Download Expansion of Islam Presentation

Islamic Empires
Many empires, one faith
Many peoples, one faith
Islamic Governance
• Islam is a faith, not a government, although Shari’a
law is religious law
– Many modern nations employ some system of Shari’a –
which usually is a system of courts populated with
religiously educated judges – day-to-day law – that heavily
influenced common law in the medieval period.
• Decisions are made by consensus of imams, who are
scholars of Islam and lead services – these are NOT
priests, but qadis, who are essentially judges of
shari’a and spiritual leaders.
– There is no priesthood in Islam, but basic study of the
Qur’an at a madrasa, participation in the Hajj, and
knowledge of the Sunna and the Hadith are enough for
one to be recognized as a leader in a Muslim community.
Islamic Governance, continued
• Wherever Islam spread, the concept of the Caliph, or
successor of Muhammad, was meant to unite all
Muslim
– In the tradition of Muhammad, the Caliph is the temporal
(worldly, secular) leader as well as the spiritual leader
– Practically, this dual system died out with the destruction
of the Abbasid Caliphate by the Mongols, and temporal
and spiritual leadership became decentralized.
• There is no central political or religious authority for
Muslims.
– This was true in 1250 CE, and it is true today, although
many strong leaders attempted to “claim the Caliphate” –
including the Ottomans
Muslims
• Most Muslims are not Arab
• The history of “The Islamic Empire” soon became a very
diverse affair as those who were conquered or exposed to
Islam converted.
– Saladin was Kurdish, The Ottomans, Seljuks, Delhi Sultans, and the
Mughals were Turkic peoples
– Berber tribes in North Africa helped create Al-Andalus
– Three of the four leaders of the Ordus (“Hordes”) of the Mongols
converted.
– Chinese, SE Asian, African, and Indian converts soon followed.
• Now, ethnicities all over the world are Muslim
– The most populous Muslim nation is: …….
• Indonesia with 202 million people
• 23% of the world’s population is Muslim
– The Asia-Pacific region has more than three times the number of
Muslims as there are in the Middle East and North Africa
Allah MuhammedQur’anIslamMuslim
4 “Rightly-Guided Caliphs” (Abu-Bakr, Uthman, Umar, Ali)
Ali assassinated, Umayyad Dynasty established – capital moved to Damascus
Sunni/Shi’a split (Shi’a: Caliph needs to be relative of Muhammed; Sunni: Caliph just
needs to follow the Sunna and be the strongest contender)
Umayyad slaughtered by Abbasids, who move capital to Baghdad but one Umayyad
prince escapes to Al-Andalus to establish a rival Caliphate
Abbasid Dynasty destroyed by Mongols 1258 – Mongols stopped by Mameluke
(slave-soldiers) soldiers who have est. dynasty in Egypt.
“Islamic Empire” ceases to exist, the Caliphate is constantly fought over between
rival Muslim empires who are split by ethnicity, language, and culture, but linked by
the Qur’an
Vibrant slave trade leads to new groups establishing influence in these areas
(Mamelukes and the Janissaries are two examples)
By the 10th century CE, Dar-Al-Islam (literally: The House of Islam, or The Muslim
World) is a collection of dynasties led by converts like the Turks and Persians.
Converts throughout the Indian Ocean trade and Silk Road are not Arabs – Even
three of the four Mongol ordus and Chinese and SE Asians are converts – Most
Muslims are Sunni
Seljuks, Ottomans, Delhi Sultans, Mughals, and Timurids are each Turkish (Safavids
are Persian Shi’ites) all carve out their own territories.
Arab Conquests
Umayyad Empire (661-750)
Al-Andalus (711-1492)
Abbasid (750-1258/1519)
Turks
• First arrived in Muslim lands fleeing the Mongols
• Then migrated peacefully when the Mongols
established the Pax Mongolica and allowed for free
trade in Asia
– Settled first in central Asia around Samarkand, which is
within the sphere of the Baghdad Caliphate (Abbasids)
• Eventually, separate waves of Turkish-speaking people
moved into SW Asia, converting and eventually
establishing themselves as powerful, mounted
warriors.
• Numerous central Asian states – the regions of
modern-day Afghanistan and Uzbekistan are the
launching pad for Tamerlane and Babur
Seljuk Empire (1037-1153)
Tamerlane (Timur)
Mameluke Empire (1250-1517)
Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526)
Safavid Empire (1501/2 -1722)
Ottoman Empire (1299-1922)
Mughal Empire (1526-1707)
Mali (13th -16th Centuries)