Medieval Islamic Society

Between 600-1250 Islam develops into a major religion spanning 3 continents and an empire characterized by extensive international trade and extraordinary achievements in

art and science

Arabian Peninsula Trade Routes 570 AD

Prophet Muhammad (570 – 632)

Early Years• Born in Mecca to wealthy

family• Orphaned; raised by uncle and

grandfather• Little schooling; began working

on caravan trade routes early age

• Marries• Had good marriage and

business

Revelations• Took great interest in religion

and meditation• Age 40: life changing event

– Angel Gabriel visits him– Tells him to proclaim belief in

Allah (Arabic for one God)– Muhammad concludes that he is

the final prophet and begins to teach belief in Allah

– Islam = submission to will of Allah– Muslim = one who has submitted

Rise of Islam

The Hijrah (622)• Muhammad gained followers,

but was being attacked by others so decides to leave Mecca for Medina

• Migration known as The Hijrah• Turning point in Medina for

Muhammad: becomes religious, political and military leader

• Decides to return to Mecca and assume leadership there

Return to Mecca (630)• Muhammad and 10,000

followers return to Mecca • Mecca leaders surrender and

Muhammad enters Mecca in triumph

• Most pledge loyalty and convert to Islam

• Muhammad dies 2 years later, but by this time he had done much to unify Arab Peninsula under Isalm

Major Tenets of Islam

Five Pillars• Faith: No God but Allah and

Muhammad is messenger of Allah• Prayer: 5 times a day in direction

of Mecca• Alms: Responsibility to support

less fortunate• Fasting: During month of

Ramadan sunrise to sundown• Pilgrimage: All who are physically

and financially able, perform pilgrimage to Mecca (a haj) at least once

Sources of Authority• Allah• Quran: Revelations of

Muhammad collected in book called Quran = the holy book for Muslims. Also spelled Koran.

• Sunna: Muhammad's example• Shari’a Law: Guidance of Quran

and Sunna put into body of law– Regulates family life, moral

conduct, business and community life of Muslims

Connections Among Islam, Judaism, and Christianity

• All three believe in good and evil and a day of final judgment• For Muslims, Allah is same God worshipped by Jews and Christians• Muslims do not see Jesus as Son of God, only a prophet believe

Muhammad was last prophet• Muslims believe Quran is word of God like Jews regard Torah and

Christians the New Testament but believe that Quran perfects these earlier revelations

• Jews and Christians referred to as “People of the Book” because have holy book with teachings similar to Quran

• Shari’a law requires Muslim leaders to extend tolerance to Jews and Christians

Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

• Considered sacred place by both Muslims and Jews

• Muslims: place where Muhammad received revelations

• Jews: place where Abraham went to sacrifice son Isaac

After Muhammad's Death, Eventual Split in Islam

Sunni Muslims• Successor to Muhammad

acceptable if follows Muhammad's example (Sunna)

• Majority view

Shiite Muslims• Successor to Muhammad

must be descendant of Muhammad

• Minority view

Despite Division, Islamic Influence Continued to Spread

Concept of Jihad• Mentioned in Quran• Means “striving”• Can refer to striving against

evil• Also used to mean struggle

against unbelievers• Also translated to mean

“holy war”• Sometimes used to justify

expansion in Medieval Era

Wide Spread Expansion• 632: Arabian Peninsula• 656: Persia, modern day Syria,

parts of North Africa• 750: More parts of Middle East

and North Africa, parts of Spain, and parts of Byzantine Empire

• 800 – 1500: West Africa and East Africa

• 800 – 1300: Trade routes as far as China and Southeast Asia

• 1395: Balkans and Russia• 1453: Constantinople

Islamic Expansion by 750

Islamic Expansion in Africa

Islamic Expansion by 1500

How Islamic Influence Spread

By Conquest• Case with Europe and

North Africa• Had well disciplined armies

and many empires they attacked were weakening (Ex. Byzantine Empire)

By Trade• West Africa, East Africa,

India, other parts of Asia like China, Malaysia and Indonesia

• Muslim merchants shared Muslim beliefs with foreigners

• In West Africa and East Africa conversions mostly just among ruling class

Muslims Were Excellent Traders

• Muslim merchants traveled all over trade networks in Africa, Europe, and Asia, including as far as China

• Traded various items including:– Gold, salt, ivory from Africa– Precious stones and timber from India– Spices from Southeast Asia– Silk, paper, gunpowder from China– Cloth, gold, silver from Europe

• Major Muslim cities like Baghdad and Cordoba also served as centers for trade

Major Muslim Cities: Places of Rich Culture and Scholarship

• After fall of Rome, scholarship declined– Great ancient knowledge from Greeks and

Romans might have been lost forever if Muslims had not played a role in preserving ancient works

• Capital of Islamic Empire was Baghdad which became center for studying ancient works and learning– Opened House of Wisdom = library,

academy and translation center– Scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim,

came to review and translate ancient works• Similar interactions among scholars

occurred in Muslim cities of Cordoba, Damascus, and Cairo

• Cities had international flavor where cultural blending occurred fueling great achievements

Muslims Don’t Just Preserve Works They Greatly Advanced Scholarship

• Many outstanding achievements in in art, architecture, medicine, math, and science during in Islamic Medieval Era

• Medicine: Some consider Muslim medical doctor Al-Razi greatest physician of period 500-1500 AD

• Science: – Solved problems with experimentation and

observation– Led to great advances in astronomy

including use of astrolabe to identify location (latitude)

• Math: Al-Khwarizmi invented algebra!• Knowledge preserved and developed

during this time would be later used by scholars in Europe during Renaissance and Scientific Revolution

The Crusades • Catholic Church tries to stop spread of Islam• Muslims had taken over Jerusalem and were threatening

Constantinople• 1095: Pope Urban calls for holy war against Muslims.

– War called “crusade” • 1099: 10,000 Christian volunteer fighters recapture Jerusalem in

1st Crusade• 1187: Muslims take Jerusalem back again• Through 1291:

– Several crusades, but none successful– Enthusiasm lessoned over time because costly and desire for personal

gain on part of crusaders grew

Results of the Crusades• Truce whereby Muslims control Jerusalem but Christians

can make pilgrimages to Jerusalem• Many deaths, sometimes barbaric

– Cause of bitterness for some Muslims and Christians even today• Catholic Church power declines• Byzantine Empire further declines• But trade greatly expanded!

– Contact between Europe and Southwest Asia fueled interest in different goods from other lands

– Trade merchants profited by making loans to finance journeys for crusade and to lease ships for crusade

Islam society Today• 1/5 of world population is Muslim• Second largest religion

(Christianity is first)• Largest concentration live in Arab

world• In USA: largest group lives in

Dearborn, Michigan• 2 groups Sunni and Shiite still

exist today– Shiite: minority; most live in Iran

and Iraq– Al Qaeda members claim to be

Sunni, but the majority of Muslims dismiss Al Qaeda positions as total distortions of true Islam