Sallah Al-Din re-conquers Jerusalem

1250

Europeans conquer Byzantium (pillage and plunder)

1267

Byzantium re-conquers itself (Constantinople), and kicks out Catholics

Results

1453: No Christians in Middle East or W. Europe

Constantinople falls

Trade begins between Europe and ME

Wealth

Spices and silk from Silk Road (China, India)

Technology

Stone buildings (castles, cathedrals)

Weaponry

Better materials and smiths

Ideas

Arabic numbers, astronomy, paper

Brought back works of Greeks and Romans

Influences on Islam

Persia

Administration and government

Literature

India

Mathematics, science, medicine

Greece

Philosophy (Aristotle)

Judeo-Christian World

Monotheism and religious traditions

Silk and Royal roads

Diversity of ideas and desire for money

The Koran

Considered the definitive forms of Arabic

Strictly speaking, cannot be translated, only paraphrased

114 suras: longest to shortest

Given to Muhammad by Gabriel

622- Hijrah- Muhammad flees Mecca for Medina *beginning of Muslim calendar