IslamReligion and Culture

Islamic Civilization: Both within and without the Latin world

Outer edge of Latin World

Spain, Sicily, North Africa

Surrounding areas of Byzantium in Near East and Arabian Peninsula

7th – 12th centuries

Islamic civilization absorbed and added its culture to the heritage of Greece, Rome, Judaism, Christianity and the Near East.

Toleration

Tolerated Jews and Christians as long as these minorities recognized Islamic political rule, paid taxes and did not proselytize among Muslims.

Protective

Purity of religion, language and law from foreign influences

Religion as fundamental to Islamic Civilization

Also true of the Christian Kingdoms and Byzantium

Why do we know more about early Christianity than early Islam?

Islam formed in a mostly illiterate and nomadic culture

Arabian Peninsula

Predominately desert

Nomadic tribes

No centralized government: each tribe had own rules of conduct

Caravans carried culture from Hellenistic and Roman worlds across Arabian Peninsula

Muhammad (c. 570-632)

Born at Mecca

Father did in the year of his birth; Mother died when he was 6

Mecca—a prosperous caravan city

Tribal Society

Blood descent

Interests of individual were always secondary to the good of the tribe

Each tribe had own gods (moon, sky, sun. dog, cat, ram)

All tribes worshipped Kaaba: a large black stone enshrined at Mecca

Kaaba made Mecca a center of worship and pilgrimage

Muhammad’s Visions and Founding of Islam

At 25, Muhammad married a widow who owned a caravan

Muhammad critical of materialism, paganism and unjust treatment of the poor

His doubts about society led him to live in the desert alone.

In 610, Muhammad received his first revelation and began to preach

Muhammad believed that the Angel Gabriel delivered revelations

Revelations written in the Qur’an compiled by Muhammad’s followers between 650-651

Muhammad’s basic message to all Arabs

“submit to the will of God” (Islam= submission to God)

Basic Teachings of Islam

Islam is final revelation from God through long line of Prophets, beginning with Noah, including Jesus and ending with Muhammad (greatest of prophets because he received the final revelation).

God is good and omnipotent.

God will judge all men on the last day and assign them a place in Heaven of hell.

Men should thank God for making the world as it is.

God expects men to be generous with their wealth.

Muhammad sent by God to teach men and warn them of the last judgment.

Five Pillars of Faith of Islam

Profession of Faith: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his last prophet.”

Pray 5 times a day

Giving of charity

Fasting during Ramadan

Pilgrimage to Meccas (Haj) at least once in a lifetime).

Flight to Medina: Hegira

Muhammad’s message was rejected by tribal leaders in Mecca and by Christians and Jews in Mecca

Muhammad fled to Medina in 622 –the hegira or breaking of former ties

Muhammad created an Islamic society in Medina

Strict rules governing diet; gambling; usury

Prohibited infanticide

Set civil laws to govern society

Muhammad’s followers attacked caravans from Mecca and steadily gained converts

By 624 his army conquered Mecca and made it the religious center of Islam

Muhammad’s untimely death & the spread of Islam Muhammad died in 632 without biological children though he adopted

the children of his wife

Did not name an heir to lead Islam and the society it founded

Not considered divine but followers saw no distinction between civil law and religious duties

Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s father-in- law) selected as 1st Caliph (temporal leader)

Between 636 and 720’s Muslims had conquered Syria, Persian Empire, Egypt, North Africa and most of Spain.

732 Charles Martel (Franks) defeated Muslims at Battle of Tours and stopped advance into Western Europe

Literally translated: Recitation

Muhammad did not write down his revelations

His followers memorized them and wrote them down after he died

Written in Arabic

Divided into 114 surah (chapters)

Human beings born in the purity of God & free of original sin

Righteous are promised paradise

Wicked and unbelievers are promised hell

Men and women equal but men are a degree higher than women

Women must veil their bodies

Influenced both art and architecture in the Islamic world

The Qur’an

Islam offered rules of conduct that were easy to understand and follow: Less ritualistic at the time, than Judaism or

Christianity Less complex theology

Islam welcomed everyone regardless of birth, ethnicity or socio-economic class;

Did not condemn material possessions.

