Islamic Civilization

Islamic Civilization Post-classical Period

Arab Life • Bedouin- nomads who herded camels, sheep and goats • Lived in tribes made up of related families led by a sheikh • A council of elders advised the Sheikh • Warfare was a part of life- believed in retaliation- eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth • Entertainment- camel and horse races, storytelling, poetry • By A.D. 500 they began living in fertile valleys to pursue farming or trade • Makkah became the wealthiest city- and also contained the Kaaba, the holiest shrine

Lifestyle Changes Business ties replaced tribal ties Lacked a sense of unity and had no central government Judaism and Christianity was introduced Many idol-worshipping Arabs searched for a new religion Hanifs, the holy men, rejected idol worship and believed in one god They rejected Christianity and Judaism because they wanted to find a uniquely Arab form of monotheism

Muhammad • Born in Makkah around 570 A.D. • Orphan-raised by his uncle • Worked as a caravan leader on a trade route • When he was 25 he married a wealthy widow (Age 40) who put him in charge of her business affairs

Muhammad’s Revelation He was burdened by the greed of Makkah’s wealthy citizens, the worship of idols, and the mistreatment of the poor Prayed and fasted to seek guidance in a cave outside the city According to tradition, in 610 A.D., Muhammad had a vision calling him to be an apostle to Allah, the one true deity In 613, he started sharing this with family and friends. He made slow progress winning converts

Origins of Islam • Many wealthy people were opposed to Muhammad’s teachings • In 622, Muhammad was forced to flee from Makkah to Yathrib, a city to the north • This departure is called the Hijrah, or emigration • 622 begins the Islamic Era and is recognized as the first year on the Muslim calendar • Many people in Yathrib accepted Muhammad as a messenger of God and the ruler of their city.

Islamic community The Compact of Madinah of 624 laid the foundation of the Islamic state All areas of life are under the divine law recorded in the Quran, the holy scriptures of Islam After the Makkans unsuccessfully invaded Madinah, Muhammad and his followers were able to enter Makkah with little resistance in 630. After an illness, Muhammad died in 632.

Beliefs and Practices The Quran is based on Muhammad’s revelations via the Angel Gabriel over a 22 year period Values are very similar to Judaism or Christianity Law is not separated from religion in Islamic society Five Pillars of Islam: Faith, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage

The spread of Islam • When Muhammad died, he left no clear instructions about succession • A group met to choose a new type of leader called a caliph • “The Rightly Guided Caliphs” • Used military forces to spread Islam • By 650 they had conquered Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Persia, and Egypt and a portion of the Byzantine Empire • Viewed conquests as jihad

Divisions within Islam • Shiites • Followers of Ali, never accepted Mu’awiyah’s rule • Minority of Muslims, live mostly in Iraq and Iran • Believed that the ruler must be a direct descendant of Muhammad • Sunnis “followers of the way” • Majority of Muslims- live in Saudi Arabia • Followed the teachings of Muhammad as implemented by “the rightly guided caliphs” • Believed that the caliph could be any devout Muslim

The Islamic State • Umayyad • Dynasty founded by Mu’awiyah ruled from 661-750 • Capital moved from Madinah to Damascus, Syria • Spread Islam to India, China, N. Africa, and into Spain • Advanced into France, but were stopped by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours • Stressed the political, rather than religious side of leadership • Abbasids • Anti-Ummayad and non-Arab Muslims from Iraq and Persia joined foreces • The New caliph was Abu’l-’Abbas and he built the city of Baghdad • Developed a sophisticated urban civilization • Strived to promote equality among all Muslims, Arab and non-Arab alike • Abbasids ruled from 750 to 1248, and then several Islamic stqates started to break off from the central control

Muslim Society • Family Life • Men are responsible for women • Forbid the tribal custom of killing female infants • Limited polygamy • Women had control of her own property • Women were primarily in the home sphere and girls married young • Men worked outside the home • For leisure time the would go o public baths, play chess, practice gymnastics, or watch horseracing • Education • At age 7 boys went to school • Being able to speak Arabic fluently and write eloquently were highly valued • Those who would be leaders continued to madrasas

Towns Cities were designed with narrow streets and tall buildings Homes had think mud walls with few furnishings Religious, government and business centers were in the middle of the city Trade was a major part of the economy and the goods were sold at Bazaars in the major cities Agriculture was difficult because of the land and climate, but irrigation, fertilization and crop rotation helped them to have good yields.

Islamic Achievments Based their work of Greek and Indian achievements The House of Wisdom Adopted Indian number system and created the place value system Improved the astrolabe Determined the size and circumference of the earth Produced the first accurate maps of the eastern hemisphere Developed alchemy Classified chemical substances according to animal, vegetable, or mineral Founded the science of optics

Culture Because they were fearful of idol worship, artists could not create images of living creatures Instead calligraphy was used to decorate public walls Arabesques Most of their literature was poetry, but by 1000 there was a heavy Persian influence Many philosophers trued to apply Greek understanding of logic to their study of the Quran IbnKhaldun

Islamic Civilization