Download Islam: the first global civilization

Islam: the First Global
Civilization
Chapter 6
Rise & Spread of Islam: Chapter
Summary
7th century CE (600’s):
Followers of Muhammad surged from Arabian
peninsula
Created first global civilization by incorporating
elements of Greece, Persia, and Egypt
Provided links for exchange between “civilized”
centers
United in belief of Muhammad’s message
Divided by cultural and political rivalries
Strong until 14th century (1300’s)
Pre-Islamic Arabian World
Arabian peninsula inhabited by Bedouins
Larger agricultural/commercial areas
flourished in south by coast
Social organization:
Mobile, kin-related clans→larger tribal units
Shaykhs=leaders—elected, typically wealthy
Free warriors and slaves
Interclan rivalry weakened Bedouin society
Pre-Islamic Arabian World
Cities developed
Trading system linked Med. to east Asia
Mecca:
Most important city
Founded by Umayyad clan
Site of religious shrine Ka’ba
Medina
Second most important city
Agricultural oasis and commercial center
Pre-Islamic Arabian World
Status of women
Didn’t wear veils
Not secluded
Able to have multiple marriage partners
Men remained superior
Property control, inheritance, and divorce
Did drudge labor
More restricted in urban areas
Pre-Islamic Arabian World
Culture not highly developed due to isolation
and environment
Focused on orally transmitted poetry
Religion=blend of animism and polytheism
Some tribes recognized Allah (supreme deity) but
largely ignored
Main focus=spirits and nature
Religion and ethics NOT connected
Life of Muhammad
Born approx. 570 CE
Orphan, raised by father’s family
Became merchant
Allowed him to observe society undermining clan unity
Encountered monotheism
Dissatisfied with his life so went into hills to meditate
In 610, he started having his revelations
Later written down in Arabic and collected as Qur’an
Formed basis of Islam
Died in 632
Unity threatened but reunited in 633 under Umayyad
empire
Arabs and Islam
Islam provided way to unite Arabs
System of ethics capable of healing social rifts
Strong and wealthy responsible for taking care of weak and
poor
Distinct, indigenous monotheism that supplanted and
ended clan feuds
Umma=community of the faithful
Transcended old tribal clan boundaries
All believers equal before Allah
All faced last judgment by stern but compassionate God
Profits teachings and Qur’an is basis for laws
regulating the Muslim faithful
Universal Elements of Islam
Monotheism
Legal codes
Egalitarianism
Strong sense of community
Five Pillars
Acceptance of Islam
Prayer 5x per day
Fasting during month of Ramadan
Paying zakat for charity
Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)
Empire of the Umayyads
After Muhammad’s death, campaigns began outside
of Arabia
Religious zeal and weak opponents allowed for
victories in Mesopotamia, north Africa, and Persia
New empire=Umayyad
Ruled by warrior elite
From 640’s, gained naval supremacy in eastern Med.
Extended conquest to southern Europe (stopped at
Poitiers in 732)
Byzantines did hold back conquest in Asia Minor and
Balkan terrorties
Motivation for Arab Conquest
Sense of common cause
Rich booty and tribute gained often
were more of a motivation than
spreading the faith
Later, converts were exempt from taxes
and shared spoils of victory
Problem of Succession
When Muhammad died, he had not established a
procedure for selecting a new leader
After a troubled process, Abu Bakr was chosen as
caliph
The murder of the third caliph, Uthman, caused a
succession struggle
Earliest followers supported Ali, Muhammad’s son-inlaw (Shi’a)
Still support the right of his descendents after his murder in
661
Umayyads were Sunnis
Permanent division within Islam between the Sunnis
and Shi’as to this day
“People of the Book”
First conquered people were Jews and
Christians
Later included Zoroastrians and Hindus
All termed Dhimmis
Had to pay taxes but allowed to retain
own religion and social organization
Family and Gender Roles in the
Umayyad Age
Initially, favorable status of women
Muhammad and Qur’an stressed moral and
ethical dimensions of marriage
Adultery by BOTH partners denounced
Men allowed to have four wives but had to treat
them all equally
Strengthened women’s legal rights in inheritance
and divorce
Both sexes equal before Allah
Strong status did not endure
Umayyad Decline
Decline of Umayyad
Luxury from spoils of war made military
weak
Also had retreat from Islamic virtues which
led to revolts
Abbasid clan took over and created
Islamic empire
Islamic (Abbasid) Empire
Series of fundamental changes
Increased bureaucratic expansion
Absolutism
Constant presence of royal executioner
symbolized absolute power of rulers over
people
Luxurious living
Moved capital from Damascus to Baghdad
Once in power, turned against Shi’a and
supported less tolerant Sunnis
Islamic (Abbasid) Empire
First flowering of Islamic learning
Artistic contributions first in mosque and
palace construction
Learning flourished in:
Religion
Law
Philosophical discourse
Science
Math
Global Connections
First global civilization
Incorporated many linguistic and ethnic groups
into one culture
Created Islam
Absorbed precedents from earlier civilizations in:
Religion
Politics
Art
Science
Innovative thinking influenced Europe, Africa &
Asia
Grand Mosque of Damascus
(present day)
Built by Umayyad empire
Dome of the
Rock
Temple Mount
Jerusalem,
Israel
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey (Turks conquered in
1453)
Next time….
Chapter 7: Abbasid Decline & Spread of
Islam to South & Southeast Asia
Chapter 8: African Civilizations &
Spread of Islam