Islam and the Early

Caliphates

The Arabian Peninsula Pre-IslamThe Arabian Peninsula Pre-Islam

• mostly nomadic tribes mostly nomadic tribes (Bedouins)(Bedouins)• Tribes often foughtTribes often fought• Worshipped a large variety of godsWorshipped a large variety of gods• Took pride in oral traditions/group Took pride in oral traditions/group

loyaltyloyalty• TRADERSTRADERS (Muhammad was a (Muhammad was a

merchant)merchant)

Abraham’s GenealogyAbraham’s Genealogy

ABRAHAMABRAHAM SARAHSARAHHAGARHAGAR

IsaacIsaac

EsauEsauJacobJacob

12 Tribes of Israel

12 Tribes of Israel

Ishmael

Ishmael

12 Arabian Tribes

12 Arabian Tribes

The Prophetic Tradition

The Prophetic Tradition

Adam

Noah

Abraham

Moses

Jesus

Muhammad

MeccaMecca

• Major Major trading/religious citytrading/religious city

• Located between Located between Byzantine and Byzantine and Sassanid EmpireSassanid Empire

• Importance of the Importance of the Ka’baKa’ba

The MessengerThe Messenger• Muhammad (570-632 C.E.)Muhammad (570-632 C.E.)• Troubled by the corruption and Troubled by the corruption and

lawlessness of Meccalawlessness of Mecca• Retreats and revelationsRetreats and revelations• Famous text: QuranFamous text: Quran• Growing movement towards Growing movement towards

Allah/Yahweh as deity #1! Allah/Yahweh as deity #1! • Followers were kicked out of town Followers were kicked out of town

(the Hijra) (the Hijra) • ~When I heard the Quran, my heart was softened ~When I heard the Quran, my heart was softened

and I wept…~and I wept…~

Quran, Koran, Qur’anQuran, Koran, Qur’an

• Holy book of IslamHoly book of Islam• Called for a creation of a Called for a creation of a

new society (Umma) based new society (Umma) based on justiceon justice

• Considered to be literally Considered to be literally the word of Godthe word of God

• There is not an actual There is not an actual image of Godimage of God

The Five Pillars of The Five Pillars of IslamIslam

1. The Shahada1. The Shahada

11

The declaration of faith:

There is no god except God, There is no god except God, and Muhammad is Hisand Muhammad is HisMessenger.Messenger.

There is no god except God, There is no god except God, and Muhammad is Hisand Muhammad is HisMessenger.Messenger.

2. The Salat2. The Salat

22

Prayers performed 5 times a day: * dawn * noon * late afternoon * sunset * before going to bed

Wash before praying.

Face Mecca and use a prayer rug.

2. The Salat (continued)2. The Salat (continued)

22

The call to prayer by the muezzin in the minaret.

Pray in the mosque on Friday.

Prayer unifies body mind and soul.

3. The Zakat3. The Zakat

33

Almsgiving (charitable

donations).

About 2.5% of your wealth.

4. The Sawm4. The Sawm

44

Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

No eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan.

5. The Hajj5. The Hajj

55

The pilgrimage to Mecca.

Must be done at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime.

2-3 million Muslims make the pilgrimage every year.

Pil

Pilgrims On The Road toAnd Camped

Outside of Mecca

Muslims in the WorldToday

Muslims in the WorldToday

Countries with the Largest Muslim

Population

Countries with the Largest Muslim

Population1. Indonesia 230,000,000

6. Iran 62,000,000

2. Pakistan 134,000,000

7. Egypt 59,000,000

3. India 121,000,000

8. Nigeria 53,000,000

4. Bangladesh

114,000,000

9. Algeria 31,000,000

5. Turkey 66,000,000 10. Morocco 29,000,000

* Arabs make up only 20% of the total Muslim population of the

world.

The Spread of IslamThe Spread of Islam Easy to learn and practice.

No priesthood.

Teaches equality.

