Chapter 6: Rise and Spread of Islam Introduction & Desert Town: The Arabian World and the Birth

of Islam Before 7th century there were contacts, but not total control of ancient world under one empire Arabia is a nomadic land on periphery of major civilizations 7th century: followers of Islam submission Muslims Allahone God Began conquest and conversion and spread great distance quickly. Muslim merchants worked with traders from other regions o Prime agents for transfer of food crops, technology, and ideas o Muslim scholars studied, preserved and improved upon learning of Ancient Civilizations o Eventually, Arabic language of Quran would become international Geography: inhospitable desert o Bedouin- nomadic culture dominant The focus was on clan and family life Conditions forced you to rely on clan Need to defend ones honor Constant conflicts led to weakened empire, vulnerable to outsiders o Shayks were leaders of the tribe/clan o Small communities of traders emerge + form trade links o Mecca dominates + has a Kaba, focus of bazaars Women had greater freedom w/ key economic roles o Men still were greater in status The life of Muhammad and the Creation of Islam and the Arab Empire of the Umayyads Early life o Born into clan of Quraysh tribe and made caravan trips with the idea of monotheism o He saw inequity, class rivalries, tension b/e clans o He had his first revelation from Gabriel Wrote Allahs words in the Quran o Did not begin to preach about Allah until 3 years after his first sermon. He was seen as a threat to the Umayyad in Mecca. o Arabs found Islam attractive for numerous reasons like the single supernatural authority (also Zakat- charity tax for poor) o Universal elements of Islam include the five pillars (no god but Allah, Salah 5 prayers a day facing Mecca, fast during Ramadan, Zakat, Hajj). Islam was popular outside Arab world b/c of egalitarianism. Initially looked like Islam would fail w/o Muhammad (some threatened secession) o Foreign expeditions took minds off of internal problems o There was consolidation and division in the Islamic community (no procedure for appointing successor-caliph) o Initially just raided for booty o Motives for arab conquest included unity and booty. Not driven by converts b/c they wanted tax $. Weaknesses of the adversary empires, problem of succession and the Sunni-Shia Split, the Umayyad Imperium, Converts and people of the book, family and gender roles in the Umayyad age, Umayyad decline Adversary empires o Sasanian- autocratic manipulated by aristocrats. It was delayed too long to realize threat o Byzantine- stronger. Muslim triumphed in early battles, would continue to siege for centuries Frustration over centuries of animosities and who would control booty. Ali was assassinated. Sunnis vs. Shia was essentially the backers of Umayyads vs. backers of Ali. Caliph goes through dominant clan vs. caligh goes through descendants of Muhammad. Sunni majority of the Islamic population. Umayyad imperium moves east and west + runs into conflict with Buddhism in the East o Capital moved to Damascus. The guys didnt like being separated and started intermarrying, Mawali & Dhimmi

Position of women pretty good, different from life in Persian empire, adultery illegal Umayyad caliphs growing addiction to luxury and soft livin g o Revolution begins in Merv Early Abbasid Era, Islamic conversion and Mawali acceptance, Town and Country, First flowering of Islamic learning, global connections, the mosque Abbasids less tolerant of Shiism sects o Pushed for centralized absolutist imperial order Toward end of Umayyad period, already starting to accept o Under Abbasid, mawalis given equal footing to first generation, cant tell the difference Merchant class wealth and social status improves o Products- luxury products for elites o Money reinvested in companies o Increased handicraft production o Slaves jobs (urban better) o Landed elite emerges- Ayan Islamic learning o Previously illiterate o First priority: preserving classical texts Chapter 7: Abbasid decline and the spread of Islamic civilization to South and Southeast Asia Introduction o mid 9th century losing control o creative: golden age w/o political stability o territorial growth- warriors, traders, wandering mystics o conduit for exchange b/e urban/agrarian centers and nomadic peoples islamic heartlands in the Middle and late abbasid eras o 3rd Abbasid caliph- Al Mahdi courtly excesses became financial drain created political divisions and had problems of succession o imperial extravagance and succession disputes extravagance amazed visitors took the throne at 23, growing power of royal advisors death of Harun Al Rashid Civil War power shift to military o imperial breakdown and agrarian disorder caliphs try to move capitals away from Baghdad $$$ taxes piss peasants off o declining position of women in the family and society- Harem women kept in seclusion some became slaves o nomadic incursions and the eclipse of Caliphal power Kingdoms try to take over power o impact of christian crusades first crusade successful for Europeans 200 years of battle but had little effect on Muslims Increased European borrowing Age of learning and artistic refinements o Introduction Political divisions not that important to artistry Expansion of professional classes Emergence of artists and artisans o Persian literature Became synonymous with high culture o Sciences 1st preserved and compiled learning sine and cosine and tangent objective experiment

