Muslim Culture

Abbasid Rule

• Rule was prosperous for the Islamic religion

• Riches are pulled in from Europe, Asia, & Africa

• Build great cities and support advancements in math, art, and science

• Preserve & Advance Knowledge

• Blending of international cultures

Muslim Cities

• Damascus – Cultural Center of Islam

• Impressive Cities of the Caliphate – Cordoba, Cairo, & Jerusalem

• Baghdad (capital) – lavish palaces, defenses, and marketplace

• Peeked at ~1 million!!!

Damascus

Four Social Classes• 1st Class – Muslims at

Birth• 2nd Class – Converts to

Islam• 3rd Class – “Protected

People”– Christians, Jews,

Zoroastrians• 4th Class – Slaves– POWs, non-Muslims

Role of Women• Qur’an: Men & Women

are equal, but submit to men– What?

• Given rights under the shari’a for marriage, family, & property

• Originally, women could advance based on their husband’s status

• Time passes, women are isolated and veiled in public

Scholarship & Knowledge• Push for knowledge was

great (science, math, astronomy)– Muhammad – p. 274

• Push for advancements, translate scientific & philosophical texts

• Early 800s – House of Wisdom – library/academy for translation of ancient texts into Arabic.

Literature & Art• Strong roots in Arabia with

the Bedouins• The Qur’an was the gold

standard• Adapt artistic traditions of

conquered areas to suit Islamic beliefs

• Discourage images of living things

• Use calligraphy (or beautiful handwriting as a substitute) or decorative work (wood, glass, etc.)

Architecture

• Greatest cultural blending of the Muslim world– Ex: Great Mosque of

Damascus build on the site of a Christian Church (Byzantine reflection)

• Feature works of the Romans and other European cultures

Dome of the Rock

Medical Advancements• Al-Razi – greatest

physician in the world• Wrote the encyclopedia

Comprehensive Book – drew medical knowledge from the ancients

• Also wrote the Treatise on Smallpox & Measles– Recover breathing

cleaner air

Math & Science• Standard for mathematical

solutions, scientific observations, & experimentation

• Scientists prefer to solve problems with experiments, instead of logical reasoning– Better?

• Al-Khwarizmi – Through Indian teachings, develops al-jabr

• Chart the stars, comets, & planets

• Ibn al-Haytham develops theory on sight, leads to the first telescopes & microscopes

Philosophy & Religion

• Scholars blend Islam with Greek philosophers teachings

• Criticized, argue both trying to find the truth

• Moses Ben Maimon – greatest Jewish philosopher– Push to blend science

with religion

The “Ideal Man”

• P. 279 – Ikhwan As-Safa• “The ideal and morally

perfect man should be of East Persian derivation, Arabic in faith, of Iraqi education, a Hebrew in astuteness, a disciple of Christ in conduct ….”– What do you think?