I.Ancient Near Eastern and Arabian Background to Islam A.Confessional Monotheism in Nile-Oxus basin 1.Judaic, Zoroastrian, Christian connections 2.Widespread tradition of ethical Monotheism 3.Semitic languages another unifying link B.Trade Routes and Caravan Centers 1.Petra, then Palmyra were important Arab caravan cities, each of which in turn was crushed by Rome 2.Arabia was an intermediary in east/west trade 3.Yemen provided a caravan link to southern Sea Lanes 4.Axum began as an Arab caravan city linking the Indian Ocean trade with Africa and the Nile basin C.Arabian Social Structures 1.The Tribe or Clan 2.The Sheikh 3.Moruba, the Code of Manly Honor 4.Oasis Civilization & Camel Nomadism D.Mecca and the Ka'ba 1.The Hijaz offered sufficient water and pasturage for camel or goat nomadism, and was ringed by protective mountains 2.Mecca was fortuitously located for caravan trade 3.Ka'ba, an ancient sanctuary built by Abraham and Ishmael at the command of God 4.The area around Mecca was Haram, a sanctuary where violence was forbidden, for at least part of the year, probably during the pilgrimage season 5.Pilgrimage trade was a money making business II.Muhammad: the "Seal of Prophecy," c. 570-632 A.Born into Hashemite clan, descendant of Abraham 1.Powerful Arabian clan, especially in Mecca 2.Made their living in caravan trade B.Orphaned early in life, raised by his Uncle, abi-Talib 1.This made him sympathetic to widows, orphans, and others who were disadvantaged 2.Qur'an commands support for orphans, etc. C.Successful and respected businessman 1.Probably travelled to Yemen & Syria 2.Married Khadija 3.Reputation for trustworthiness in Mecca D.Of a mystical bent 1. Mystical experience in adolescence, when two angels appeared to him, reached into his chest, removed his heart and then washed in a golden bowl filled with water, and then returned it to his chest, investing his heart with the breath of God a.Like the sacred heart of Jesus? 2.Personally dedicated to Allah, as were many members of the Hashemite clan 3.Spent long hours in prayer and meditation, often in a mountain cave just outside of Mecca E.Receives divine inspiration & teaching c. 610 1.Angel Gabriel appears, commands him to "Recite" 2.He calls for the Meccans to repent, return to the monotheistic worship of Allah, abandon their pagan Gods, perform an act of submission (islam) to the will of God 3.Khadija is the first to convert 4.Ali & Abu Bakr are the first male converts F.Gradually builds a following in Mecca 1.Many of the poor and disadvantaged receive his message faithfully 2.Quraysh clan feels threatened, persecute Muhammad and his followers 3.Some of the early Muslims migrate to Ethiopia, where the Christian king (the Negus) is sympathetic to the Muslims, and offers them sanctuary 4.Quraysh gets more and more violent, killing Muslims, even planning to kill Muhammad G.Hijra, 622 1.Muslim converts in Yathrib invite Muhammad and his community to migrate to their city 2.Muhammad sends the Muslims to Yathrib, but stays behind himself until they are all safely in Yathrib 3.Yathrib becomes known as Medinat al-Nabi, City of the Prophet, or simply Medina H.Main teachings collected in Qur'an 1.Manual of ethical teachings, prayers, poems 2.dictated to Muhammad by Gabriel I.Other teachings collected in Hadith Reports 1.These are Muhammad's teachings 2.Abu Bakr said that Ali said that Muhammad said ... 3.Greatest collections by al-Bukhari & al-Muslim J.Islam as a faith: Radical monotheism 1.God of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, David, Jesus 2.Missionary zeal, like Christianity & Zoroastrianism 3.Other monotheistic religions OK, but believers taxed 4.Polytheism not to be tolerated 5.There will be a final judgement, when all of mankind will be judged by Jesus K.Demands on believers: Five Pillars of Islam 1.Shahada: Confession of Monotheism: 2.Salat: Prayer five times daily, facing Mecca 3.Zakat: Give to the Poor a command, not an exhortation 4.Som: Fast until sunset during month of Ramadan 5.Hajj: Pilgrimage to Ka'ba at Mecca L.Organization of the Islamic Community by Muhammad 1.Muslim brotherhood, almost a new tribal group 2.Economic reforms 3.The Mosque a.originally an open air place of communal worship and assembly outside of Muhammad's house at Medina b.A mosque presumes the existence of a city, since it is a place of communal worship and assembly 4.Diwan, list of those Muslim entitled to booty/pensions based on their service to Muhammad and to Islam 5.Dhimmi, "Protected" religious minorities a.Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, some Gnostics b.Must pay a tax of submission: Jizya c.Which entitles them to a "protected" existence d.Protected status rapidly declines as these religious minorities continue to reject Islam e.Christians cannot ring their church bells, proselytize, build new churches, etc. f.Compelled to wear special clothing III.Muhammad's Successors: The Four Righteous Caliphs A.Abu-Bakr, d. 634 1.Unites Arabia 2.Many Arabian clans left the alliance upon Muhammad's death, believing that they had no further obligation to the community 3.Abu-Bakr compels their adherence to the community B.Umar, d. 644 1.Rules from Medina 2.Conquers Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, etc. 3.Made a preliminary collection of the Suras C.Uthman, d. 656 1.Favors Quraysh in general, Umayyad family in particular 2.Alienated soldiery, especially in military camps 3.Suras edited into an "authentic" Qur'an 4.Assassinated by rebellious Egyptian soldiers D.Ali, d. 661 1.Cousin and Son-in-Law of Muhammad a.Raised in Muhammad's house b.Married to Muhammad's daughter Fatima c.Father to Muhammad's grandchildren (1)Hasan (2)Husayn 2.First male convert to Islam (or was it Abu-Bakr?) 3.Continues to practice and teach the esoteric aspects of Islam as revealed by Muhammad and the angel Gabriel 4.Ali elected Caliph, Umayyads resist, then rebel 5.Ali assassinated with a poisoned sword 6.Shia Muslims reckon the legitimate Caliphs from the line of Ali a. Shi'at Ali = Party of Ali b. Many varieties of Shia: 12er, 7er, 5er, Ishma'ili IV.The Umayyad Caliphate, A.D. 661 - 750 A.Umayyad family dominate an Arab/Islamic state B.Umayyads extend Islamic world by conquest C.Umayyad capital at or around Damascus D.Umayyads favor Arabian & Syrian Arab families E.Umayyads eventually overthrown by Yemeni/Abbasi revolt V.The Abbasid Caliphate, A.D. 750 - 1258 A.Abbasid family overthrows Umayyad family B.Abbasids treat all Muslims equally (often equally badly) C.Capital at Baghdad (762-836; 892-1268) D.Capital at Samarra (836-892) E.Peak of Medieval Islamic civilization, 750-1150 1.Golden age of art, literature, science, philosophy 2.Great revival of trade in the Indian ocean F.Caliph Harun al-Rashid, 786-809 1.Famous in west for relations with Charlemagne 2.Infamous for keeping Musa al-Kazim (d. 799) in prison G.Later Abbasids squander the wealth, weaken themselves 1.Dominated by Turkish mercenaries (the Suljuq Turks) 2.Abbasid Caliphate finally destroyed by Mongols