religion social strife and political divisions vs. trading links and intellectual creativity Orthodox Muslims gain prominence after Crusades Sufist movement, personal union with Allah o New wave of invasions and end of caliphate Abbasid domains divided as rival states grew The coming of Islam to South Asia o Religion carried by invaders, traders, migrants o Hindus and Muslims came into contact/conflict o India pattern of nomadic invaders those who remained usually assimilated Due to strength and flexibility of Indias civilizations Offered higher level of material culture than they had before Muslims first to bring in religion and not want to change/assimilate o Differences between Hindus and Muslims Hinduism open, tolerant, inclusive of various forms, idol worship, meditation Islam doctrinaire, proselytizing, exclusive worship of single god Socially Islam egalitarian vs. Hindu caste, compartmentalized, more rigid Religiously more restrictive vs. socially more restrictive Chapter 8 African Civilizations and the spread of Islam Introduction o Mansa Musa- crossed Sahara on hajj o Sub Sahara never totally isolated o Changes came from arrival of Muhammad followers o State building occurred African societies: diversities and similarities o Introduction Diverse- large centralized states to stateless societies Universalistic faiths penetrated continent o Stateless societies Organized around kinship and other forms of obligation Council of families Little concentration of authority Unable to mobilize for war, organize building projects and create stable trade o Common elements in African societies Language Thought Religion- animistic Economies N Africa- fully involved in Med trade Settled agriculture and skilled metal work had spread Market life for men and women Professional merchants controlled trade o Arrival of Islam Land conquered and reconquered by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals 640-700 CE: Muslim followers spread across Africa 11th century: Almoravids ultra conservative reformers it was attractive because of egalitarianism and it reinforced African kings authority. It put an equal footing with Arab invaders. o Christian kingdoms: Nubia and Ethiopia Islands of Christianity left behind Christian Egyptians- copts Axum- Ethiopia: most important African Christian outpost Kingdoms of the grasslands o Introduction

3 coasts- Atlantic, Indian, Savanna on edge of Sahara edge of desert- gold found, camels improved trade o Sudanic states Patriarch or council of elders had power over subordinate communities, and states emerge. Rulers separated from commoners through ritual like Mandate of heaven. o Empire of Mali and Sundiata, the Lion Prince Mali-13th century Malinke broke away from Ghana Rulers supported Islam, encouraged obedience to ruler Juula- traders Sundiata was a brilliant leader Mansa Musa 1324 trip to Mecca was impressive o City Dwellers and Villagers Cities flourished- Timbuktu and Jenne o Songhay Kingdom- middle Niger Valley Masters of the soil and masters of the waters Songhay broke from Mali b/c of gold trade Sunni Ali was a ruthless commander Familiar pattern- created unique brand of Islam Downfall when Muslim army from Morocco came down revolts o Political and Social life Large states represented goals of elite family/group Islam served many groups Many societies were matrilineal. 4.8-7 million slaves traded. The Swahili Coast of East Africa o Introduction Indian Ocean coast- center for Islamic influence Compromise between indigenous ways and new faith o Coastal trading port Founding- Bantu people from 1st to 10th century 13th century- urbanized trading ports- at least 30 port towns o mixture of cultures- Islam fused with local religions and was not entirely accepted 13th century was a great Islamic expansion Swahili language: Bantu & Arabic words Islam didnt spread internally (class based) Women, some were matrilineal, some patrilineal