Islam Identifications
Muslim: person who follows Islam Kaaba: Islams holiest shrine located in Mecca Quran: secret text, holy book of Islam Mecca: birth place of Islam, holiest city, Saudi Arabia Mosque: Muslim house of worship Allah: Arabic for God same as J and C Medina: first Islamic community, 2nd Holy city, Muhammad gains political and religious power Hejira: 622 Muhammads journey from Mecca to Medina; marks first expansion of Islam Jerusalem: 3rd Holiest city to Islam Dome of the Rock Five Pillars of Islam (#3)
Declaration of Faith (Shahada) Prayers (Salah) Charity (Sawm) Fasting (Zakat) Pilgrimage (Hajj) The practice of Islam is built around the following five fundamental pillars (requirements): Affirmation of faith: all Muslims express that there is no God but God and Muhammad is his last messenger. Prayers: Muslims pray towards Mecca five times a day. (Shia Muslims combine some of the prayers and, therefore, pray only three times a day.) Alms (charity): Muslims who have the means give alms to the poor on a yearly basis. Fasting: beginning at the first crescent moon in the month of Ramadan (when Muhammad received his first revelation from God) Muslims must abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, or having sexual relations between sunup and sundown. Pilgrimage (Hajj): Once in a lifetime, Muslims make a trip to Mecca. According to the tradition, this trip commemorates Abrahams example. Muslims who are physically or financially unable to make the journey are released from this duty. The Rise and Spread of Islam
Today 1.3 billion people consider themselves Muslims, making it one of the most influential religions in the modern world. This presentation introduces the early development of Islam as a religious belief system and Muslim civilization as it developed from the 7th to the 10th centuries of the common era. Ideally, with a better understanding of the origins and development of Islam, students will have a better grasp of factors that underlie both differences between Muslim communities today (for example, Sunni versus Shia) and what some have labeled the clash of civilizations between Islam and the West. Arabia in the 7th Century
Arabia in the 7th century was a dry, uninviting desert with pockets of civilizations that developed around the regions few water sources (oases). The north of Arabia was a stony wilderness; the south was a desert of sand, called the Empty Quarter, as the only inhabitants were nomads who roamed from oasis to oasis by camel. Even these hardy desert travelers mostly skirted the edges. Nomads and the settled areas had a symbiotic relationship, with each group creating goods and trading items that the others needed. Caravans helped to transport goods between settled communities and were important sources for the spread of not only goods and resources, but also of ideas and news of events from near and far. Arabian People Nomads/Bedouins Farmers Traders Tribes
Nomads: Many of the inhabitants of Arabia in the 7th century were nomadic herders who crossed the desert on horseback or by camel in search of seasonal pastures (oases) for their goats, sheep, and camels. The Arab nomads, or Bedouins, were traditionally divided into social classes, and groups of Bedouins were headed by shaykhs, positions that were passed from father to son. The Bedouins sustained themselves by bartering with sedentary farmers and people in the towns and cities. Today Arab nomads, or Bedouins, make up about 10% of the population in the central Middle East but their itinerant lifestyle is threatened by urban dwellers and government leaders. Farmers and traders: Arabians in the south and coastal regions of the peninsula were farmers or traders dealing in goods coming from and going to China, India, and the Roman Empire. Tribes: Almost all of the Arabian people were divided into tight-knit tribes headed by tribal leaders. The tribes were fiercely competitive and frequently fought over the Arabian peninsulas few natural resources. Paganism Worshipped many gods
Chief god was Allah meaning simply the God. Before Islam was introduced to the people in the 7th century by Muhammad, Arabians believed in many gods who reigned over separate environmental and celestial spheres.For example, the Syrian god Hubal had dominion over the moon, while al-Uzza was the power goddess of writing and divination, and other gods were associated with plants, stars, and other elements. At the head of this pantheon was Allah, the creator god. Allah (which means simply the God) was only called upon in the direst circumstances. Otherwise, the pagans consulted the lesser gods who acted as Allahs intercessors. Some Arabs called Hanifs were monotheists who only worshipped Allah. They traced their beliefs to the patriarch Abraham. Note: Muslims call this period the Time of Ignorance, or Jahiliyyah. Al-Uzza Mecca Centuries