Islam + India

1. Islam + India 600 to 1200 CE

3. Introduction • The prophet Mohammed (570-632) • Unity? • World conquest • Many ready to submit? • Cultural influences – historical, but many original? • Problems for neighboring peoples • China • Europeans • India • Success , yet failure!?!

4. Mohammed’s Life and Message

5. Early life • Caravans then marriage then voices and visions • Mecca preaching • His message • Ka’aba • Allah • Day of judgment • Claiming the Judeo-Christian heritage

6. Reaction to Mohammed • City/ Desert divide • Some Jews, some Christians, many pagans • Early expectations • At first, expected Jews and Christians to convert. • He was restoring, not preaching something new • 622 – Flight to Medina (Hegira) • Mohammed’s new life • Jews v Pagans • Need for law giver – He did it.

7. Median Success • Pagans convert, Jews – not • Also new recruits from Mecca • Crisis = shortage of land for food as new comers arrive. • Mohammed the caravan raider • Median revenge army defeated. • Sign from God • Jews driven out, land seized • More growth, so attack a near by oasis • But now make Jews pay a tax

8. Toleration • Tolerate Christians and Jews , attack heretical Moslems • No forced conversions, but a tax • Why? • People of the Book • Mohammed defines what is expected of faithful • Combination of revelation and causal actions • Became binding on all Moslems • Islam – submission to God’s will

9. Mohammed and God’s Will • Pray 5 times a day • Civil and religious authority fused • God’s will in all things • Public acknowledgement of God’s unity and Mohammed’s prophetic status • 3 other rules • Aid to poor • Fast in Ramadan • Pilgrimage to Mecca • Five Pillars of Islam • Other rules – division of spoils, number of wives – later and not duties.

10. Mohammed in Medina • Band of devoted followers • Daily prayer and phalanx spirit • Successful raiders • Meccans not certain it was right to oppose Mohammed • In 630 CE, he returns in triumph to Mecca • Other tribes accepted or faced attack • One by one they came over.

11. The First Caliphs

12. The Crisis • Mohammed dies - 632 • Issues: how could community continue • What bout chiefs who had severed allegiance? • Abu Bakr • Not prophet • Became Caliph • Attacks tribes who had withdrawn • 634 dies – united again

13. Omar • His character • His campaigns • 636 – Byzantine army @ Jordan River ( B of Yarmuk) • Mesopotamia = Palestine and Syria – Egypt falls 636 • Sassanian Empire collapses in 651 • Key factor factor was the conviction that God was with the Moslems

14. * Organizing the lands • Preferred to keep the Muslims together and communities • Use of garrison cities – new deserts • Conquered people = taxes • Kept Persian and Byzantine systems in force • Same officials • Division among the garrisons • Like a dividend for soldiers • Still tribal • Tribal garrisons • Old customs and feuds ? New rules of conduct?

15. Othman • Head of Omayyad family of Mecca • “No” respect? • His solution? • Jealousy?

16. * The Koran • Since we can’t trust Othman… • Laying out the suras • Presume completenesss? • The EXACT word of God • Rejection of other scriptures • Next, language studies…..

17. * Succession • Standard practices • Crisis after second assassination (656) • Two conflicting principles? • Members of Mohammed’s family • Ali • Tribal custom • Family • War? • Postphoned – Ali assassinated

18. * The Conflict • Mauwiyah – Omayyad head • Forestalls Husain • Bases of power and forces in play…. • Ex-Persian vs. ex-Byzantine • Tribal differences • First split • Religious enthusiasts – only perfectly pious • Hidden Iman • Others – true successor was other descendant – 7 generations, 12 generations • All agreed present leaders = no go • Shia v Sunni

19. Omayyad Caliphate

20. Expansion and Success • 661-750 Omayyad govern • Spain 711 • Visigoths • India – 705 • Central Asia = Chinese defenses attacked • Talas 751 • Old Persian and Carthaginian empires combined • Failure at Byzantium – 717 • Psychologically important

21. * Why the failure mattered • New territories = new spoils, failure = none • Disgruntled groups had outlet - now???? • Internal conflict • Scale of fighting increases • Radical sects, tribal and clique intrigues • Omayyad overthrown – 750 • Abbasid’s – till 1258

22. Arab v Non-Arab • Conqueror not eager to evangelize! • Taxes • Undermining traditional structure (wanderers) • No help in revelation • Converts = equality and discontent

23. * Religious v Secular Leadership • Both roles? • Addition of Hadith as source of guidance • Second only to Koran • Still not complete • Sharia • By analogy • General opinion of faithful • Ulamas • Knowing God’s will