Download Ch. 9 - Coach Hutson

WHAP – Coach Hutson
- Unit 3 Age of Accelerating Connections, 500-1500
Chapter 9 The Worlds of Islam - Afro-Eurasian Connections, 600–1500
What distinguished the first centuries of Islamic history
from the early history of Christianity and Buddhism?
What similarities and differences characterized their
religious outlooks?
Comparing 1st centuries of Islamic history from that of Christianity and Buddhism?
Islam differed sharply from Christianity & Buddhism because its founder was not
only a religious figure but also a political & military leader.
From the start the Islamic community found itself constituted as a state.
Islam did not develop as clearly defined a separation between church and state as
did both Christianity and Buddhism.
Comparing 1st centuries of Islamic history from that of Christianity &
Buddhism?
Similarities in religious outlooks:
★ Founded by single historical figures
who had powerful religious
experiences
★ provided a clear path to salvation
★ proclaimed the equality of all
believers
Similar Diversity, 2007 by Philipp Steinweber & Andreas
Koller
A visualization of the similarities & difference between
the holy books of 5 world religions:
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, &
Judaism.
Comparing the 1st centuries of Islamic history from that of Christianity &
Buddhism?
However, Islam’s conception of
monotheism was stronger than that of
Christianity;
Each religion was shaped in part by the
cultural traditions in which it emerged.
Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (570–632 C.E.),
who was born in Mecca to a Quraysh family.
1st centuries of Islamic history from that of Christianity & Buddhism?
Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, is monotheistic. Allah is
the only God, the all-powerful Creator.
As “the Messenger of God,” Muhammad presented himself in
the tradition of earlier prophets like Abraham, Moses, & Jesus.
Like the Jewish prophets & Jesus, Muhammad demanded
social justice & laid out a prescription for its
implementation.
Why are there no representations of the prophet Muhammad adorning mosques?
The Hadith warns against any attempt to imitate God by creating pictures of living beings.
And now a word from Robert W. Strayer on the
matter:
From: Robert Strayer
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 4:53 PM
Subject: Re: Strayer WOW 1e - question about photo
From the Toronto airport, on the way to
Istanbul
While orthodox Islam generally cautions against images
(fearing idolatry), the fact is that a number of good
Muslims have historically used images, particularly in the
lovely Persian and Ottoman miniatures, several of which
we have used in the book. Sometimes those images of
the prophet show his face whited out, but in other cases
they do not. All of our images of the prophet come from
Muslim sources, not western sources.
It simply shows that Islam, like all other major spiritual
traditions, generate a variety of views about many
things...including in this case the question of images. It
reminds us that we should avoid characterizing almost
anything as strictly "Islamic". Islam is a rich tradition with
a lot of variety and variation, as well as disagreement and
controversy. -- Hope this helps -- Bob
Prophet of Islam was Muhammad Ibn Abdullah
(570–632 C.E.)
★ orphaned at a young age
★ became a prosperous merchant thanks to marriage to Khadija
★ took to withdrawal and meditation
Core & General
Principles of Islam
Beginning of revelations from Allah in 610 C.E.
★ revelations recorded in the Quran
★ when heard in its original Arabic, believed to convey the presence of the divine
Radically new teachings
★
★
★
★
★
monotheistic
Muhammad as “the seal of the prophets”
return to old, pure religion of Abraham
central tenet: submission to Allah (Muslim = “one who submits”)
need to create a new society of social justice, equality, & care for others (the umma)
Core message summarized in the Five Pillars of Islam
1. first pillar is simple profession:
“There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”
2. prayer five times a day at prescribed times
3. generous giving to help the community and the needy
4. fasting during the month of Ramadan
5. pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)
6? - jihad (“struggle”) is sometimes called the “sixth pillar”
★ greater jihad: personal spiritual striving
★ lesser jihad/jihad of the sword: armed struggle against unbelief & evil
★ understanding of the concept has varied widely over time
Science, Technology, & Learning in the Islamic World
Although the Byzantine
Romans spoke Greek and
welcomed Greek culture, in
the Islamic World, classic
Greek thought was embraced
“with far more enthusiasm
and creativity” than in
Byzantium.
A massive translation project in the 9th
& 10th centuries made Aristotle &
many other Greek writers available.
Of course, during this age of ‘light’ in
the Islamic World, this improved upon
‘western learning’ would return to
Europe during the Renaissance period.
However, without the Muslim
Science & Islam, Jim AL-Khalili - BBC
Documentary
The video on the next slide takes a look at science in the
Islamic World.
Part 1: The Language of Science
Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and
Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific
knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the
8th and 14th centuries.
Its legacy is tangible, with terms like algebra, algorithm and
alkali all being Arabic in origin and at the very heart of modern
science - there would be no modern mathematics or physics
without algebra, no computers without algorithms and no
chemistry without alkalis.
For Baghdad-born Al-Khalili this is also a personal journey and
on his travels he uncovers a diverse and outward-looking
culture, fascinated by learning and obsessed with science. From
the great mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, who did much to
establish the mathematical tradition we now know as
algebra, to Ibn Sina, a pioneer of early medicine whose
YouTube: Science & Islam, Jim Al Khalili - BBC (3 hours in
length!)
When the Moors Ruled Europe by Bettany
Hughes
Join British historian Bettany Hughes as she examines a
long-buried chapter of European history--the rise and fall
of Islamic culture in what is now Spain and Portugal.
Although generations of Spanish rulers have tried to
expunge this era from the historical record, recent
archaeology and scholarship now shed fresh light on the
Moors who flourished in Al-Andalus for more than 700
years.
This fascinating two-part documentary explodes old
stereotypes and offers shocking new insights. You’ll
discover the ingenious mathematics behind Granada’s
dazzling Alhambra Palace, trace El Cid’s lineage to his
Moorish roots, and learn how the Iberian population
willingly converted to Islam in droves.
Through interviews with noted scholars, you’ll see how
Moorish advances in mathematics, astronomy, art,
and agriculture helped propel the West out of the Dark
Ages and into the Renaissance. What emerges is a
richly detailed portrait of a sensuous, inquisitive, and
remarkably progressive Islamic culture in Christian
Europe.
YouTube: When the Moors Ruled Europe by Bettany Hughes
1 hour 40 min.