The Development of Sectarianism Carl Ernst Reli 180, Introduction to Islamic Civilization.
Origins of Islamic Civilization [contested term] Reli 180 Introduction to Islamic Civilization.
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Transcript of Origins of Islamic Civilization [contested term] Reli 180 Introduction to Islamic Civilization.
Origins of Islamic Civilization[contested term]
Reli 180
Introduction to Islamic Civilization
2
Brief history of “Civilization”, 1
Aristotle on development of life in citiesAl-Farabi (d. 950) calls this tamaddun
( مدينة madina) ”from “city , تمدنIbn Khaldun (d. 1382) refers to urban or
sedentary life as hadara حضارة and opposes it to nomadic life in the desert
(badawa بداوة ), as the two main forms
of human society (`umran عمران)
3
Brief history of “Civilization”, 2Dr. Samuel Johnson rejects the term “civilization” from his dictionary (1775)French and English authors nevertheless start using the term around 1790Denotes only European countries as opposed to barbarians of Asia, Africa, AmericaJustification for colonialism (French “mission civilizatrice” or civilizing mission)
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Brief history of “Civilization”, 3Samuel Huntington (quoting Bernard Lewis) in 1993/96 writes on Clash of Civilizations in post-Soviet context
President Khatami of Iran proposes “dialogue of civilizations” (guft-o-guy tamaddoni تمدنی گوی و in (گقت1996; adopted as theme by UN in 2001
Aims of Egger’s book [preface]
“the tension between adherence to tradition on the one hand and adaptation to changing conditions of the other” (xii)
“intellectual and political development receive more attention than social and economic history”
Stages in historical development, varieties of expression of Islam
“Muslim political unity was shattered”5
Formative period, 610-950
Continuity of Islamic identity in the absence of central religious authority
Consequent religious differences among Muslims
“Arab Empire” – why not “Muslim”?
Continuities with Roman (Byzantine) and Persian empires
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The Middle East in the sixth century CE
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Southwestern Asia in the seventh century: Byzantine Empire
Hellenistic [Greek-ish] civilization after Alexander – dominance of Greek language
resentment of Byzantine dominance, religious dissent by non-Orthodox
Various Christians -- Monophysites: Coptic (Egypt), Jacobites (Syria), Armenians; Nestorians; Orthodox
Arabs in the Byzantine world: Palmyra, Ghassanid kingdom
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Sasanian Empire (226-642 CE)
Desert surrounded by mountains
Agricultural valleys of Central Asia (Transoxiana, “beyond the Oxus”)
Dense population South of the Caspian
Religious ideas of Zoroastrianism: Resurrection, judgment, heaven and hell, Satan, Messiah (adopted byJews)
Large Christian and Jewish communities in Persia (Iran)
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Imperial Persia: Ctesiphon
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Imperial Persian: Persepolis
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Capture of Roman Emperor Valerian by Sasanian (Persian) Emperor Shapur
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Irano-Semitic culture and rise of Arabs
Nabateans (Hellenized Arabs) engaged with Greeks, Hebrews, Romans
Academy of science and philosophy at Jundishapur
Arabs in Iraq (Christian), client Lakhmid kingdom with poetic tradition
Exhaustion of Byzantine and Persian empires
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The Arabian Peninsula
South: Yemen, luxury trade; oases
North: Petra, capital of the Nabateans
14Marib Dam Petra
Changes in the Arabian Peninsula
Domestication of the camel, 500-100 BCE
Nomads and semi-nomads, tribal society
Relations with Ethiopia (Axum)
Jewish rule in Yemen, Christian invasion
Islamic period: Arabs as nomadic groups outside the cities, strong sense of tribal genealogy
• modern times: nationalistic concept of Arabs as anyone speaking Arabic
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The Rise of Islam -- Mecca
Regional trade
Religious background: monotheistic “hanifs”, Jews and Christians [Allah]
Emphasis on God’s unity, “conscientious use of wealth”
Opposition of Meccan pagans
Shift to Medina in 622 (beginning of Islamic era)
The economy of raiding
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Text, Page 28: the Death of the Prophet
Creation of a polity in Arabia as a substitute for tribal membership
Ideal of ultimate loyalty to God rather than one’s tribe (a tension never resolved)
Question: what are the continuities with the past in the new Arab regime?
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