Download Islam - A Cultural Approach

Islam
SSWH5:a-c.
Time and Geography
RELIGIOUS
Life of Muhammad, the Prophet
• Mecca
– Important cosmopolitan interchange
– Had written language, well developed government
system
– Inhabited by several tribes or clans
The city of
Mecca
Life of Muhammad, the Prophet
• Muhammad began having mystical experiences
about 610
– Visits from Archangel Gabriel
– About single god, Allah, and coming Day of Judgment
Gabriel delivering the
revelation to
Muhammed
Muhammad
• Began preaching about visions
– Local worship based on nature deities, cult objects
like the Kaba
– Forced to leave Mecca – Hijra
– Fled to Medina
– Gained support and forced Meccan authorities to
negotiate
– Returned to Mecca in 630
• By time of his death, wars of holy conquest
(jihad) brought most of western Arabia under
Islamic control
Patterns of Belief in
Islamic Doctrine
• “Islam” means “submission to God (Allah)”
• Qur’an – most sacred scriptures
• Five Pillars of Islam
The Five Pillars of Islam were
delivered by the archangel Gabriel
Patterns of Belief in
Islamic Doctrine
• Simplicity of teachings and rituals were factors in
winning converts
– Straightforward doctrine of salvation
– Believers and follower of Muhammad’s words were
rewarded in the life to come; Unbelievers went to fiery
Hell
– Elevated but attainable moral and ethical code
The archangel Gabriel
Arabia in Muhammad’s Day
• Many aspects of Islam derive
from other religions: Judaism and
Christianity
• Bedouin tribes were continually
at war with each other
• Local animist religion coexisted
with Judaism, Christianity,
Zoroastrianism
• Booming commerce led to
materialistic values
Bedouin tribes were
nomadic
SOCIAL/ RELIGIOUS
Reformist Religious Message:
Status of Women
• Pre-Muslim women’s position was
poor
• Muhammad tried hard to change
situation and attitude
• Women still not equal, but weren’t
servants either
• They had some rights
• Their honor and welfare needed
protection
• Status of women was elevated
Islam elevated women
from Bedouin status
The Jihad
• War for establishment of God’s law on earth
• Term means “to strive” against unbelief, both internal
and external
• Taking part in a jihad is a way of fighting Satan; highest
honor for good Muslim
• Dying in jihad assures heavenly reward
Dying in jihad assures a
heavenly reward
The Jihad
• Based on several aspects of Arabic culture
– Bedouins were warlike people
– Economic crisis due to overpopulation – people willing to risk
lives for better future
– Exhaustion and division among opponents
• As result, all of Persia, most of Byzantine territory in Asia
was under Muslim control
All of Persia and
most of Byzantine
territory in Asia was
under Muslim control
POLITICAL/ RELIGIOUS
The Caliphate
• Muhammad seen as direct link to God
– His community (Umma) acted under command of God
– No division between religious and secular affairs
– His sudden death caused crisis of leadership
• First Period 632-661
– Had to choose new leader, either close family member or
someone closest to him
– Umma chose Abu Bakr as first caliph
– His successor Omar was real founder of early Muslim Empire
– Administration had to be done on ad hoc basis
– Arab Islamic theocracy
Umayyad Dynasty (661-750)
• Governor of Syria, Muawiya, began dynasty
• Changed from election of caliph to dynastic succession
• Shi’ites
– Significant minority within Islam
– Supporters of Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali
– Believed only lineal descendants of the Prophet should be caliph
• Kharijites believed only Muslim free from all sin was fit to
lead
• Sunni
– By far largest majority of Muslims
– Agreed to legitimacy of caliph dynasties
Umayyad Dynasty
• Minorities were always counterweight
to Sunni policies
• Muawiya was skillful organizer,
statesman
– Moved capital to Damascus
– Made office of caliph more powerful
– Forced tribal leaders to accept his son as
successor
• Umayyads continued to expand to
east and west
• Expansion brought unanticipated
changes
Umayyad Caliphate in
750 CE
Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258)
• Caliphs who claimed descent from
uncle of Muhammad
• Opened faith to all comers on
essentially equal basis
• Incorporated foreign models of
government
• Non-Arab converts made Islam into
cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic religion
and civilization
Coin of the
Abbasids, Baghdad, Iraq,
765 CE
Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258)
• Empire was too big and
diverse to survive
• Gradual but severe decline
• Muslim faith was strong
enough to survive as religion
and culture
Siege of Baghdad by the Mongols led by Hulagu
Khan in 1258.
RELIGIOUS
Conversion to Islam
• Islam did not force conversions
• No effort made to convert peasants or urban masses; if
they did convert, it was because of genuine appeal
• Intermarriage between Muslim and non-Muslim strictly
prohibited
• Dhimmis, or “Peoples of the Book”
–
–
–
–
–
–
Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians
Considered special because they believed in one god
Not taxed as severely
Had legal, business rights
Could worship as they pleased
Elected own community leaders
All Abrahamic religions are
“Peoples of the Book”
SOCIAL
Everyday Affairs
• At first, Muslims were minority almost everywhere
• Dhimmi merchants, artists able to live and work without
disturbance
• Only Muslims could hold high office, but dhimmis could
hold lesser positions
• Definite social pyramid
–
–
–
–
Umayyads: Bedouin descendants, converts
Abbasids: Muslims, dhimmis, other non-Muslim freemen, slaves
Each class had own rights and duties
Little friction, but non-Muslims were second-class citizens:
different courts of law, heavier taxes
Discussion Questions
1. What similarities do you see in the beliefs and
organization of Islam and those of Christianity? What
differences exist? Why do you think followers of these
two great religions have so often been in conflict?
2. The Islamic Empire covered huge distances and
encompassed many different cultures, but the “cement”
of the empire was its religion. What other examples of
religion-based empires exist, or was this a unique
situation? What might be the potential problems of
maintaining an empire based on religion? Were these
problems for the Muslims?