The Early Islamic World

Pre-Islamic Arabia, c. 600 Bedouin clans Camel herders and town dwellers Frequent feuds over pasturing/water resources Trade network Place of women Role of religion < tribal customs

Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam Merchant, travels introduced him to monotheism Revelations , later written into the Qur’an (=recitation) Escape from Mecca, 622 Return in triumph, 628 Death left no clear successor

The Appeal of Islam Uncompromising monotheism in a land that had known only insignificant gods Belonged to no single tribe or clan – possibility of unity Arab in origin (alternative to foreign faiths of Judaism and Christianity) Ethical system to heal social divisions

Five Pillars of Islam Statement of faith: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.” In Arabic:

Prayer 5 times a day, facing Mecca How to pray: ayer/BegSound.htm ayer/BegSound.htm

Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

Final two pillars: Fasting during Ramadan Zakat (tithe for charity)

After Muhammad – Division Within… 4 caliphs, though disagreements about whether the caliph should be a direct relative of the prophet Ali, 4 th caliph and Muhammad’s cousin and brother-in-law, was rejected and assassinated by the Umayyads Continued split between Sunni and Shi’ites Muslims

…but also great success Under caliphs, Arabia was reunited following brief breaking away after Muhammad’s death Sassanid (Persian) empire conquered and much Byzantine territory seized Strength of Arab armies combined with weakness of neighbors

Motives for expansion? Release of martial energy? Payback for centuries of contempt? Not a motivation at least at first: conversion. Qur’an: “There is no compulsion in religion.” Also: did not want to share booty of conquest or give up right to tax non-Muslims.

Umayyad Empire, Women Dhimmis Mawali Shi’ite Merchants Ayan Small farmers Treatment of

Umayyads alienated many Placed capital at Damascus Soldiers, especially on frontiers, unhappy with distant, corrupt, unfair rulers Abbasid rebellion started in eastern part of empire (Iran) but spread, drawing support from dissident groups, among them Shi’ite ans and mawali

Abbasid Empire Women Dhimmis Mawali Shi’ite Merchants Ayan Small farmers : unified, center at Baghdad Treatment of

Abbasid Empire, cont : breakup into regional dynasties: Umayyads in Spain, Fatimids in Cairo (ruled Egypt & Syria), Turkish tribes swept into Middle East from Central Asia, converted to Islam and controlled the Islamic heartland Authority of caliph became more religious than political Regional sultans sought confirmation of their power from the caliph

Abbasid Empire, cont. 11 th -13 th c.: new external threats Christian Crusades Mongols – threatened entire Middle East, remained in power in Iran & Iraq, where they converted to Islam Invasions helped cause the fall of the old states & slow creation of 3 new states

3 New states emerge, Safavid (Shi’ite) dynasty in Iran Moghul dynasty in India Ottoman Empire centered in Asia Minor (which will conquer Byzantines in 1453)

Credits Slide 6 photo: (Uzbek Muslims paying) Slide 7 photo: (search for Hajj) Slide 8 photo: (search for Ka’ba) Slide 13 map: Slide 14 map: Slide 19 map: