Umayyad and Abbasid Empires

Building an Arab Empire

Divisions within IslamCrisis: Who would take over for Muhammad

after his death. Caliph = leader, successor to Muhammad

Shi’itesShi’ite = followers felt that Muhammad had

designated his son-in-law, Ali, to be his successor.

They believe the true successors to the prophet are the descendants of Ali and his daughter Fatima.

These descendants are called Imams or divinely inspired religious leaders. Empowered to interpret the Koran. Minority.

12 imansInfallible leaders that direct descendents of

Muhammad

12th Iman Muhammad al-Mahdi Hides outside of Samarra in 874 ce

Allah will reveal Mahdi and return to guide humanity

SunnisSunnis believe that the Caliph position

should be an elected position. First Caliph = Abu Bakr.First convert and father-in-law to

MuhammadMajority of MuslimsBeliefs = political leader of the religious

community (sunna) Inspiration comes from examples of

Muhammad

SufisMuslim mysticsSought communication with God through

meditation, fasting, and spinning in circles (whirling dervish)

Believed to have miraculous powers

Rightly Guided CaliphsThe first four CaliphsClose to MuhammadAbu BakrUmar or OmarUthmannAli

Abu Bakr632-634Daughter Aisha married MohammedUnified CommunityRaised an Army

Umar15th convert to Islam634-644Spread the Empire Calendar date to the Hirja

Spread of Islam Under Umar, 634-644

Uthmann644-656

Spread Islamic Empire to Mediterranean

Put together Koran

Killed 656

Empire Under Uthmann

Ali1st male convert to IslamCousin and Son in Law of Mohammad. Married Muhammad’s daughter FatimaAssassinated by being slashed with a

poisoned sword 661 in NajafShiites believe in his line of leaders

Tomb of Ali

Battle of KarbalaOctober 10, 680Husayn Ali vs. Umayyad EmpireSeparates Sunni and Shia IslamHusayn and 71 others killed buried in

KarbalaSurvivors marches to Damascus

Karbala

Ashura‘Festival’ to the

fallen at KarbalaMarch of captives

to DamascusBanned in some

Sunni http://www.youtub

e.com/watch?v=49J6eh7kJMA&feature=related

Differences

Sunni

“Any worthy man” Regardless of lineage1st Caliph – Abu BakrWinnersDecentralized – no centralizedAuthorityIndividual85 % of Islamic worldSee Shi’ites as hereticsNot oppressedWahhibism (Saudi Arabia)Moderate – Turkey

Similarities

Belief in 5 PillarsDaily PrayerFastingCharityHajjMonotheismKoran = holy textMohammad ResurrectionJudgment DayNo Idolatry

Shi’ite

Direct Descendant“Partisans of Ali”LosersCentralized HeirarchyClergyAyatollahs15 %“Cult of Death”Ali’s son – Hussayn 680Oppressed Iraq/Iran12 Legitimate successors to Mohammad Aka ImamsLast Imam Mahdi (874)

Before the UmayyadThe Byzantine Empire

Umayyad Caliphs661-750 A.D.Meccan ClanSunniCapital, Damascus (Syria)Empire expanded from Spain in west to

Indus River Valley (Pakistan/India) in east711 – Spain732 – France stopped at the Battle of Tours

by Charles “the Hammer” Martel

Umayyad Caliphate

Charles “The Hammer” Martel

Battle of Tours

TOURS

Reason for Muslim SuccessWeakness of Byzantine (Eastern Roman

Empire) and Persian EmpiresMany people welcomed Arabs as liberatorsBedouin horse and camel cavalryUnited a patchwork of tribesBelief in Islam and desire to glorify new

religionOrderly system of administration

Conquered People Treated FairlySuper Tax on “People of the Book”Converts given advantages

Decline of Umayyad Empire1. Rulers had trouble adapting from living

in the desert to ruling large cities and huge territories

2. Non Arabs did not have the same privileges as Arabs - resentment

3. Umayyad caliphs became corrupted/living in luxury

Rise of the Abbasids750 A.D. – 1258 A.D.Founder and leader: Abu al-AbbasDescendant of Muhammad’s uncleKilled all members (except one) of last

Umayyad ruling family

Abbasid Empire

Changes Under AbbasidsCreate equality of all MuslimsHalted large military conquestsEmpire of caliphs reached its greatest

wealth and powerMuslim civilization flourishedEnded discrimination of non ArabsEncouraged learning

Moved capital from Damascus (Syria) to Baghdad (Iraq)

Shi’ite Umayyad keeps Spain

Muslim Civilization’s Golden AgeDuring the Abbasid Empire750-1350 Built vast trading network Money economyPartnershipsCreditFormed banksBank ChecksManufactured goods highly soughtAgriculture thrivesSocial MobilitySlave Practice

“Ships of the Sand”

Arts, Literature, ArchitecturePoetryCalligraphy – the art of beautiful

handwritingArchitecture – 688 Dome of the Rock Libraries of Baghdad – Learning CentersAncient philosophy and history preserved

by Muslim scholarsAdvances in astronomy, mathematics,

medicine

Calligraphy

Dome of the Rock

The Muslim Empire DeclinesSeljuk Turks 900 A.D. Seljuk Turks (from Central Asia)

adopted Islam and set up and empire across the Fertile Crescent

1055 Sultan or ruler takes over BaghdadPushed into Asia Minor (Turkey) Threatened the Byzantine EmpirePreventing Christian pilgrims from entering

Jerusalem1095 Pope Urban II called for the First

Crusade to free Holy Lands of Muslim invaders

Seljuk Turkish Empire

Route Map of the 1st Crusade

Mongols1216 - Genghis Kahn led the Mongols out

of Central Asia into Southwest Asia1258 – Grandson of Genghis Khan looted

Baghdad Killed the last Abbasid caliphMongols convert to IslamTimur the Lane or Tamerlane conquers

many Muslim lands

Mongol Empire In The Late 1400s