Rise and Spread of
Islam
Interaction Between Humans and the
Environment
• Arabia was an
inhospitable desert.
• Bedouin culture
developed over
centuries.
• Clan rivalries were
fierce.
• Shaykhs led the
clans.
• Mecca was an
important trade city.
• Umayyad clan
dominated politics
and trade in Mecca.
• Medina was an
oasis and contested
by two bedouin clan
and three Jewish
clans.
Medina
Mecca
Development and
Interaction of
Cultures
 Before the 7th
century Arabia
consisted of
polytheistic tribes.
 As Arabs migrated
to Byzantine and
Sasanian empires,
they encountered
monotheistic
religions.
 Muhammad created
a new religion.
Based on the Qur’an
The Sixth Pillar
Jihad –struggle
• Greater Jihad is personal struggle.
• Lesser jihad/jihad of the sword or armed
struggle against unbelief and evil
After Mohammed: Civil War
• Disagreement over who
should succeed Mohammed
• Sunni sect argued new
leaders should be chosen by
a committee and should be
the best candidates
• Shia (Partisans of Ali) argued
that Ali (Mohammed’s son-inlaw) should “inherit” the
leadership
Name of Allah in
Calligraphy
Schism with Islam
Sunni
Shi’a
Supported by
Umayyads
Supported Ali
Early Caliphs
• A hastily gathered group
of leaders proclaimed
Abu Bakr ( Mohammed’s
father-in-law) the next
“caliph”
• Abu Bakr was the father
of Aisha – youngest and
most favored wife of
Mohammed
• A caliphs was both a
religious and civil leader
Men and women were
separated in prayer
.
Far more so than with Buddhism or Christianity, the initial spread of
Islam was both rapid and extensive. And unlike the other two world
religions, Islam gave rise to a huge empire, ruled by Muslim Arabs,
which encompassed many of the older civilizations of the region
Dar al Islam:
“The House or Community of Islam”
• Early Muslim society was a syncretic blend
of Arab, Persian, Greek, and Indian society
– Transformed the societies it absorbed
– Islam had political, social and religious
significance
• Ruled 3 core economic areas
– Middle East
– Central Asia and China ( used the Silk Roads)
– Indian Ocean Basin (maritime trade routes)
Umayyad Dynasty 661- 750 CE
• Umayyads were a prominent
merchant class
• Brought stability to Islam after
the civil war between partisans
• Umayyads were more of a
“secular” dynasty
– Pursued military conquest
– Adopted Byzantine
bureaucratic techniques to
rule ever expanding empire
• Established their capital at
Damascus (in Syria)
Great Mosque at
Damascus, Syria
Islam Spreads to
Spain
 North African Muslims
(“Berbers”) invaded and
conquered southern Spain
 Islamic Spain (Moorish) was
known as Al-Andalus
 It was not until Ferdinand and
Isabella won back Granada did
Columbus get the money to
travel to the new world.
 The Islamic empire was at its
height during Umayyad
Famous “Moorish” Mosque
in Cordoba, Spain
The Abbasid Dynasty 750 CE -1258
The Abbasid Palace
Abbasids made their capital at
Baghdad in present day Iraq
• The secular ways of the
Umayyads had scandalized
devout Muslims
• Rebellion in Persia brought
Umayyad dynasty to end
• Abu al Abbas founded new
dynasty that lasted until
Mongols toppled it 1258 CE
• Abbasids were less interested
in military conquest and more
content to administer the
empire they inherited
Abbasid Dynasty
• Abbasids adopted Persian
administrative techniques to
govern empire
– Regional governors
represented the caliph
(religious leader) in affairs
– Vizier ( chief counselor) role
was also adopted from
Persian administrations
• Ulama – pious scholars
developed public policy in
accordance with Qur’an
Abul Abbas- Charlemagne’s
gift from Harun al Rahsid
New Networks of Trade &
Exchange
Merchants on camel
caravans traversed Dar-alIslam and spread religion,
and ideas as well as trade
goods
• Umayyad and Abbasids created
zones of trade, exchange and
communication that extended from
Spain to India
• Islamic merchants used camel
caravans across the deserts.
• Seasonal monsoon winds facilitated
trade and exchange across Indian
Ocean Basin
• Paper making was stolen from the
Chinese when an Arab army defeated
a Chinese army at Battle of Talas
River in 751
The Muslim Sultanate of Delhi
• Invading Muslims
established Islamic rule
in northern India
• The Delhi Sultanate
refers to the various
Muslim dynasties that
ruled northern India
from 1206 – 1526 CE
• Muslim traders had a
lively trade with India
Qutbuddin Aibak,
founder of one of the
five Dynasties that
ruled the Delhi
Sultanate
Development and Transformation
of Social Structures
• Caliph
– Religious and political
successor
• Mawali
– Muslim converts
• Dhimmi
– “people of the book”
• Ayan
– Land-owning elite
umma
Dhows Sailed the Indian Ocean Basin
Indian Dhows used Muslim
invented Lateen Sails to
maneuver cross winds
Islam: A “World System”
• Islam transcends the concept of “state”
• Islam is a world view: science, mathematics,
medicine, literature, inter-regional trade routes
• Along with Byzantine empire (which it eventually
took over in 1453) it was the economic and political
anchor of the post-classical middle eastern world
– Umayyad Caliphate ( centered at Damascus)
– Abbasid Caliphate ( centered at Baghdad)
– Safavid of Persia (Iran)
– Mughal Empire ( India)
What are Islam’s Legacies ?
• Muslims adopted & adapted
Greek, Persian & Indian
traditions and techniques
• Muslims were responsible for
preserving Greek & Roman
literature, drama during
Europe’s “dark ages”
• Islam transcended “state” and
large numbers of conquered
peoples converted to Islam
• While Arabic was language of
religion (Qur’an), theology,
philosophy and law…………
Persian became
language of literature,
poetry, history