The Expansive Realm of Islam

1. The Expansive Realm of Islam

4. Current Muslim population

5. p. 207

6. Pre-Islamic Arabia • Tribal society on the Arabian peninsula • Bedouins (nomads) • Farmers, traders, nomadic shepherds • Tribal organization • Descended from Abraham • Pagan • Pre-Mohammed believed in animist religion

7. Ka’ba Muhammad • Muhammad (570 – 632) • Born in Mecca – Caravan Manager • Major trading center • Muhammad’s homeland • Hegira (Journey to Medina in 622) • Submission to the will of Allah • Qur’an (Koran) • 114 Chapters • Hadith • Deeds and sayings of Muhammad • Five Pillars of Islam • Shari’a (Islamic Law) Yathrib (Medina)

8. Conflict at Mecca • Muhammad’s monotheistic teachings offensive to polytheistic pagans • Economic threat to existing religious industry • Denunciation of greed affront to local aristocracy

9. The Hijra • Muhammad flees to Yathrib (Medina) 622 CE • Year 0 in Muslim calendar • Organizes followers into communal society (the umma) • Legal, spiritual code • Commerce, raids on Meccan caravans for sake of umma

10. Muhammad’s Return to Mecca • Attack on Mecca, 630 • Conversion of Mecca to Islam • Destruction of pagan sites, replaced with mosques • Ka’aba preserved in honor of importance of Mecca • Approved as pilgrimage site

11. Typical buildings in Sa'naa – Arabian Peninsula

12. Islamic Beliefs Pillars of Islam • Belief in Allah and Mohammed as his prophet • Pray 5 times daily • Pay alms of 2.5% of income • Fast during month of Ramadan • Haj or pilgrimage to Mecca once Jihad Dhimma

13. The Quran • Exact words of God in Arabic • Means "reading" or "recitation" • 114 surahs (sections) • Decorated with calligraphy • May not be added • Official non-Arabic translation done in 1923.

16. Muslims at Prayer

17. Dhimmi System • Interactions with Christians and Jews • People of the book (Bible and Quran) • Believe in the same God (Abrahamic monotheism) • Many prophets in Islam: • 1. Muhammad (Messenger and Seal of the Prophets) • 2. Moses • 3. Jesus

18. Split in Muslim community Islamic Law: The Sharia • Codification of Islamic law • Based on Quran, hadith, logical schools of analysis • Extends beyond ritual law to all areas of human activity

19. Split in Muslim community:The Caliph Abu Bakr • No clear to successor to Muhammad identified • Abu Bakr chosen to lead as Caliph • Led war against villagers who abandoned Islam after death of Muhammad • Disagreements over selection of caliphs • Ali passed over for Abu Bakr • Served as caliph 656-661 CE, then assassinated along with most of his followers • Remaining followers organize separate party called “Shia” • Traditionalists: Sunni Ali

20. The Spread of Islam • Split in Islam and Muslim society: Shi’ites and Sunnis • Caliph; Sharia; Authoirty: Quran/Hadith; leadership • Abu Bakr becomes caliph (632) • Jihad (major and minor) • Attacks against Byzantines and Persians • Assassination of Caliph Ali • Muawiya becomes caliph (661) • Umayyad Dinasty • Damascus becomes capital • Sunnites, supporters of the Umayyads • Conquer North Africa and much of Spain • Battle of Tours (732) • Attack on Constantinople and defeat (717 – 718) • Highly successful attacks on Byzantine, Sassanid territories • Difficulties governing rapidly expanding territory

21. The Expansion of Islam

22. The expansion of Islam, 632-733 C.E.

23. The World of Islam • The Umayyad Dynasty • Abu al-Abbas puts an end to the Umayyads (750) • The Abbasid Dynasty • New Capital in Baghdad • Harun al-Rashed (786 – 809) • Al-Ma’mun (813 – 833) • Spain and the Continuation of the Umayyads • Abd al-Rahman (756) • Fatimid Egypt (973)

24. The Umayyad Dynasty (661-750 CE) • From Meccan merchant class • Capital: Damascus, Syria • Associated with Arab military aristocracy • Policy toward Conquered Peoples • Favoritism of Arab military rulers causes discontent • Limited social mobility for non-Arab Muslims • Head tax (jizya) on non-Muslims • Umayyad luxurious living causes further decline in moral authority

25. The Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258 CE) • Abu al-Abbas Sunni Arab, allied with Shia, non-Arab Muslims • Seizes control of Persia and Mesopotamia • Defeats Umayyad army in 750 • Invited Umayyads to banquet, then massacred them • Diverse nature of administration (i.e. not exclusively Arab) • Militarily competent, but not bent on imperial expansion • Dar al-Islam • Growth through military activity of autonomous Islamic forces • Persian influence • Court at Baghdad • Influence of Islamic scholars (ulama, qadi)

26. Abbasid Decline • Civil war • Provincial governors assert regional independence • Dissenting sects, heretical movements • Abbasid caliphs become puppets of Persian nobility • Later, Seljuk Turks influence, Sultan real power behind the throne

27. Formation of a Hemispheric Trading Zone • Historical precedent of Arabic trade • Dar al-Islam encompasses silk routes • ice exported from Syria to Egypt in summer, 10th century • Camel caravans • Maritime trade • Scale of trade causes banks to develop • Sakk (“check”) • Uniformity of Islamic law throughout dar al-Islam promotes trade • Joint ventures common • Spread of food and industrial crops • Trade routes from India to Spain • Western diet adapts to wide variety • New crops adapted to different growing seasons • Agricultural sciences develop • Cotton, paper industries develop • Major cities emerge

29. Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain) • Muslim Berber conquerors from North Africa take Spain, early 8th c. • Allied to Umayyads, refused to recognize Abbasid dynasty • Formed own caliphate • Tensions, but interrelationship

30. Formation of an Islamic Cultural Tradition • Islamic values • Uniformity of Islamic law in dar al-Islam • Establishment of madrasas • Importance of the Hajj • Quran improves status of women • Outlawed female infanticide • Brides, not husbands, claim dowries • Yet male dominance preserved • Patrilineal descent • Polygamy permitted, Polyandry forbidden • Veil adopted from ancient Mesopotamian practice • Sufi missionaries • Asceticism, mysticism • Some tension with orthodox Islamic theologians • Wide popularity

31. Cultural influences on Islam • Persia • Administration and governance • literature • India • Mathematics, science, medicine • “Hindi” numbers • Greece • Philosophy, esp. Aristotle • IbnRushd/Averroes (1126-1198) • Twelfth-Century Renaissance (Europe)

32. Islamic Architecture Dome of the Rock • Taj • Mahal

33. Islamic Architecture • The Alhambra (Granada, Spain)

34. Islamic Architecture • Mosque at Cordoba • Blue Mosque

35. Ceiling of the Mihrab ChapelGreat Mosque of Cordoba, Spain.