before Mecca became Islams holiest city, it was Arabias most important trading nexus and a central place of worship. According to Muslim tradition, Mecca was founded by Hajar, Abrahams second wife and mother of Ishmael. Trade Routes Mecca was also an important trading route between northeast Africa, India, China, and the Mediterranean world. The city was a major hub for ancient caravan routes because of its links with the northern Mediterranean (now Europe) and close proximity to the Red Sea. The city was famous for its production of frankincense and myrrh (used for religious ceremonies and cosmetic purposes) and, especially during the peaceful month of Ramadan, was a very busy marketing center for traders and nomads bartering livestock and other goods. Muhammad (#4) Born CE 570 From Quraysh tribe Marries Khadija
Merchant/trader Meditated in desert Daughter Fatima married to cousin Ali In CE 570, Muhammad was born into the Quraysh tribe, which, at the time, dominated Mecca as the prestigious keepers of the Kabah. When he was 25 years old, he married a 40-year-old widow named Khadija and managed the caravan business she had inherited from her late first husband. Together they had six children. Only one, his daughter Fatima, survived into adulthood. Fatima later married Muhammads cousin Ali and had two sons, Hassan and Husayn. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad began to receive revelations from God through the angel Gabriel when he was 40 in CE 610. He continued to receive revelations for the rest of his life. Since Muhammad was illiterate, he memorized the passages and recounted them to his followers, who eventually compiled them into the Quran, Islams sacred scripture. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last in a line of prophets from Adam to Abraham to Moses to Jesus and others. According to the tradition, Gods revelations to Moses are compiled in the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew bible, or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible) but the message was corrupted by the Jews, who paid too much attention to ritual observance. God then appeared to Jesus, whose book (the New Testament of the Bible) was again corrupted through translations and political editing by Christians. The Christians, they contend, wrongfully cast Jesus as the son of God and mistakenly created a separate religion altogether. The Quran, by contrast, affirmed Gods oneness while incorporating many of these prior teachings as well. It was written in Arabic and remained pure as long as adherents read the book in its original language (non-Arabic-speaking Muslims are encouraged to recite the book in Arabic, rather than rely on potentially flawed translations). Muhammad (#5) Final Prophet/Founder of Islam
Means to surrender/submit (#2) Messages from God compiled in the Quran Spread the message of one God Medina and Hejira 622 Marks the beginning of expansion of Islam (#10)
Muhammads influence in Mecca unsettled the local tribal chieftains who were threatened by Muhammads messages. The leaders of the Quraysh tribe, who were charged with tending to the many visitors who came to worship at the Kabah, feared that Muhammads message of monotheism would adversely affect the pilgrimage trade by weakening the status of the idols. His message of equality also threatened the standing of tribal leaders, merchant aristocracy, and city authorities. As Muhammads following grew, the Meccan leaders increasingly persecuted the Muslims (meaning those who submit to God alone). When conditions became too unbearable for Muslims living in Mecca, Muhammad decided to relocate to Yathrib, a city north of Mecca. CE 622, the year the Muslims left Mecca (the journey was called the Hijra), became the first year in the Muslim calendar, represented as 1 AH (1 al-Hijra), and Yathrib was renamed Medina al-Rasul (the city of the Prophet), or simply Medina. Since the Muslims were unable to conduct trade, they carried out raids on caravans traveling to and from Mecca in order to survive. Muslim victories during these battles helped build Muhammads reputation and attracted converts from all over Arabia. Tribal chieftains around Medina embraced Islam and joined the growing Muslim confederation. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem
Night Journey from the nearest mosque to the farthest (al-Aqsa) mosque AD According to Islamic tradition, in CE 619 Muhammad took a Night Journey upon the back of a flying horse (a buraq) from the Al Masjid al Haram mosque (the nearest mosque in Mecca) to the farthest, or al-Aqsa, mosque, the sacred site in Jerusalem associated with the Prophets and the former area of the Temple sacred to the Jewish people. From the area where Solomons temple once stood, Muhammad is believed to have been guided by the angel Gabriel through the seven heavens where he met Moses, Abraham, and other prophets. (Note: Muslims consider Jerusalem a holy city for the same reasons as the Christians and Jews because it was the homeland of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all the great biblical prophets. The Night Journey is seen as proof of Muhammads designation as the seal of the prophets. ) Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem The Night Journey People of the Book (# 6) Muhammads Term for Jews and Christians
Cause followed Gods teachings Old and New Testament were Gods words but had been corrupted over time Christianity and Judaism influenced Islam Return to Mecca 628AD Mecca
By CE 628, the Muslims had grown into a formidable force, giving Muhammad the leverage needed to broker a peace treaty with Mecca. After signing the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Muhammad returned to Mecca in the holy month of Ramadan to perform the Hajj (pilgrimage) to the Kabah with 1000 unarmed followers. Two years later, the Meccans broke the peace by attacking a tribe that had been friendly with the Muslims. The breach prompted Muhammad to assemble an army of 10,000 men to march on Mecca a final time. Faced with such formidable force, the leaders of Mecca surrendered their city. Muhammad proclaimed an amnesty. Upon his victory, Muhammad performed the ritual seven circuits around the Kabah and smashed all 360 idols that had been placed around the sacred shrine. He then dedicated the Kabah to God. Mecca Kaaba Housed 360 idols Muhammad Smashed idols and dedicated to God (360) (#5) Pilgrimages during holy month Dhul-Hijjah The center of attraction in Mecca was a black cube, or Kabah, that housed statues representing the many gods worshiped by the Arabian pagans. For one month every year, pagans traveled to Mecca from all over the region to visit the Kabah. At the Kabah, they worshiped the 360 idols representing their gods and danced, sang, and offered sacrifices to appease them. They also performed special rituals, such as walking around the Kabah seven times and kissing the corner of the sanctuary, which are still practiced today by Muslims visiting the holy site. The holy month of Ramadan was also a time when all fighting was forbidden. Muslims believe that the original Kabah was established by Adam, the first man, but was destroyed in the Great Flood. According to tradition, the edifice was rebuilt again by Noah. Muslims also believe that Abraham rediscovered the Kabah when he was visiting his first son, Ishmael, who had been sent to live in the desert with his mother, Hagar. Years later, Abraham visited Ishmael, and the two rebuilt the Kabah as a place to worship God. According to Muslim tradition, Arabs are descended from Ishmael, while the Jews came from Abrahams second son, Isaac. Kabah What do you think? What are some of the implications that flowed from Muhammads smashing the idols at the Kabah? Question: What are some of the implications that flowed from Muhammads smashing the idols at the Kabah? Answer: Muhammad smashed the idols so that people would turn their attention to a single, all-powerful, true god. Another effect of this action is that, by smashing the idols of individual tribes and asserting a single, all-powerful god that does not distinguish between different tribes, it sets up a great potential for political unification as well as religious unificationultimately leading to the potential for the rapid growth of Islam across a vast range of territories and peoples. (Note: Muslims believe that Abraham, considered the first monotheist, also smashed idols to show the townspeople how misguided they had become. In the Muslim rendition, Abraham broke all but the largest idol while the townspeople were celebrating elsewhere. When they returned, Abraham told them that the largest idol had smashed all the smaller idols. If they didnt believe him, they could ask the idol themselves. The townspeople admitted that the idols could not talk or move, thereby proving Abrahams point that they were worshipping powerless objects that they had created, rather than the God who had created human beings.) Mosque of the Prophet, Medina
