The origins of the religion of Islam
Mount Hira • Society – Byzantine empire – Persian empire of the Sassanids – Tribes • Muhammad • Tribe of the Quraysh • The shrine of het Ka`ba • hajj = pelgrimage • Mecca (end 6th century) – religion – trade
The origins of the religion of Islam • Religious situation
– Paganism • bayt allāh = house of God • Allāh = God • - Judaism • - Christianity • - “hanifs”
Khadija (1st wife of Muhammad)
1st revelation: sura 96: 1-5
sura = “chapter”” of the Qur`an
Religious context: Judaism/Christianity
Muhammad’s message
islām = submission to God To believe in: 1.God 2.His angels 3.His messengers 4.His revelations 5.Judgment Day
Muhammad’s relation with Jews and Christians
- Emigration from Mecca -> Medina (1 A.H./622 C.E.)
- Constitution of Medina: Muslims, Jews and converts
from Medina - Positive description: Qur`an 5: 82-83
Muhammad’s failure rapprochement because of
- Political reasons
- Economic reasons
- Religious reasons
Qur`an 3: 119-120 (disappointment Muhammad)
Wat waren de resultaten van Muhammad’s failure rapprochement?
- Independency Islam
- Change direction prayer (Ka`ba)
- Focus on Abraham as ancestor Islam
Jihad against non-Muslims
Two reactions of Muhammad: - in Mecca: stories of punishment and warnings - in Medina: jihād jihād fī sabīl Allāh = (litt.) to exert oneself on the way of God Legitimisation for the use of jihad: 1) To punish “active unbelief” 2) To defend oneself or others 3) To help 4) To (re)conquer Ka`ba
The expansion of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula
Muhammad had reached his goals in 11/632:
- No threat to the Muslim community
- Islamic worship in Ka`ba in Mecca
- Survival Islam on peninsula
Expansion of Islam
1) The expansion of the Muslims outside the Arabian Peninsula – the conquest of Jerusalem
2) The concept of dhimma in the first three centuries of Islam
Rightly guided caliphs (632-661)
632CE – death prophet Muḥammad 632CE – caliph Abu Bakr 634CE – beginning of the Muslim conquests 635CE – conquest of Jerusalem *Unexpected: -conquest of Jerusalem -life under Muslim authority *Reasons: - Arabic conquerors were Muslims - Dhimma -> dhimmī (= “Protection) - Special status of Jerusalem in Islam
Jerusalam in the Islam
- Jerusalem in the Qur`an
2.First direction of prayer (Q 2: 142-152)
3.Night journey of Muhammad
4.Location first mosque in Jerusalem
5.Third place of pilgrimage
6.Arabic name of Jerusalem
• Al-Quds = the sanctuary
• Bayt al-Maqdis = the house of the sanctuary
Dhimma – (protection)
dhimma contract
- rights and duties
- jizya = tribute
Ahl al-kitab = people of the Book
Persian Sassanid Empire: Zoroastrians
Later Hindus also included
Assimilation: Islamisation of the Silk Road
- Beginning of the Islamic silk trade:
–> Umayyad Empire (661-750) - capital Damascus - Before: Byzantine monopoly on silk trade in Western Europe
- Restrictions on silk China by government
- Christian influences
- Abbasid Empire (750-1258) – capital Baghdad
Cover of Ka`ba in Mecca - Treasure Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (d. 809)
- 1258:
–> Death last Abbasid caliph by Mongols
–> End Abbasid caliphate
Mongol conquests
• Mongol conquest Muslims invasion
• Similarities:
- Conquest of large area in a short period of time
- Both are nomads of warrior stock
- Held together by strong sense of ethnic superiority
- Held together by a religious law
• Differences:
- Arabs: maintain own language, sense of roots, distinct religious identity
- Mongols: culturally and religiously “conquered” by Islam
- 1295: Conversion to Islam Ghazan Khan + later Golden Horde
Mongols & trade
• Few cultural remnants on the Silk Road in Central Asia of early Islamic period • Karavanserai • Use of Muslims merchants: – Tax collectors – Money lenders • Mongols & silk: new fashion
Islamic architecture
• Gul-e Emir mausoleum Timur Lenk • Madrassa – Qur`an school • Minaret (Bukhara) - Mughal empire • Taj Mahal
More assimilation: Islamisation of the Silk Road
Expansion Islam: - Conquests - Traders/merchants - Sufi’s - Sufism = mystical form of Islam => Islamisation of local traditions
Sufism
• Tasawwuf = sufism – Litt: to become a sufi What is the origin of the name? • Suf = wool • Of: safa’ = purity • Sufi missionaries
Development of Sufism
• Ascetics – Al-Hasan al-Basri (gest. 110/728) – Faqîr/derwish • Shaykh (sheikh)-murid relationship – (master/guide-disciple) • Tariqa/tarika = sufi brotherhood
Sufism: visiting of shrines of saints
- Sufism in Pakistan
* Sufi tradition in India
