From Rightly Guided to Chaos

HIST 10079/16/13

Byzantine vs. Arab Byzantine

What’s the difference?

Sasanian vs. Arab-Sasanian

What’s the difference?

What’s wrongwith these coins?

An Islamic Iconography

A Similar Development?

Amsar

Great Mosque of Kufa

Ahl al-Kitab and Dhimma

• Ahl al-Kitab: People of the Book• Dhimma: Protected minorities• Jizya: Poll tax paid by dhimmis• Mawla: Status of clientage• Incentives for both protecting non-Muslim minorities and discouraging conversion.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

The Rashidun Caliphs

• Rightly Guided• Abu Bakr (r. 632-634)• `Umar (r. 634-644)• `Uthman (r. 644-656)• `Ali (r. 656-661)• Shūra• Ṣahāba

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r. 632-634)

• Banu Taym• One of the first three converts• WWMD – sunna• Ridda Wars• Consolidate authority over Muslims

`Umar b. al-Khattab (r. 634-644)

• Banu Adi• Early opponent to Islam• Converts in 616• As caliph, establishes government bureaucracy

(diwans)• Focus on Muslim identity• Muhajirun, ansar, and Muslim clans vs. Quraysh• Assassinated by Persians

`Uthman b. `Affan (r. 644-656)

• Banu Umayyah• Converts in 611• Umayyah wealthiest, most powerful of Quraysh aristocracy• Reasserts Meccan aristocracy• Nepotism in Egypt, Syria, Basra, and Kufa• Or is it a matter of maintaining stability?

Qur’an reportedly from the reign of `Uthman

Rebellion against `Uthman

• Uprisings in Egypt, Basra, and Kufa• 655 – Hajj address• 656 – 1,000 Egyptians march on Medina• `Uthman’s home besieged• `Uthman assassinated• Battles between supporters and opponents

Qur’an claimed to be the one `Uthman was reading when he was assassinated

`Ali b. Abi Talib (r. 656-661)• Banu Hashim• Son of the custodian of the Ka’aba• Cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad• Fatima• One of first three converts• Perpetual candidate for caliphate• Ghadir Khumm and the investiture of `Ali

First Fitna• Fitna – sedition, upheaval, civil war• Was `Ali involved in `Uthman’s murder?• Muhammad b. Abu Bakr• Mu`awiyah and Marwan• Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Talhah, and Zubayr• 656 – Battle of the Camel

First Fitna

• Move capital to Kufa• 657 – Battle of Siffin• Arbitration – refuses a new caliph• Kharijites• 661 – assassinated• Mu`awiyah and Hasan

Shi’ism

• Shi’ite `Ali – Partisans of `Ali• Should the caliph be a descendant of the

Prophet Muhammad?• Ahl al-bayt• Fatima + `Ali• Imamate• When do these ideas develop?