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Rise of Islam. The Middle East. Themes in Islamic History. Islam as Religion Islam as State & Empire Islam as Civilization. Arabia. Islam After Muhammad. At death Muhammad in 632 he left no son to succeed him Daughter Fatima Split between Shiites and Sunnis - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Rise of Islam
The Middle East
Themes in Islamic History
• Islam as Religion
• Islam as State & Empire
• Islam as Civilization
Arabia
Islam After Muhammad • At death Muhammad in 632 he left no
son to succeed him• Daughter Fatima• Split between Shiites and Sunnis
– Great argument over succession• Shiites – Only descendants of
Fatima or her husband Ali should succeed Mohammed– Death of Husain (son of Ali) most
celebrated event in Shiite calendar• Sunnis – any follower of Islam should
be eligible to lead– Division political & religious– Never settled to this day
• Series of Caliphs governed the Islamic State
Struggle for Succession Number of conflicting parties sought to
succeed Muhammad• Companions – belonged to
Muhammad’s tribe or had accepted mission early
• Legitimists – heir must belong to family of Muhammad– Ali paternal cousin, husband of
daughter Fatima & one of first believers
• Aristocracy of Quraysh – Umayyads – Held reigns of power & wealth in
pre-Islamic days• Companions triumphed with selection
of abu-Bakr
Struggle for SuccessionRashidun - Four “righteous” caliphs (632-661 AD)
– All were close associates and relatives of Muhammad• Abu Bakr (632-634) Father-in-law of Muhammad and
one of first believers• Umar (634-644) main military genius who carried Islam
forward from the Arabian peninsula• Uthman (644-656) - empire fell into a civil war called the
Fitna – In 656 Uthman is assassinated by followers of Ali
• Ali (656-661) Muhammad's son-in-law and cousin – Many refused to accept Ali as a leader – Killed by assassin
Umayyad dynasty claims the caliphate – Damascus capitalAbbasid dynasty – 754 – seizes caliphate
– al Mansur (754-775) builds new capital at Baghdad
Conquest & ExpansionExpansion of Islamic empire
against Byzantine & Sassanid (Persian) empires
Abu-Bakr –Orders jihad (holy struggle) against the "infidel" Christian or Byzantine Empire north of Arabia
• Damascus becomes capitalUmar• 637 – Defeated great Persian
Sassanid army• 639 – Conquers Alexandria – base
of Byzantine navy• 643 – Arabs to border of IndiaTariq ibn Zaid crossed from North
Africa (Morocco) into Spain in 711Expansion stopped in France in 732 –
Charles Martel (Battle of Tours)
The Spread of Islam
Medieval Baghdad
Medieval Baghdad762 - Abbasid dynasty moved the capital of Islamic
empire to the newly-founded city of Baghdad• Caliph Al-Mansur founded• Banks of the Tigris River• Known as the “Round City” • Foreign influences – Persian, Syrian & Hellenistic Baghdad capital of "Golden Age" of Islamic
civilization • Magnificent architectural achievement• Muslim scholars - important contributions in the
sciences, humanities, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, and literature
• Became city of museums, hospitals, libraries• World's richest & most intellectual city of the time• Believed to be largest city in the world from 775 to
935 - possibly over 1,000,000 Baghdad was destroyed by the Mongols in 1258 • Ended era of the Abbasids
Medieval BaghdadBayt al-Hikmah (the House of Wisdom)• World famous center of learning • Attracted scholars from all over the world • Library, academy and translation bureau • Translate Greek works of Aristotle, Plato,
Galen, Hippocrates, Euclid, and Pythagoras• Translate Persian, Sanskrit, Syriac into Arabic • Al-Khawarizmi, the "father" of algebra
Merchants played a major role in the city• From Persia, China, India, Africa & Europe• Sinbad the Sailor recounts actual voyages
made by Muslim merchants
Caliphal palace known as the Golden Gate or the Green Dome
• Dome of audience chamber rose to 130 feet
Harun al-RashidAbbasid caliph (r.786-809) Baghdad a city of immense wealth and
international significance under al-Rashid• Tribute paid by many rulers to the caliph • Used on architecture, arts & luxurious life at
court Great patron of arts & sciences• Encouragement of learning, art, poetry, music• A scholar and poet himself • Invited many scholars to the kingdom• Founded first Muslim hospitalBuilt Green Dome palace in Baghdad Fabulous court inspired the book One Thousand
and One Nights• Displays of extravagant wealth• Entertainers flocked to his court: poets, wits,
musicians, singers, and dancersDiplomatic relations with Charlemagne
Islamic Spain• Influence on Medieval European
civilization• Ummayyad Caliph• In Spain from 711 to 1492Cordoba• Center of culture that rivaled
Baghdad• Libraries, palaces, street
lights, running water• Cultural center of Medieval
Europe• Mosque – early vaulting like
later Gothic cathedrals
Creation of Islamic Civilization• Islamic civilization developed slowly
– Centuries before majority of people in Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia accepted Islam
– People generally converted from self interest– Escape taxes & seek identification with ruling
class• Combination of cultural influences• Arabs assimilated, adapted & reproduced the
intellectual & cultural heritage of those they conquered
• Arabs adopted best art, architecture, philosophy, medicine, science, literature, and government mainly from Hellenized Aramaic & Persian civilizations
• Arab contribution was mainly in language and religion
• Final culmination of Semitic civilization which started in the Fertile Crescent developed by Assyro-Babylonians, Phoenicians, Aramaeans and Hebrews
Islamic Unity• Arabic became language of business,
government & literature• Uniform enforcement of law contributed to growth
of united culture• Vast trade network extended from India to the
Mediterranean
Rich Cultural Achievements • Scholarship
– Produced notable scientists, astronomers, mathematicians, doctors and philosophers
– Importance of reading the Qur'an produced a comparatively high level of literacy in the general populace
• Heirs to Hellenistic Learning– Maintained Classical learning– Translation of Greek texts - Aristotle
• Medicine• Architecture
– Mosques, Palaces & Minarets• Art
– Geometric patterns, calligraphy, metal work
Science & MedicineMuslim scientists• Saw no contradiction between religion and laws
governing natural world• Scientific method born• Utilized Classical Greek medical texts• Alchemy – beginnings of chemistryMuslim medicine • Advanced techniques & ideas• Theory that disease born through air
born organisms• Study of anatomy• Vascular & cancer surgery• Study of light, lenses & physiology of
eye – led to camera• Use of anesthetics• Pharmacies• Hospitals – separate disease in
different wards
Pioneers of MedicineIbn Sina (980 – 1037) – Known as Avicenna• Contributions in philosophy, music,
mathematics, geography & literature• Utilized experimentation & observation• wrote Canon of Medicine –
encyclopedia of medicine• Study of infectious disease• Main medical text for 6 centuries• Printed extensively throughout the West
Mathematics
• Introduced “Arabic” numerals – originally from India
• Replaced Roman numerals
• Included the zero – made for complex calculations
• Perfected use of decimals and fractions
• Invented Algebra
One Thousand and One NightsClassic of world literature
Stories were created over many centuries, by many people and in many styles
Originally Arabian, Persian, & Indian folk tales
• Collected during time of al-Rashid
Best known stories:
• Ali Baba, Sinbad the Sailor, and Aladdin
• al-Rashid’s court frequent setting
Frame story:
• Efforts of Scheherezade to keep her husband, King Shahryar from killing her by entertaining him with a tale a night for 1,001 nights
• Always a cliff hanger
British translator – Richard Burton
Architecture