the islamic world 600-1400
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The Islamic World 600-1400. The Origins of Islam. Arabian Peninsula Urban- artisans, merchants, religious leaders Rural- Bedouin nomadic tribes; political and military sophistication Mecca - Ka’ba, commercial center. Arabian Social and Economic Structure. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Islamic World600-1400
The Origins of IslamArabian Peninsula
◦ Urban- artisans, merchants, religious leaders
◦ Rural- Bedouin nomadic tribes; political and military sophistication
◦ Mecca- Ka’ba, commercial center
Arabian Social and Economic StructureSocial unit was the tribe
(loyalty-protection/support)Trade, caravan guards
◦ North/central- warriors◦ South- religious aristocracies
Muhammad’s Rise as a Religious Leader◦ Muhammad (570-632)
Revelations from Gabriel: “oneness of Allah” and “Judgment Day”
(651) Qur’an Hadith Sunna, “normative example”
The Tenets of Islam Islam “surrender to God”Muslim “one who submits”Muhammad last of prophets
◦ Not a new messageFive Pillars of Islam:
Islamic States and Their ExpansionHijra 622 (Beginning of Muslim Era)
◦ To Medina8 year conflict between Medina and MeccaMuhammad was a military and political
strategist◦ Unified through the “umma” not tribe◦ Established Arab unity among Bedouin
tribes through the umma
Islam’s Spread Beyond Arabia Two powerful empires in 6th century Middle East
◦ Byzantine empire◦ Sassanid empire
Muslim conquests◦ Arabian peninsula, Egypt, N. Africa, Syria, Persia,
Iberian peninsula
Reasons for the Spread of Islam
Jihad-Arab military advantages and
political weakness of opponentsChristian and Jewish
perspectives-
The Caliphate and the Split Between Shi’a and Sunni Alliances
Sunni◦ Umayyad Dynasty, Damascus (Syria),
caliph court, political, ulamaShia/Shi’ites
◦ Imam
The Abbasid Caliphate 750-1258747 Abu Al Abbas led rebellion against
Umayyad◦ Baghdad capital- center of trade,
intellectual achievements, medicine, astrology, Greek texts translated
◦ Significance of Arabic language in Islam◦ Persian elite class◦ Cosmopolitan ◦ Islamic center◦ “Divine right”◦ Slave soldiers (Turks)
Administration of the Islamic Territories◦Adopted from Byzantine and Persian
Caliph Vizier Ulama Emirs Native officials Diwan
Fragmentation and Military ChallengesPay taxes = some autonomyLong distance = disobedience
Breakaway Territories and Shi’a Gains755 independent state in Cordoba, Spain800 Tunisia, N. Africa820 Khurasan kingdom946 Shi’a Iranian overran Baghdad969 Shi’a “Fatimids” conquered N. Africa
The Ascendancy of the Turk The Turks were victims of slave raids.
◦ Converted to not be captured 1020 and 1030s Seljuk Turks conquered Persia, Iraq,
and Syria to establish a Sunni state 950-1100 Turk expansion to Byzantines (Anatolia)
◦ Most Christians converted to Islam
The Mongol Invasions1206 Mongols united Mongol, Tartar, and
Turkish peoples under Chinggis (Ghengis) Khan and conquered North China.
1219-1222 Mongols conquered Arabs from Persia to Central Asia (Khwarazm).
1258 the last Abbasid caliph was assassinated in Baghdad when Mongols led by Huleou took over Persia and created the IL- KHAN
1260 DamascusSyrians withstood Mongols in Battle of
Ayn Jalut
Muslim Society The Life of the PeopleIdea of social equality was basic
Muslim doctrine (among Muslims alone)◦Arabs regarded themselves as
superior
The Social Hierarchy1. Caliph’s household and ruling Arab Muslims2. Converts- required to subordination to Arab
tribes3. Dhimmis (ZIH-MEEZ)- “People of the Book”
◦ Respect Islam, pay taxes◦ Appointed to high positions
Status dropped after Crusades and Mongol empires
Jews in Islam◦Marginalized in Christian social
order, then expelled from many European countries
◦Marginalized in Islam, however given commercial liberties and respect
SlaveryHumane, moderate, no excessive work,
opportunity for manumission◦ Not “People of the Book”
◦ Women: housekeeping, dancers, concubines
◦ Men: soldiers, construction, mines, loading docks, mines, and eunuchs
Islam vs. American slavery1. Race not recognized2. No plantation system (Zanj revolt
in Persia)3. Not hereditary
Women in Classical Islamic SocietyPre-Islam Arab tribes
◦No problem◦Sold into marriage
Mostly domestic roles; some political exceptions
Early Islamic view on women◦ Quran: equals, political, economic rights
By Abbasid dynasty◦ Patriarchal tendency absorbed from Persia
and ByzantineVeiling
◦ Quran has no specific rule about veilingPurdah
Marriage◦Too important for romance◦Arranged at 12 years old ◦Raised children◦Polygamy tolerated (4)◦Divorce permitted
Trade and CommerceFavorable capitalism
◦ Looked down on agricultural labor“…honest, truthful Muslim merchant will
stand with martyrs on the day of judgment.”
Waterways main commercial route:◦Mediterranean, Black Sea, Caspian
Sea, Volga River (Russia), Aral Sea (China), Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Indonesia, and Philippines
◦Cairo, Egypt
Textiles, glass, gold, silver, copper exchanged for Asian spices, dyes, and medicine
Sakk“Bill of exchange”“Joint Stock Company”By product-
Cultural Developments
The Cultural Centers of Baghdad and CordobaExamples of cosmopolitan
Muslim civilization
Literature“The Thousand and One Nights”
◦“Aladdin and His Lamp”◦“Sinbad the Sailor”◦“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”
CordobaOne Million people, 1600 mosques, 213,000
houses, 60,000 mansions, 80,000 shops, 27 schools (400,000 volumes in library)◦ Contrast with Benedictine Abbey of Saint-
Gall in Switzerland
Education and Intellectual LifeValued education, especially religious
learningQur’an basic textReading, writing, study of Qur’anMadrasaArabic
Teachers role-MemorizationCareers:
Women in education
Compare/contrast Islamic schools to Chinese and European
Islamic European Chinese
Arabic, Algebra, medicine, astrology
Them Mystical Tradition of SufismReaction to materialism of
Umayyad Dynasty◦Fasting, meditation, prayer◦Absence of materialism and politics
Muslim-Christian EncounterMost significant encounterExchange:Positive until Crusades 1095 and
Reconquista of Span 722-1492Trade contacts, especially Venetians
Andalusia, Spain Jewish, Christian, Muslim harmonious
coexistence◦ Mozarabs-◦ Eventually met with criticism and prejudice◦ Muslim converts sentenced to death◦ 1250 Reconquista
Beyond Andalusian SpainMuslim attacks on Europeans in
8th and 9th centuriesDoctrine controversies: