Islam and the Early Caliphates The Arabian Peninsula Pre-Islam mostly nomadic tribes...
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Islam and the Early
Caliphates
The Arabian Peninsula Pre-IslamThe Arabian Peninsula Pre-Islam
• mostly nomadic tribes mostly nomadic tribes (Bedouins)(Bedouins)• Tribes often foughtTribes often fought• Worshipped a large variety of godsWorshipped a large variety of gods• Took pride in oral traditions/group Took pride in oral traditions/group
loyaltyloyalty• TRADERSTRADERS (Muhammad was a (Muhammad was a
merchant)merchant)
Abraham’s GenealogyAbraham’s Genealogy
ABRAHAMABRAHAM SARAHSARAHHAGARHAGAR
IsaacIsaac
EsauEsauJacobJacob
12 Tribes of Israel
12 Tribes of Israel
Ishmael
Ishmael
12 Arabian Tribes
12 Arabian Tribes
The Prophetic Tradition
The Prophetic Tradition
Adam
Noah
Abraham
Moses
Jesus
Muhammad
MeccaMecca
• Major Major trading/religious citytrading/religious city
• Located between Located between Byzantine and Byzantine and Sassanid EmpireSassanid Empire
• Importance of the Importance of the Ka’baKa’ba
The MessengerThe Messenger• Muhammad (570-632 C.E.)Muhammad (570-632 C.E.)• Troubled by the corruption and Troubled by the corruption and
lawlessness of Meccalawlessness of Mecca• Retreats and revelationsRetreats and revelations• Famous text: QuranFamous text: Quran• Growing movement towards Growing movement towards
Allah/Yahweh as deity #1! Allah/Yahweh as deity #1! • Followers were kicked out of town Followers were kicked out of town
(the Hijra) (the Hijra) • ~When I heard the Quran, my heart was softened ~When I heard the Quran, my heart was softened
and I wept…~and I wept…~
Quran, Koran, Qur’anQuran, Koran, Qur’an
• Holy book of IslamHoly book of Islam• Called for a creation of a Called for a creation of a
new society (Umma) based new society (Umma) based on justiceon justice
• Considered to be literally Considered to be literally the word of Godthe word of God
• There is not an actual There is not an actual image of Godimage of God
The Five Pillars of The Five Pillars of IslamIslam
1. The Shahada1. The Shahada
11
The declaration of faith:
There is no god except God, There is no god except God, and Muhammad is Hisand Muhammad is HisMessenger.Messenger.
There is no god except God, There is no god except God, and Muhammad is Hisand Muhammad is HisMessenger.Messenger.
2. The Salat2. The Salat
22
Prayers performed 5 times a day: * dawn * noon * late afternoon * sunset * before going to bed
Wash before praying.
Face Mecca and use a prayer rug.
2. The Salat (continued)2. The Salat (continued)
22
The call to prayer by the muezzin in the minaret.
Pray in the mosque on Friday.
Prayer unifies body mind and soul.
3. The Zakat3. The Zakat
33
Almsgiving (charitable
donations).
About 2.5% of your wealth.
4. The Sawm4. The Sawm
44
Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
No eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan.
5. The Hajj5. The Hajj
55
The pilgrimage to Mecca.
Must be done at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime.
2-3 million Muslims make the pilgrimage every year.
Pil
Pilgrims On The Road toAnd Camped
Outside of Mecca
Muslims in the WorldToday
Muslims in the WorldToday
Countries with the Largest Muslim
Population
Countries with the Largest Muslim
Population1. Indonesia 230,000,000
6. Iran 62,000,000
2. Pakistan 134,000,000
7. Egypt 59,000,000
3. India 121,000,000
8. Nigeria 53,000,000
4. Bangladesh
114,000,000
9. Algeria 31,000,000
5. Turkey 66,000,000 10. Morocco 29,000,000
* Arabs make up only 20% of the total Muslim population of the
world.
The Spread of IslamThe Spread of Islam Easy to learn and practice.
No priesthood.