Farewell Speech Tribes throughout Arabia acknowledged Muhammads authority and converted to Islam Muhammad delivered farewell speech in 632 Muhammad died without designating a successor News of the victory over the Meccans spread rapidly, attracting delegates from all parts of Arabia. Tribes flocked to Medina to pledge their allegiance to Muhammad and their conversion to Islam. Four years later (in CE 632), Muhammad, fearing that his death was near, delivered a farewell sermon to tens of thousands of his followers. In his speech, Muhammad encouraged his followers to treat others justly, regard the sacred months, and respect the rights of women. He also instructed Muslims to perform the daily prayers, fast during Ramadan, perform the Hajj, and pay their debts and financial obligations (alms, or zakat). Muhammad asserted that Arabs were not superior to non-Arabs and that no race was better than any other. He reminded his followers that he was Gods last messenger and advised them to observe the Quran and convey his message to the people. Some time later, Muhammad diedwithout designating a successor. Mosque of the Prophet, Medina Spread of Muslim Rule The Arabs originally intended only to raid their neighbors and return home (the custom in Arabia), but their welcomed reception and swift victories encouraged them to move forward. The Arabs soon became an imperial power, conquering territory like the Romans and others had been doing for centuries. Decades of war between the Persians and Romans had taken a toll on the population and had weakened the central governments and armies of both empires. Bedouin forces that had migrated north eagerly joined the Bedouin armies from Arabia in hopes of amassing war spoils and rising above their station as vassals of the Byzantine and Persian Empires. Although the expansion of Islam was driven by religious motives, mass conversion was not initially encouraged: first because people of the book (Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians) were considered the predecessors to Islam and protected under Islamic law, and second because taxes collected from non-Muslims (called jizya) helped fund the emerging state and its expeditions. Spread of Muslim Rule Spread of Muslim Rule Umar ibn Khattab ( ): Two years after his election as caliph, Abu Bakr died and was replaced by Umar ibn al-Khattab. The Muslim Empire grew rapidly under the direction of the second rightly guided caliph. Spread of Muslim Rule Conversion to Islam: Outside of Arabia, the invading Arabs allowed Dhimmies (Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians) to freely practice their own faiths and manage their own communities. Initially no effort was made to convert the Christian and Jewish population to Islam, but voluntary conversion took place on a mass scale for a number of reasons: Islams recognition of Jewish and Christian prophets (Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc.) made the new faith more accessible; Muslims were exempted from paying a poll tax; conversion simply required a proclamation that Allah (God) was the only god and that Muhammad was his last prophet; and all Muslims were considered equal under God (an appealing concept to impoverished and underprivileged converts). Arabic language: Along with the spread of Islam, the arrival of the Arab armies to the area introduced the Arabic language which quickly replaced Greek, Aramaic, and Coptic, the common languages in the region. Management: In order to govern the new territories, Umar divided the conquered countries into provinces and appointed governors from the powerful Umayyad family to manage the land. Umar also established a public treasury, a public police department, a judicial system that was separate from the executive branch of government, built schools, and instituted governmental distribution of stipends to the poor, including Jews and Christians. Spread of Muslim Rule Spread of Muslim Rule Schism Disagreement over style and qualifications Bloody massacre
(#11) Split into Sunni and Shia during Umayyad Dynasty date? over the choosing of caliph successor to Muhammad as leader of Islamic community (#11) (#12) Sunni 80% caliph based on merit anyone Shi'ite/Shia caliph descendent of Muhammad As the Muslim community (umma) grew, tensions emerged. A broader style of governance was needed to manage the Arab and non-Arab converts. And while all the Muslims agreed that there should be a single head of the community, there was disagreement over the style and qualifications of such a leader. Some believed the umma should be led by a leader from a different family than that of the Prophet, someone who was a good Muslim and respected elder. Others felt the umma should be led by someone endowed with spiritual qualities and governed according to Muhammads vision of a godly society on earth. The Alids, or those who belonged to the party of Ali (Shiat Ali or Shias) objected to what they perceived as the Umayyads propensity to create a royal court with royal institutions and a royal family. They were particularly incensed by Muawiyas decision to pass the caliphate to his son in 680. Instead, they believed the position should be reserved for the descendants of Muhammad himself through the bloodline of his daughter and her husband (and Muhammads cousin) Alispecifically to their son Husayn. With Alis youngest son Husayn at their head, a small band of Shias marched from their base in southern Iraq to the city of Karbala in open defiance of the Umayyad government. The group, which included women and children, was met by hundreds of troops. In a bloody massacre on the 10th day of the month of Muharram (called the day of Ashura, or tenth, in Arabic), the Umayyad army slaughtered and tortured Husayns party and paraded the heads of 72 of their victims through the town. The event later became a marking point for the division between the Sunnis (those who follow the Sunnah, or tradition, of Muhammad) and the Shias, who from that point on revered their own line of successors, or imams. Shrine at Karbala 7. Hadith and Koran make up the Shariah Shariah sacred law of Islam
8. oneness of God and Muhammad Final Prophet 9. Birth, Marriage, Death 10. Hejira (622), Muslim Army united by Jihad (to struggle to be the best Muslim/Holy War) and promise of riches, resentment of foreign rule, Conversion (equality of believers), tolerance 11. Umayyad, choosing a caliph 12. Shia (Shiite) and Sunni 13. Halal In Arabic, the word halal means permitted or lawful. Halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines No pork or alcohol Five Pillars of Islam Declaration of Faith (Shahada) Prayers (Salah)
Charity (Sawm) Fasting (Zakat) Pilgrimage (Hajj) The practice of Islam is built around the following five fundamental pillars (requirements): Affirmation of faith: all Muslims express that there is no God but God and Muhammad is his last messenger. Prayers: Muslims pray towards Mecca five times a day. (Shia Muslims combine some of the prayers and, therefore, pray only three times a day.) Alms (charity): Muslims who have the means give alms to the poor on a yearly basis. Fasting: beginning at the first crescent moon in the month of Ramadan (when Muhammad received his first revelation from God) Muslims must abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, or having sexual relations between sunup and sundown. Pilgrimage (Hajj): Once in a lifetime, Muslims make a trip to Mecca. According to the tradition, this trip commemorates Abrahams example. Muslims who are physically or financially unable to make the journey are released from this duty. Ramadan (#14) 9th month of the Islamic/lunar calendar
Month that Qur'an to Muhammad Fasting from sunup to sundown Focus on relationship with God/spiritually Night of Power: last days of the month it is believed that Muhammad first received the Qur'an. Eid ul-Fitr: holiday that marks the end of Ramadan and fasting Islam, Christianity, and Judaism Similarities
Monotheism Prophethood Old Testament Golden Rule 10 Commandments Jerusalem Holy Judgment Day Heaven Prayer Fasting Charity Coming of Age Pilgrimage Dietary Laws Umayyads (661750) Muawiya claimed control over the Muslim empire as caliph in 661, ushering in the Umayyad Dynasty and moving the capital of the empire from Medina to Damascus, Syria. With the center of the empire shifted to the Levant*, incursions to the West via the Mediterranean Sea were much easier to accomplish. The empire was thus formally expanded to North Africa and Spain, and Arabic was declared the state language in all the conquered areas. The Umayyads launched a new wave of invasions east to the Indus River bringing Central Asia into the Islamic fold. With its expansion, the Muslim empire revived trade along the Silk Road, stimulating a transcontinental trading system that stretched from the Far East to Europe. Muawiya was succeeded as caliph by his son, the first time the position was passed through the blood line. The caliphate under the Umayyads began to resemble an empire or kingdom ruled by hereditary emperors like those heading the Byzantine and Persian Empires. *The Levant is the name for the region on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea that includes present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordon, Israel/Palestine, and Egypt. Umayyad Culture Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
To commemorate Muhammads night journey from the site of Solomons Temple in Jerusalem (and to establish political authority in Palestine, bolstering their claim to inherit the region) the Umayyads completed work on the Dome of the Rock (CE 693), a grand monument replacing the wooden structure placed there by Umar after the Muslims entered Jerusalem in 637. The Dome was built over the platform from where Muhammad is believed to have mounted a winged steed and, accompanied by the angel Gabriel, was given a glimpse of paradise. In CE 715, the Umayyads also built the al-Aqsa (farthest) mosque near the Dome to serve as a meeting place for pilgrims who came from Muslim lands. The city of Jerusalem is still the third holiest destination for Muslims, after the cities of Mecca and Medina and the first to Jews who come to visit the Western or Wailing Wall, the only remaining structure from the Temple. The structure is currently cared for by a Muslim administrative body in Jerusalem called the waqf. As the Muslim population grew, mosques sprang up across the empire towering over all other non-Islamic holy structures (Christians, Jews, and other religious minorities were prohibited from building churches and temples higher than mosques). Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem Al-Aqsa (furthest) mosque, built CE 715 Shiism Today Most Shias today follow the line of succession that follows the family of Muhammad through Ali, Hassan, Hussein, and eight of Husayns descendents. The last or 12th descendant (born in CE 868) is believed to have gone into hiding (occultation) at age five to protect him from persecution at the hands of the Abbasid authorities. He is expected to return as the Messiah, or Mahdi, on the Day of Judgment (the End of Times) to establish justice and peace throughout the world by establishing Islam as a global religion. Today about 8590% of Muslims worldwide follow Sunni Islamic traditions and 1015% of all Muslims are Shias. Both observe the five basic tenets of Islam but differ slightly in their religious practices and beliefs. Shias commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn during Ashura and make regular pilgrimages to the holy Shia cities of Karbala (where Husayn was killed) and Najaf (where the first imam, Ali, is entombed) in Iraq. While both Sunnis and Shias venerate and study the Quran as the word of God spoken to Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel, the two groups have different views on the authenticity of books written about Muhammad's life and teachings (collectively called the Hadith). Umayyad Decline Fragmentation Non-Arabs Leadership problems split
Non-Arabs: In the beginning of the Muslim territorial expansion, most of the religions adherents were Arabs with only a few non-Arabs joining the community (umma) as guests of Arab tribes. As the Muslim empire began to grow, however, so did the number of Iraqi, Persian, Egyptian, Syrian, and other non-Arab Muslims who increasingly resented the client dependency established in the early days of Islam. Leadership problems: With the accession of Muawiyas son Yazid as caliph after his fathers death, the Umayyads initiated a hereditary monarchy previously unseen in the umma.As in most hereditary dynasties, the sons of the capable caliphs were not always as competent or as idealistic as their fathers. Umayyad leaders were notorious for their personal ambition and for pursuing pleasures considered degenerate by pious Muslims. Anger over racism in the empire and disgust with the tyrannical, profligate leadership resulted in riots and general unrest around the empire until 750, when an Arab chieftain called Abbas al-Saffah turned the discontent to his advantage. Abbasids (7501258) First 100 years 1st Golden Age (#15)
Because of economic power, medicine, science, math, and architecture The Abbasids claimed legitimacy as the descendants of Muhammads uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. As relatives of the Prophet, the Abbasids commanded initial endorsement from the Shias, who upheld their belief that the leader of the umma must be a relative of Muhammad.* They also appealed to the disenfranchised non-Arab Muslims in the empire and to Muslims who objected to the Umayyads extravagant, imperial ways and authoritarian rule. When the Umayyad dynasty was overthrown in 750 following a series of revolts, the new caliph attempted to destroy the entire Umayyad clan. Many of the Umayyads were massacred during a banquet, while others were chased down. A lone Umayyad prince escaped death by fleeing to North Africa and then to al-Andalus where he established the Umayyad Emirate of Cordoba in 756. (See slide 39.) *The Abbasids renounced their Shia beliefs soon after coming to power, infuriating their Shia supporters. Abbasid Culture Trade revival Arabic numerals Algebra
The height of the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad is considered a Golden Age for Muslims in terms of the artistic, scientific, and mathematical achievements made in this time. Trade was revived along the old Silk Route, bringing with it a blend of cultures and a free flow of ideas. The Indian system of numbers (which included zero as a place holder, for example) was adopted in Baghdad through translations of mathematical texts and later transported to European lands where the numbers came to be known as Arabic numerals. The Abbasids made great strides in the mathematical fields of geometry and trigonometry. The word algebra comes from the title of a treatise by 9th-century Baghdad mathematician Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, Rules of Reintegration and Reduction (Kitab al-Jabr wal-Muqabala) or simply al-jabr, meaning the reunion of broken parts. Abbasid intellectuals, among whom were Muslims, Christians, Jews, and others, also excelled in the fields of astronomy, medicine, cartography, and other fields. Science and Medicine Astrolabe Medicine Ibn Sina (Avicenna)
Muhammad Al-Razi The astrolabe, an ancient instrument used to determine the time of day and night, was adapted by the Muslims through translations of ancient Greek texts and improved to help Muslims accurately ascertain prayer times and the direction of Mecca from different locations. Astrolabes inscribed in Arabic, in turn, made their way to Europe through Spain and became especially popular in the 15th and 16th centuries as an astronomical education tool. In the field of medicine, scholars cultivated a greater understanding of anatomy and disease. One of the Abbasids most famous scientists, known as Avicenna (9801037), wrote hundreds of books on philosophy and medicine, including a 14-volume Canon of Medicine, which was used as a standard medical text in Europe for 700 years, earning him the moniker the father of modern medicine. The blending of cultures influenced literature and language, infusing Persian words and literary style with that of Arabic. An example is the poetic epic, One Thousand and One Nights, a series of tales recited by Queen Scheherazade to keep her husband from executing her. Among the stories are Sinbad the Sailor and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. During this time, moreover, Muslim religious scholars collected orally transmitted accounts of the Prophets life and words and compiled them into collections (the hadith) and created an authoritative body of Islamic law (Sharia). Astrolabe Hadith The words Muhammad recited as revealed text (the word of God) were considered part of the Quran. Lest the words of God be confused with those of Muhammad himself, the Prophet initially forbade his followers to write down his personal sayings until the sanctity of the Quran was clearly established. When the prohibition was lifted, his companions meticulously took notes of Muhammads activities, his lessons, his instructions, and his way of living. These personal sayings and actions were compiled into books of hadith (narrations) kept separate from the Quranic text. After Muhammads death, religious scholars began to compile information about Muhammads life. Hadith passed down orally from generation to generation by those who had had contact with the Prophet. Reports and legends were gathered from all over the Muslim world and exhaustively analyzed for authenticity. The most famous collector, for instance, collected over 600,000 hadith but included only 2,206 in his official book because he could not prove that the others were genuine. Scholarly debate continues in the Muslim community over the authenticity of the various hadith. Some of the most dependable hadith are observed while others are excluded by some Muslims. A very small percentage of believers dismiss all the hadith, deeming them unreliable or (at worst) fabricated texts. Mosques The Islamic place of worship, the mosque (from the Arabic word masjid, meaning place for prostration) serves as a focal point for the Muslim community. Before Islam, the area around the Kaaba was called the masjid. But the model for future Islamic mosques was the one constructed in Medina in CE 622. Like all future masjids, the Quba mosque in Medina was fitted with a niche in the direction of the prayer (first facing Jerusalem and then towards Mecca) and surrounded a garden area. Early mosques (often built in vacated churches, which the Muslims believed were holy) served as symbols of Muslim dominance. All mosques share the same important elements: the Mihrab, a niche on the inside wall of the mosque indicating the direction of prayer (qibla); the Minbar, a pulpit from where the Friday sermon (khutbah) is delivered; and a fountain for worshippers to perform their ritual washing for prayer. In the early 8th century, towers were built next to mosques for use by the muezzins who called the faithful to prayer. The minarets, as they were called, were probably inspired by Christian church steeples in Syria and further signaled the presence of a Muslim community in the region. Mosques are frequently adorned with domes, verses from the Quran in Arabic script, and elaborate arabesque designs. Mosque of Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil
Abbasid Decline Although the Abbasid caliphs nominally maintained their positions as ultimate political leaders until 1258, the Abbasid caliphate was a truncated shell by the time the Crusaders arrived in Jerusalem in 1095. Abbasid subjects were becoming increasingly frustrated with high taxes, and breakaway autonomous kingdoms (the Umayyads in Spain, Fatimids in Egypt, and Buyids in Persia) competed with the Abbasid caliphs for authority over the umma. The Abbasids had appointed a cadre of governors, or emirs, to help govern the vast empire, but many of them too had dynastic ambitions and carved out their own kingdoms in Afghanistan, northern India, and other parts of the empire. In order to keep them in line, the Abbasids created an army of Turkic slaves (Mamluks, meaning owned in Arabic) who soon became powerful enough to command royal authority. With the Muslim lands divided into spheres of competing influence, the umma had become powerless against the Crusaders in the 11th century and the Mongol invasions of the 13th century. In 1258 the Mongols under Hulagu Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan) sacked Baghdad and killed the caliph. Abbasid rulers continued for nearly two more centuries, after a member of the 37th caliphs family escaped to Cairo, where he was recognized as caliph under the rule of the Mamelukes of Egypt. The Cairo line of Abbasids ended with the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517. Photo: msa.org.ohio-state.edu Mosque of Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil The Moors: The Visigoths had ruled Spain until 711, when the Moors crossed into Spain from North Africa. For the next three centuries, the Moors controlled most of Spain by establishing a caliphate, or religious center, in Cordoba. Spain enjoyed a golden age. The Moors were able administrators who built Spain into a thriving center of culture and scholarship. The Moors were Muslims, but they were generally tolerant of the Christians and Jews who lived in Spain. Spanish Jews benefited from the tolerant policies of the Moors. This enabled them to have one of the most prosperous periods in their history. Christian kingdoms in northern Spain and France slowly began the Reconquista (or reconquest) of Spain, a struggle that lasted almost 500 years. Quarrels among the Moors led to the overthrow of the caliphate of Cordoba in The Moors remained in Spain until King Ferdinand of Aragon, and Queen Isabella of Castille merged their kingdoms and forced the Muslims and Jews to leave Spain Row 5 16. Life long learners/education important
- translated Greek and Sanskrit works on philosophy and science House of Wisdom Baghdad Al Mamun preserved ancient learning diffused to Europe 17. Medicine: Diagnosis/treatment/qualifying examinations Muhammad al-Razi and Ibn Sina all influenced the West Math algebra Science Architecture - minarets 18. Letters of credit receipts bills of lading Comparison of Statistics and Basics
Islam Judaism Christianity adherents called Muslims Jews Christians current adherents 1.3 billion 14 million 2 billion current size rank 2nd largest 12th largest largest major concentration Middle East, Southeast Asia Israel, Europe, USA Europe, North and South America, rapid growth in Africa sacred text Qur'an (Koran) Bible Bible (Jewish Bible + New Testament) other written authority Hadith Talmud, Midrash, Responsa church fathers, church councils, papal decrees (Catholic only) religious law Sharia Halakhah Canon Law clergy imams rabbis priests, ministers, pastors, bishops house of worship mosque synagogue church, chapel, cathedral main day of worship Friday Saturday Sunday Comparison of Origins and History
Islam Judaism Christianity date founded 622 CE unknown c. 33 CE place founded Saudi Arabia Palestine (def) Palestine founder Muhammad Moses or Abraham Jesus original language(s) Arabic Hebrew Aramaic, Greek early expansion within 12 years, entire Arabian peninsula; within 100 years, Muslim world stretched from the Atlantic to China little expansion; mostly confined to Palestine within 60 years, churches in major cities in Palestine, Turkey, Greece and Rome (map); entire Roman Empire by end of 4th cent. major splits Shia/Sunni, c. 650 CE Reform/Orthodox, 1800s CE Catholic/Orthodox, 1054 CE; Catholic/Protestant, 1500s CE Comparison of Religious Beliefs
Islam Judaism Christianity type of theism strict monotheism Trinitarian monotheism ultimate reality one God names of God Allah (Arabic for God) Yahweh, Elohim Yahweh, the Holy Trinity other spiritual beings angels, demons, jinn angels and demons revered humans prophets, imams (especially in Shia) prophets saints, church fathers identity of Jesus true prophet of God, whose message has been corrupted not prophet Son of God, God incarnate, savior of the world resurrection of Jesus Not part of beliefs affirmed divine revelation through Muhammad, recorded in Qur'an through Prophets, recorded in Bible through Prophets and Jesus (as God Himself), recorded in Bible means of salvation correct belief, good deeds, Five Pillars belief in God, good deeds correct belief, faith, good deeds, sacraments (some Protestants emphasize faith alone) good afterlife eternal paradise: heaven views vary: heaven eternal heaven view of fellow Abrahamic religions Jews and Christians are respected as "People of the Book," but they have wrong beliefs and only partial revelation. Islam and Christianity are false interpretations and extensions of Judaism. Judaism is a true religion, but with incomplete revelation.