The Rise of Islam, 600-1200

The Origins of Islam• Arabs of 600 C.E. lived in the Arabian

peninsula. (_______,_________,________)

The Arabian Peninsula Before Muhammad

• Farmers and sailors• Fishing and trading• “Empty Quarter”• Middlemen– Caravan trading– Camels and donkeys– Christians

• Mecca. What was the significance of this city?– Ka’ba

Muhammad in Mecca

• Muhammad was born in Mecca, 570.– “Night of Power and Excellence”– What was message he received?

• Muslim-• Islam-• Familiarity because of…• Why was Islam appealing?

The Formation of the Umma

• In 622, Muhammad and his followers fled to Medina (hijra). Why?

• Meccan migrants formed a umma• Muhammad dies; no provision of succession. – Khalifa/caliph– Abu Bakr• Quran

• Five Pillars– 1.– 2.– 3.– 4.– 5.

• Shi’ites v. Sunnis

The Rise and Fall of the Caliphate, 632-1258

• Sunni never gave absolute authority and power to: define belief, expel heretics, and discipline clergy

The Islamic Conquests, 634-711

• Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, North Africa, India, Iraq, Anatolia.

• No evidence of coherent missionary efforts to spread Islam during conquest period.

The Umayyad and Early Abbasid Caliphates, 661-850

• The Umayyad (Sunni) dynasty ruled from Damascus. – Muslim Arabs– Silver dirhams and gold dinars

• Abbasid Caliphate (Shi’ites) ruled after defeating the Umayyad– Promotion of Islam– Arabian Nights-– Why was this period called the “golden age”?

Political Fragmentation 850-1050

• Why did the Abbasid fall?– Mamluks– What was the problem with mamluks?• Seated and unseated caliphs• Capital moved from Baghdad to __________.• Shi’ite Buyid

• New exchange system with Berbers in Sahara desert. – Ghana

• Fatimid Dynasty claimed to be descendants of Ali (Shi’ite) 969– Conquered Egypt– Abundance of gold

• Umayyad Spain 740– Roman, Germanic, Jewish, Arabs, Berber– Most sophisticated agricultural economy

• Al-Andalus 929– Iberian Peninsula– Literature, law, philosophy– Ulama-

Assault from Within and Without, 1050-1258

• Seljuk Turks (Afghanistan to Baghdad)– Problems:– Crusades had little effect on Islamic lands– Battle of Ain Jalut- mamluks defeated Mongols

from Central Asia– Young Turks-

Islamic Civilization

Law and Dogma

• Shari’a– Merging of-

• Islam began to govern social and religious life. – Sunna-• Hadith-• What was the problem with hadith?

Converts and Cities

• “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”– Few could read the Quran– Discrimination led to migration and growth of

urban centers. – Muslim regions urbanized; Christian cities shrank.

• What did this Muslim urbanization confirm?• Variations in religious teachings were

common. Why?• Trade and technology flourished– Doctors– Physics– mathematicians

Islam, Women, and Slaves

• Literate, no public life, could not associate socially with non family members,

• Greater status than Jewish and Christian– What are two things women were never allowed

to do?

• Views on Slavery:– People of the Book– Prisoners of war– conversion

The Recentering of Islam

• No hierarchy or formal organization • Eventually, the centrality of the caliphate

diminished. More focus on education and pilgrimage.

• Iranians contributed by:1.2.