Teaches equality.
Follow one law; The Sharia
Non-Muslims allowed religious freedom, but paid additional taxes.
Easily “portable” nomads & trade routes.
The Weakness of nearby empires (Byzantine & Persian) allowed conquest
The Dar al-Islam: The Unity found across Muslim areas
supported by common practice
The Dar al-Islam: The Unity found across Muslim areas
supported by common practice
11 22 33 44 55
The WorldThe Worldof Islamof Islam
The WorldThe Worldof Islamof Islam
Arab Empire: Early Arab Empire: Early YearsYears Muhammad’s death
caused division – who should lead?
Abu Bakr elected (632-Abu Bakr elected (632-634) as first Caliph634) as first Caliph- Ali - Ali passed over (will be the passed over (will be the 33rdrd Caliph). Caliph).
Conquest becomes VERY Conquest becomes VERY important. important.
Focused primarily on
material and territorial gain.
Motives for Motives for ConquestConquest United
Distraction from internal fighting
Promised a share of the booty
AVOIDED mass conversions
so they wouldn’t have to share their booty
so they could tax subjects at higher rates
Sunni v. Shi’a/Shi’iteSunni v. Shi’a/Shi’ite At issue: Who should lead the Muslim Umma? First 4 Caliphs = “The Rightly Guided” Caliphs, most agreed on these guys Ali killed & Husayn (Ali, the 4th Caliph’s son) = killed in 680 by Umayyads (10,000 soldiers v. 72 of Husayn’s followers). Some thought HE should be the next caliph. Killing of Husayn = the final split. Shi’a = “Party of Ali” (Muhammad’s relatives are rightful caliphs) Sunni = “The Majority” (caliph should be chosen by the umma)
Umayyads (661-Umayyads (661-759)759)Mu’awiya- Governor of Syria
(responsible for deaths of Ali and Husayn) will become the Cailphate.
Expansion (central Asia, N.W. India, N. Africa, Spain)
Capital = Damascus (modern Syria)
Arab conquest state
Bureaucracy – Arab elite ruled over non-Arab, non-Muslim populations
Segregated into garrison towns to prevent mixing
Umayyad Decline & Umayyad Decline & FallFall
Social Hierarchy: 1.Muslim Arabs
2.Muslim non-Arabs
REVOLT led by Abbasid family
Non-Arab converts & Shi’ites joined Abbasids
From Arab to Islamic From Arab to Islamic Empire: Abbasids Empire: Abbasids
(750-1258)(750-1258) Centralized
Capital = Baghdad.
Imitated Persian culture
Non-Arab Converts fully integrated
LOTS of conversions
Opportunities for education/gov’t positions
Abbasid Economy & Abbasid Economy & CultureCulture Urban
Trade & Hajj = constant
and quick ideas exchange
House of Wisdom in
Baghdad = Center of Learning
• Library, Translation Institute (mostly Greek to Arabic), and Research Center.
Ancient authors translated (especially Greeks like Aristotle!!!)
Abbasid DeclineAbbasid Decline Overexpansion
Caliphs hired personal armies of Turkic Central Asian
(Mamluk) pastoralists(slave soldiers)
Centralization breaks down
Mamluk & Seljuk Turkic slave soldiers really run the gov’t (caliph = figurehead)
Mongols – kill the last caliph in 1258
Chart Time!Chart Time!
• Instructions: Make a Venn Diagram Instructions: Make a Venn Diagram with 3 circles with at least three with 3 circles with at least three examples of how Islam spread by examples of how Islam spread by way of social, religious, and military way of social, religious, and military factors (at least one of each).factors (at least one of each).
People of the BookPeople of the Book
Considered to be Christians and Jews
paid extra taxes, but tolerated
non-Arab converts still had extra taxes
few conversions
Family & Gender Family & Gender RolesRoles Women’s status pretty good
Islam teaches that all people’s souls are equal
Active in commerce
Pastoralist background!
More patriarchal over time
• Madrassa schools Madrassa schools