The Spread of Islam

Core Islamic texts: Qur’an (recitation), Hadith (sayings) of the Prophet Mohammed), Sunna (good practice) of the Prophet.

Constitute the sharia (path to follow) Leadership

Imams (prayer leaders) Mullahs (scholars trained in Muslim law to interpret

the sharia)

Islamic Law

Age of the Caliphs  Expansion under Muhammad, 622–632/A.H. 1-11  Expansion during the Rashidun Caliphate, 632–661/A.H. 11-40  Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661–750/A.H. 40-129

Sunni - Shi’a Division

Issue: Should Muhammad’s successors come from the line of Muhammad’s family line (Shi’a) or should his successor’s be chosen from among tribal leaders (Sunni)?

Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, killed by rivals from outside Muhammad’s family

Sunni Caliph’s took over leadership but chose successors from among their own family lines

Muawiyah created the Umayyad dynasty and moved the capital from Mecca to Damascus until 750

Subsequent Islamic Dynasties Abbasid Caliphs based on line from Muhammad’s youngest uncle from 750 and

moved capital to Baghdad until 1251. Abbasid Dynasty= Golden Age of Islam

Abbasids moved their capital to Cairo in 1261 and stood as lose confederation of Caliphates until 1517 when the Ottoman Turks took over

Ottoman Empire centered in Constantinople renamed Istanbul until end of WWI

Siege of BaghdadIn 1258

Abbasid Caliphate 750-1258

Abbasid Dynasty & the Golden Age of Islam (750-1251)

Science: drew on scientific inquiry from the Persian, Arab, Indian and Greek traditions in science

Math

Astronomy

Medicine

Physics

Chemistry

Geography

Cartography

Islamic Scientists 1574-1595 (courtesy of Istanbul University Library)

Emirates After 950

Islamic Art

Islamic art: incorporated Arabic, Persian, Mesopotamian and African traditions, in addition to Byzantine inspirations.

3 sources

Qur’an: The Qur'an is seen as the first work of art in Islam.

Independence & interdependence of verses can be said to take the reader to a divine experience feeling joy and happiness, terror and fearfulness, bliss and anger …

"when the verses of the Beneficent are recited unto them, they fall down prostrate in adoration and tears" (Qur'an 19:58).

Emphasis on the presence and attributes of the divine Creator rather than on His creatures, including man.

Living in submission to Allah includes the arts: "those who believe, do good work, and engage much in the remembrance of Allah" (Qur'an 26:227)

the religious rule that discourages the depiction of human or animal forms

Arabesque designs, geometrical patterns and calligraphy.

Detail of floral decorationDome of the Rock Mosque

Detail of a tree in Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

Calligraphy with floralAnd geometric patternsOn facade of La MesquitasIn Cordoba, Spain

“Introduction to Muslim Art” by Rabah Saoud, http://muslimheritage.com/article/introduction-islamic-art#sec_3

Arabesque Style

Photo by Yves Remedios. Detail Of design in Alhambra Palace In Granada, Spain

Mosques and Churches

Mosques designed as places of prayer not liturgical worship

No images in Mosques

Mosques oriented toward Mecca

Direction of Mecca is marked by a niche

Niche may hold a lamp

Minbar raised platform for reading Qur’an located to right of the niche

Church interiors designed to draw worshippers from secular to sacred

Sacred images are helpful to establish an atmosphere conducive to worship

Ritual of gathering, word, prayer, Holy Communion, sending

Great Mosque (784-987)

Layout of Saint Peter’s Basilica

Interior of Saint Paul’sOutside the Wall

Ceiling Fresco: Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, Rome

Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest, "Hagia Sophia", accessed 8 Oct 2012, http://quest.eb.com/images/105_1397141

How is Islam an heir of Rome?

Islam absorbed a great deal of Greek culture which it preserved for the Latin West

Islamic Caliphates absorbed and preserved cultures of Greece, Rome and were influence by Byzantium

Adapted elements of Judaism, Christianity and Paganism into Islam

Provided stability to large swaths of former Roman empire in North Africa, the Middle East and Spain