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The Birth of Islam

The Birth of Islam. Arab rise to Power. Arab Culture. Arabian Peninsula (Desert) Bedouin existence (nomadic) Loyalty & identification with tribes & clans Necessary for protection and survival Oasis towns, Animal Husbandry, Trade Trade with Persia, Byzantines, India Camel indigenous

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The Birth of Islam

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  1. The Birth of Islam Arab rise to Power

  2. Arab Culture • Arabian Peninsula (Desert) • Bedouin existence (nomadic) • Loyalty & identification with tribes & clans • Necessary for protection and survival • Oasis towns, Animal Husbandry, Trade • Trade with Persia, Byzantines, India • Camel indigenous Scarce resources conflict • Rivalry over available water • Differing degrees of wealth • Polytheistic deities (Ka'aba at Mecca) • Oral Traditions – Poetry – source of unity & identity

  3. Ka’aba

  4. Muhammad’s Life & Impact • Merchant of the Quraysh clan • Khadijah (wife of Muhammad) • Respected, worked as intermediary between rival clans • Vision of Angel Gabriel, one God, Allah • Followers small in number at first, grew overtime • Viewed as a threat by Umayyad clan as his influence grew • Forced to flee Mecca for Medina (hejira) in 622 • By 632, most of Peninsula, included the Umayyad were won over to the new faith

  5. The Spread of Islam During Muhammad's Lifetime

  6. Tenants of the Faith: the Five Pillars • One God – Allah, Muhammad is the prophet • Prayer towards Mecca 5x a day (salat) • Tax for Charity (zakat) • Fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadan • Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

  7. Spread of Islam

  8. Spread of Islam Abu Bakr succeeded Muhammad established Caliph-completed the unification of the Arabs of the peninsula. • Under the first four Caliphs Islam spread into the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia and Egypt • At the death of the Fourth Caliph, Ali, conflict emerged as to the rightful successor.

  9. Sunni & Shi’ite (Shia) Split • Dispute as to the rightful successor • Civil War • Umayyad (Sunni Muslim) -military prowess brought combative followers under their control Umayyad Caliphate

  10. 661-750

  11. Abbasid Caliphate

  12. Reached Peak of golden Age under Harun al-Rashid (786-809)

  13. Islamic Caliphates Umayyad Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate Founders - More cosmopolitan Persians, Egyptians, Mesopotamians held high positions in government Capital at Baghdad – walled city 100,000’s people Persian statecraft techniques Governors, bureaucratic ministries – vizier, emir Diplomacy with the West (Charlemagne) Didn’t work to conquer new territories Local divisions led to rebellion – smaller Caliphate • Hereditary succession @ Damascus • Conquered -parts of Byzantine, collapsed Sassanid Persians, Hindu Kingdom (Sind) Est. Dar al-Islam • Tolerated non-muslims required tax (jizya) • many conversions • Arab military aristocracy favored • Luxurious lifestyle, relaxed attitude re: Morality Rebellion in 750 brought its end

  14. What factors enabled the rapid spread of Islam in the years after Muhammad's death? Interpretation of the jihad “Struggle” Internal conflict (spiritual and/or moral) missionary work, physical conflict

  15. Unifying the Umma & creating the Dar Al-Islam How? • Quran: recitations of Muhammad's visions (Arabic only) • Hadith: Muhammad's sayings • Shariainterpretations of the Quran to establish laws regarding: Marriage, Business, Inheritance, Slavery, Crime Who? • No organized priestly class • Ulama (Muslim theologians) • Qadis (Muslim jurists) • Sufis (Mystics) – missionary work (Persia, India)

  16. Abbasid after 1050 • Seljuk (Saljuq) Invaders • Abbasid united with Seljuks to resist internal rebellion and resistance from provincial governors • Caliphs retained nominal sovereign status • Seljuk Sultan became true political ruler • Mongol invasions 1258 ended Abbasid Caliphate

  17. Mongol empire

  18. Islamic Culture & Society

  19. The Awakening • Role of hajj (movement & diffusion) • Muhammad’s example- merchant • Geographical position of Muslim World • Introduction of Paper – Books • No seeming contradiction between faith and Knowledge • Arabic language – unifying force • Renaissance beginnings!

  20. Scientific Achievements Sought out scientific understanding • Hindu Numerals • Algebra, Trigonometry • Greek Philosophers (Aristotle, Plato) • Spirit of Inquiry • Scientific process • Medicine • Hospitals, concept of Germs, Anatomy, cataract surgery (modern camera)

  21. Urban Nature of Islamic Society Artistic and Architectural evidence

  22. Key Cities • Baghdad • Rival of Athens or Rome • Jewel of the World • House of Wisdom, Academies, Libraries • Christians, Muslims, Jews • Cordoba, Spain • Rivaled Baghdad • Street lights, paved roads, hospitals, libraries, palaces, running water • Mosque at Cordoba • Only Christian World Contact

  23. Mosque at Cordoba 8th Century

  24. Origins of Patriarchy? • Gerda Lerner • Disputes biological determinism • Urbanization breeds patriarchy • Elise Boulding • Hunter gather societies were more egalitarian

  25. What was life like for Women in Pre-Islamic Arab Society?

  26. According to the Quran … Rights & obligations for both in marriage Equal access to salvation Dowries (free gift) Child bearing crucial Wives share property Obedience to husband Punishments for indecency Provisions for wife in case of divorce or death of husband Polygamy (sake of protection) In Practice… Foundations of Patriarchal society Sharia reinforced male dominance & inheritance Required legitimacy of heritance- guardians, chaperones Influence of Persia & Byzantine culture Veiling to ensure modesty Upper class women’s movement restricted The Role of Women

  27. Conclusions: • “… It is also relevant to emphasize that although Islamic laws marked a distinct decline, a Greek, a Roman, and a Christian period had already brought about major losses in women’s rights and status. In effect, Islam merely continued a restrictive trend already established by the successive conquerors of Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean…” –Leila Ahmed, Women and Gender in Islam

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