Follow one law; The Sharia

Non-Muslims allowed religious freedom, but paid additional taxes.

Easily “portable” nomads & trade routes.

The Weakness of nearby empires (Byzantine & Persian) allowed conquest

The Dar al-Islam: The Unity found across Muslim areas

supported by common practice

The Dar al-Islam: The Unity found across Muslim areas

supported by common practice

11 22 33 44 55

The WorldThe Worldof Islamof Islam

The WorldThe Worldof Islamof Islam

Arab Empire: Early Arab Empire: Early YearsYears Muhammad’s death

caused division – who should lead?

Abu Bakr elected (632-Abu Bakr elected (632-634) as first Caliph634) as first Caliph- Ali - Ali passed over (will be the passed over (will be the 33rdrd Caliph). Caliph).

Conquest becomes VERY Conquest becomes VERY important. important.

Focused primarily on

material and territorial gain.

Motives for Motives for ConquestConquest United

Distraction from internal fighting

Promised a share of the booty

AVOIDED mass conversions

so they wouldn’t have to share their booty

so they could tax subjects at higher rates

Sunni v. Shi’a/Shi’iteSunni v. Shi’a/Shi’ite At issue: Who should lead the Muslim Umma? First 4 Caliphs = “The Rightly Guided” Caliphs, most agreed on these guys Ali killed & Husayn (Ali, the 4th Caliph’s son) = killed in 680 by Umayyads (10,000 soldiers v. 72 of Husayn’s followers). Some thought HE should be the next caliph. Killing of Husayn = the final split. Shi’a = “Party of Ali” (Muhammad’s relatives are rightful caliphs) Sunni = “The Majority” (caliph should be chosen by the umma)

Umayyads (661-Umayyads (661-759)759)Mu’awiya- Governor of Syria

(responsible for deaths of Ali and Husayn) will become the Cailphate.

Expansion (central Asia, N.W. India, N. Africa, Spain)

Capital = Damascus (modern Syria)

Arab conquest state

Bureaucracy – Arab elite ruled over non-Arab, non-Muslim populations

Segregated into garrison towns to prevent mixing

Umayyad Decline & Umayyad Decline & FallFall

Social Hierarchy: 1.Muslim Arabs

2.Muslim non-Arabs

REVOLT led by Abbasid family

Non-Arab converts & Shi’ites joined Abbasids

From Arab to Islamic From Arab to Islamic Empire: Abbasids Empire: Abbasids

(750-1258)(750-1258) Centralized

Capital = Baghdad.

Imitated Persian culture

Non-Arab Converts fully integrated

LOTS of conversions

Opportunities for education/gov’t positions

Abbasid Economy & Abbasid Economy & CultureCulture Urban

Trade & Hajj = constant

and quick ideas exchange

House of Wisdom in

Baghdad = Center of Learning

• Library, Translation Institute (mostly Greek to Arabic), and Research Center.

Ancient authors translated (especially Greeks like Aristotle!!!)

Abbasid DeclineAbbasid Decline Overexpansion

Caliphs hired personal armies of Turkic Central Asian

(Mamluk) pastoralists(slave soldiers)

Centralization breaks down

Mamluk & Seljuk Turkic slave soldiers really run the gov’t (caliph = figurehead)

Mongols – kill the last caliph in 1258

Chart Time!Chart Time!

• Instructions: Make a Venn Diagram Instructions: Make a Venn Diagram with 3 circles with at least three with 3 circles with at least three examples of how Islam spread by examples of how Islam spread by way of social, religious, and military way of social, religious, and military factors (at least one of each).factors (at least one of each).

People of the BookPeople of the Book

Considered to be Christians and Jews

paid extra taxes, but tolerated

non-Arab converts still had extra taxes

few conversions

Family & Gender Family & Gender RolesRoles Women’s status pretty good

Islam teaches that all people’s souls are equal

Active in commerce

Pastoralist background!

More patriarchal over time

• Madrassa schools Madrassa schools