The Birth of IslamThe Birth of Islam

Arab rise to Power

Arab Culture• Arabian Peninsula (Desert)Arabian Peninsula (Desert)• Bedouin existence (nomadic)Bedouin existence (nomadic)• Loyalty & identification with tribes & clansLoyalty & identification with tribes & clans

– Necessary for protection and survivalNecessary for protection and survival

• Oasis towns, Animal Husbandry, TradeOasis towns, Animal Husbandry, Trade– Trade with Persia, Byzantines, IndiaTrade with Persia, Byzantines, India– Camel indigenousCamel indigenous

Scarce resourcesScarce resources conflictconflict– Rivalry over available waterRivalry over available water– Differing degrees of wealth Differing degrees of wealth

• Polytheistic deities (Ka'abaPolytheistic deities (Ka'aba at Mecca) at Mecca)• Oral Traditions – Poetry – source of unity & Oral Traditions – Poetry – source of unity &

identityidentity

Ka’aba

Muhammad’s Life & ImpactMuhammad’s Life & Impact• Merchant of the Merchant of the QurayshQuraysh clan clan• KhadijahKhadijah (wife of Muhammad) (wife of Muhammad)• Respected, worked as intermediary between rival Respected, worked as intermediary between rival

clansclans

• Vision of Angel Gabriel, one God, AllahVision of Angel Gabriel, one God, Allah– Followers small in number at first, grew overtimeFollowers small in number at first, grew overtime– Viewed as a threat by Viewed as a threat by UmayyadUmayyad clan as his influence clan as his influence

grewgrew– Forced to flee Mecca for Medina (Forced to flee Mecca for Medina (hejirahejira) in 622) in 622

• By 632, most of Peninsula, included the Umayyad By 632, most of Peninsula, included the Umayyad were won over to the new faithwere won over to the new faith

The Spread of Islam During Muhammad's Lifetime

Tenants of the Faith: the Five Pillars

• One God – Allah, Muhammad is the One God – Allah, Muhammad is the prophetprophet

• Prayer towards Mecca 5x a day (Prayer towards Mecca 5x a day (salatsalat))

• Tax for Charity (Tax for Charity (zakatzakat))

• Fasting during the Holy Month of Fasting during the Holy Month of RamadanRamadan

• Pilgrimage to Mecca (Pilgrimage to Mecca (HajjHajj))

Spread of IslamSpread of Islam

Spread of IslamSpread of IslamAbu Bakr succeeded Muhammad established CaliphCaliph-completed the unification of the Arabs

of the peninsula.

•Under the first four Caliphs Islam spread into the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia and Egypt

•At the death of the Fourth Caliph, Ali, conflict emerged as to the rightful successor.

Sunni & Shi’ite (Shia) SplitSunni & Shi’ite (Shia) Split• Dispute as to the rightful successor

• Civil War • Umayyad (Sunni Muslim) -military prowess

brought combative followers under their control

Umayyad Caliphate

Sunni Shia

Chosen by followers (Caliph)

Majority

Descendants of Muhammad (Imam) Minority

661-750661-750

Abbasid CaliphateAbbasid Caliphate

Reached Peak of golden Age under Harun al-Rashid (786-809)

Islamic CaliphatesIslamic CaliphatesUmayyad Caliphate

• Hereditary succession @ Damascus

• Conquered -parts of Byzantine, collapsed Sassanid Persians, Hindu Kingdom (Sind)

Est. Dar al-Islam • Tolerated non-muslims

required tax (jizya) – many conversions

• Arab military aristocracy favored– Luxurious lifestyle, relaxed

attitude re: Morality

Rebellion in 750 brought its end

Abbasid Caliphate

• Founders - More cosmopolitan – Persians, Egyptians,

Mesopotamians held high positions in government

• Capital at Baghdad – walled city– 100,000’s people

• Persian statecraft techniques – Governors, bureaucratic

ministries – vizier, emir– Diplomacy with the West

(Charlemagne)

• Didn’t work to conquer new territories– Local divisions led to rebellion –

smaller Caliphate

What factors enabled the rapid spread of Islam in the years after Muhammad's

death?

Interpretation of the jihad“Struggle”

Internal conflict (spiritual and/or moral) missionary work, physical conflict

Unifying the Umma & creating the Dar Al-Islam

How?•Quran: recitations of Muhammad's visions (Arabic only)

•Hadith: Muhammad's sayings

•Sharia interpretations of the Quran to establish laws regarding: Marriage, Business, Inheritance, Slavery, Crime

Who?•No organized priestly class

– Ulama (Muslim theologians)– Qadis (Muslim jurists)– Sufis (Mystics) – missionary work (Persia, India)

Abbasid after 1050Abbasid after 1050

• Seljuk (Saljuq) Invaders

• Abbasid united with Seljuks to resist internal rebellion and resistance from provincial governors

• Caliphs retained nominal sovereign status

• Seljuk Sultan became true political ruler

• Mongol invasions 1258 ended Abbasid Caliphate

Mongol empire

Islamic Culture & Society

The Awakening

• Role of hajj (movement & diffusion)

• Muhammad’s example- merchant

• Geographical position of Muslim World

• Introduction of Paper – Books

• No seeming contradiction between faith and Knowledge

• Arabic language – unifying force

• Renaissance beginnings!

Scientific AchievementsSought out scientific understanding• Hindu Numerals

– Algebra, Trigonometry

• Greek Philosophers (Aristotle, Plato)• Spirit of Inquiry

– Scientific process

• Medicine– Hospitals, concept of Germs, Anatomy, cataract

surgery (modern camera)

Urban Nature of Islamic Society

Artistic and Architectural evidence

Key Cities• Baghdad

– Rival of Athens or Rome– Jewel of the World– House of Wisdom, Academies, Libraries– Christians, Muslims, Jews

• Cordoba, Spain– Rivaled Baghdad– Street lights, paved roads, hospitals, libraries,

palaces, running water– Mosque at Cordoba– Only Christian World Contact

Mosque at Cordoba 8th Century

Origins of Patriarchy?

•Gerda Lerner•Disputes biological determinism•Urbanization breeds patriarchy

–Elise Boulding–Hunter gather societies were more egalitarian

What was life like for Women in Pre-Islamic Arab Society?

The Role of Women

According to the Quran …According to the Quran …• Rights & obligations for both

in marriage • Equal access to salvation• Dowries (free gift)• Child bearing crucial• Wives share property• Obedience to husband• Punishments for indecency• Provisions for wife in case of

divorce or death of husband• Polygamy (sake of

protection)

In Practice…In Practice…• Foundations of Patriarchal

society• Sharia reinforced male

dominance & inheritance• Required legitimacy of

heritance- guardians, chaperones

• Influence of Persia & Byzantine culture– Veiling to ensure modesty– Upper class women’s

movement restricted

Conclusions:

• “… It is also relevant to emphasize that although Islamic laws marked a distinct decline, a Greek, a Roman, and a Christian period had already brought about major losses in women’s rights and status. In effect, Islam merely continued a restrictive trend already established by the successive conquerors of Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean…” –Leila Ahmed,

Women and Gender in Islam