• Which two Muslim cities served as political and administrative centers of Muslim empires?I. BaghdadII. Istanbul III. MeccaIV. MogadishuV. Medina

a) I and IIIb) II and IVc) I and IId) III and V

Today: 10/7 and 10/8

• Practice Question• Reading Quiz• Look at Reading Guide• Lecture• Exit

Objective:Students will be able

to describe how Family group

traditions and a new religion created a new Post-Classical

Empire

Chapter 6

The First Global Civilization: The Rise and Spread of Islam

Introduction

• Difference between the terms Arab and Islam– They do not mean the same thing

• 1st Global Civilization– What do you think this means???• Very unique development of an empire that expanded

throughout the known world.– Centralization as well as a unifying factor of Religion– Spread very fast

4 developments define postclassical centuries

1. Islamic civilization spread politically and culturally into Asia, Europe and Africa

2. Civilizations expanded into new world regions3. The great world religions gained adherent

from peoples once following local belief structures

4. The creation of a world network linking many of the individual civilizations

In this beginning

• Arab Peninsula– Bedouin Societies Nomadic• Herders

– Trade routs– Clan/family ties

Clan Life• A way to survive in a VERY harsh environment– Subsistence living• Water constant struggle

– Kin related. So Families made up the Clan– Survival depended on cooperation, support and

loyalty.– If you were kicked

out of your clan you would most likely DIE

– Culture of violence

Tribes• Clans were smaller family groups• Larger Tribal groups would come together in

times of hardship and war– They usually didn’t get along

Family Clan

Family Clan

Family Clan

Family Clan

Family Clan

Tribe

Culture of Violence

• Clans would feud with each other– Could last for hundreds of years

• Revenge is a major part of the culture

Organization

• Unlike prehistory nomads, there is a great variation of wealth and power – Even within the clan

Shaykhs

Warriors (and their families)

Slave families

Trade

• Another major aspect of the culture• Small communities did develop in certain places to

help facilitate trade– Mecca:

• Founded by the Umayyad Clan of the Quraysh Tribe• Very affluent• Ka’ba: located here and is part of the pre-Islamic religion

– Medina:• Established as an Oasis• Very agricultural • Controlled by multiple clans that didn’t get along

– Meant that Medina was not very strong

Women

• What do you think the gender relations were like in the Bedouin communities???– Not like pre-history equality– Women were not equal but may have had more

rights– Depended a lot of the individual clans

Religion Before and During Muhammad

• Before:– The clans blended animism and polytheism• Met the needs of their individual clan

– Allah:• Quraysh tribe’s supreme god

– Ka’ba was used as a religious place for multiple gods

During Muhammad

• “The hardships of Muhammad’s early life underscores the importance of Clan ties in the Arabian world”

• Muhammad– Born into a prominent clan of the Quraysh Tribe– Educated with the clan to be a merchant

• During his caravan travels he met Christians and Jews– He was aware of the Monotheistic traditions developing – c. 610 He started receiving messages from Allah through

the angle Gabriel

Islam• Started very small– Muhammad was very respected so it helped to get

his message out• So much fighting between tribes there was

nothing to bring them together (unite them)– They were Arab but it was not a unifying factor

• Islam provided a religion that was distinctly Arab and equal to other religions– Provided a possible end to the fighting

Ok so how did this all work

• Muhammad settled disputes in Medina making it a stronger community

• Umayyad didn’t like this because it threatened their trade

• They attack Muhammad and his followers• After victory Muhammad was able to travel back

to Mecca to the Ka’ba• Proved to be strong both as a man and a religion

Something to bring us together

• Islam gave a common identity to the Arab world– Umma community of Faithful• This would rise above old tribal and clan boundaries

• The Qur’an and Muhammad’s teachings would be incorporated into laws

TribeClans

ISLAMTribeClans

TribeClans

TribeClans

BUT. . .

• After Muhammad’s death many of the tribes renounced the faith and tired to return to old ways– The split– New leaders needed to be found and then they

had to force those who left to return• This was a more Arab empire in the beginning

Successor Issue

• After Muhammad’s death:– They had to decide on a Caliph to be the political and

religion successor– Who do we choose ???

• This Split– Shi’a: The successor should be a member of

Muhammad’s family– Sunni: The successor should be the strongest

• Umayads

Umayyad Dynasty

• Arab conquest that began during the search for a successor continued– They wanted booty: that means riches

• Didn’t worry so much about conversion– Have to share the booty– Dhimmi: people of the book

• Damascus becomes the political center

Umayyad decline

• They began to move away from the simple, frugal life that Muhammad taught – Were very centered around family ties and nothing else

• Abbasids began to grow angry and wanted power– Used the Mawali (non Arab Muslims) and Shi’a to help

them gain the power– Come to dinner– Reject those that helped them after they took power