Chapter 11

The Expansive Realm of Islam

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Muhammad and His Message Born 570 CE to merchant family in Mecca

Orphaned as a child

Marries wealthy widow ca. 595 CE, works as merchant

Familiarity with paganism, Christianity, and Judaism as practiced in Arabian peninsula

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Muhammad’s Spiritual Transformation Visions ca. 610 CE Archangel Gabriel Monotheism Attracts followers to Mecca

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The Quran

Record of revelations received during visions

Committed to writing ca. 650 CE (Muhammad dies 632 CE)

Tradition of Muhammad’s life: hadith

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Conflict at Mecca

Muhammad’s monotheistic teachings offensive to polytheistic pagans

Economic threat to existing religious industries (shrines & the Ka’ba)

Denunciation of greed affront to local merchants & aristocracy

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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

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The “Seal of the Prophets”

***Islam as culmination and correction of Judaism and Christianity

Inheritor of both Jewish and Christian texts

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Muhammad’s Return to Mecca

Attack on Mecca, 630 CE Forced Conversion of Mecca to Islam

Destruction of pagan sites, replaced with mosques Ka’ba preserved in honor of importance of Mecca Approved as pilgrimage site

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The Ka’ba

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The Five Pillars of Islam

1. No god but Allah, and Muhammad as His prophet

2. Daily prayer facing Mecca

3. Fasting during the month of Ramada

4. Charity towards the weak and the poor

5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) at least once10

Muslims at Prayer

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Jihad

“Struggle” Against vice and evil Against unbelief, ignorance of Islam

In some circumstances, wage war against unbelievers who threaten Islam

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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

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The Caliph

No clear to successor to Muhammad identified

Abu Bakr chosen to lead as caliph (“deputy”)

Leads war against villagers who abandoned Islam after death of Muhammad

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The Expansion of Islam

Highly successful attacks on Byzantine, Sasanid territories

Difficulties governing rapidly expanding territory

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The Expansion of Islam, 632–733 CE

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The Shia sect

Disagreements over selection of caliphs Ali passed over for Abu Bakr

Ali serves as caliph 656–661 CE, then assassinated along with most of his followers

Remaining followers organize separate party called “Shia” Traditionalists: “Sunni” sect

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Shi’ite Pilgrims at Karbala

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The Umayyad Dynasty (661–750 CE)

From Meccan merchant class

Capital: Damascus, Syria

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Policy toward Conquered Peoples

Favoritism of Arab military rulers causes discontent

Limited social mobility for non-Arab Muslims

***Head tax (jizya) on non-Muslims Umayyads’ luxurious living causes further

decline in moral authority

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The Abbasid Dynasty (750–1258 CE)

Abu al-Abbas: a descendent of Muhammand’s uncle.

Although he was Sunni Arab, allied with Shia and non-Arab Muslims

Seizes control of Persia and Mesopotamia Defeats Umayyad army in 750 CE

Invites Umayyads to banquet, then massacres them

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Nature of the Abbasid Dynasty

Diverse nature of administration (i.e. not exclusively Arab)

Militarily competent, but not bent on imperial expansion

Dar al-Islam “house of Islam” Growth through military activity of

autonomous Islamic forces, not policies of the caliphs.

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Abbasid Administration

Persian influence Court at Baghdad Influence of Islamic scholars (ulama, qadis)

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Abbasid Decline

Civil war between sons of Harun al-Rashid Provincial governers assert regional

independence Dissenting sects, heretical movements Abbasid caliphs become puppets of Persian

nobility

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Economy of the Early Islamic World 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 and paper industries develop

Major cities emerge25

Formation of a Hemispheric Trading Zone Historical precedent of Arabic trade Dar al-Islam encompasses silk routes Camel caravans Maritime trade

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Banking and Trade

Scale of trade causes banks to develop Sakk (check)

Joint ventures common

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Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain)

Muslim Berber conquerors from north Africa take Spain, early 8th century

Allied to Umayyads, refuse to recognize Abbasid dynasty Form own caliphate Tensions, but interrelationship

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Changing Status of Women

Quran improves status of women Outlaws female infanticide Brides, not husbands, claim dowries

Yet male dominance is preserved Patrilineal descent Polygamy permitted, Polyandry forbidden Veil adopted from ancient Mesopotamian practice

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Formation of an Islamic Cultural Tradition Islamic values

Uniformity of Islamic law in dar al-Islam Establishment of madrasas Importance of the hajj

Sufi missionaries Asceticism, mysticism Some tension with orthodox Islamic theologians Wide popularity

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Cultural Influences on Islam

Persia Administration and governance literature

India Mathematics, science, medicine

“Hindi” numbers

Greece Philosophy, especially Aristotle Ibn Rushd/Averroës (1126–1198)

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