Islam
I. Islam as a religion
II. Islam as an empire
III. Spread of Islam as a universal religion
IDs: hadith, sharia, Sufis, Abbasid Caliphate,
749-945
Argument
Although the universal religions spread in similar
ways, they had different relationships with
empires. Christianity took over an empire
(Rome); Buddhism spread in spite of an
empire (Tang China); and Islam created an
empire.
I. Islam as a Religion
A. Origin
Allah
Muhammad
Prophet
B. Texts
1. Quran (Koran,
Qu’ran)
Orally: 610-632
Written Down: 650
2. Hadith
Traditions (stories &
sayings)
Oral transmission: 632850
Written down: 850-900
C. Islam in Theory & Practice
1. Theology
 Five Pillars
 Hajj
 Ramadan
 Mecca
2. Law: Sharia
a. Quran
b. Hadith
c. Reasoning by analogy
(jurists)
d. Consensus of
community
Qadis
Ulama
3. Mysticism: Sufis
Meditation
Poetry
Music
dance
II. Islam as an Empire
A. Muslim Arab Conquests, 622-733
Conquered
Persian
Empire &
southern
part of
Byzantine
Empire
Policies towards Conquered people
Tolerance for “People of
the Book” (Jews &
Christians)
B. Political Organization
Caliph – successor to the
Prophet
Caliphate –
Muslim/Islamic empire
Two Caliphates
Umayyad Caliphate
(661-749)
capital: Damascus
Arab
Abbasid Caliphate (749945)
capital: Baghdad
Muslim (Persian)
After 900, lots of Muslim states in Islamic world.
D. Multiethnic Empire
Arab
Persian
Turk
E. Factors promoting Unity
Even after the Muslim world
was no longer governed
in one big caliphate,
certain factors unified
Muslims despite their
different ethnic groups
and states
Arabic language
hajj
support for merchants
Muslim rulers supported cities,
merchants, education and technology
The Muslim world
was connected by
a web of cities
Pilgrims,
Sufis, and qadis
(legal scholars)
carried knowledge
throughout
Muslim world
Support for Schools & Research
• preserved & combined
Greek, Persian & Indian
knowledge
• then built on it
III. Spread of Islam
622-732: by
conquest &
empire
732-onwards:
by trade and
missionary
journeys
III. Spread of Islam
A. Sub-Saharan Africa
Merchants
Ghana
Mali
Swahili Coast
A. Trade & Religion: Islam in Africa
Gold-Salt Trade: Empires of
Ghana, Mali & Songhay
B. Islam in SE Asia
C. Islam in South Asia: Conquest &
Trade
712: Sind (n.w. India) by
Arab-Persian Muslims
700-1000: Conversion of
Turks from Central Asia
to Islam
Turks conquer parts of
North India