WW: Chapter 11: Worlds of Islam

Ways of the World : Chapter 11

The Worlds of Islam

Afro-Eurasian Connections

The new religion was started by Muhammad  Abdullah who was born in Mecca. Like Jesus and Buddha, Muhammad had a spiritual experience that convinced him he was Allah's messenger to the Arabs. His revelations were recorded in the Quran and delivered through Muhammad. Allah was the only God, the all powerful, and God was good. Muhammad claimed to be the final messenger of God. The Quran called for social justice. This was a very good thing for the country considering Arab society was so prone to violence and social injustice.

The Islamic community quickly became a huge empire. Muhammad exercised a great amount of political and military power making it much easier for him to implement his visions.

In a short period of time, 20 years, a new religion had been born. This society became the model for future Islamic communities.  

The Islamic faith even spread quickly throughout Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia and India and even beyond.

Becoming Muslim was often a profound spiritual and psychological transformation but it was also a social conversion.

The central elements of Islam -- monotheism, ritual praying, fasting, divine revelation, heaven, hell and the final judgment were all key elements in Judism as well. The community was heavily encouraged to convert albeit conversion wasn't easy.


After Muhammad's death disputes over who should be the successor as political leader. This rift eventually would be the cause of a great division in the political world of Islam.

The two types of Muslims were the Sunni and the Shia. Sunni muslims believed that caliphs were the rightful political and military leaders chosen by the Islamic community Shia muslims felt the leaders should derive from line of Ali, the blood relatives of Muhammad. This split became very signifigant and remains so even in our time.

Sunni religious authority emerged from a larProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

oxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

r community -- from the religious scholars known as ulama.

Shia leaders were imams with a religious authority that caloph's lacked. They could reveal the true meaning of the Quran. The shias were the minorities in their eyes, they called themselves the "defenders of the opressed" Sunni's were advocates of established order. Shia's started revolting and failed

Women & Men:
Quran viewed women as inferior and subordinate. "Good women are obedient," There were many protections and restrictions on women. Arab practice of female infanticide was forbidden. Women were expected to be sexually satisfied -- if they went without sex for more than four months they were allowed to sue for divorce. (This meant divorce was possible for both parties) Men could however have multiple wives, but this was limited to four. Men could also have sex with female slaves with consent only.

Islam and Cultural Encounter: A Four-Way Comparison

India:
Islam found a permanent place in South Asia because of invasions by Turks. However it only covered about 25% of the population.

Anatolia:
Anatolia was also victim of Turkish invasion, however Muslims made a more prominent place in the culture, with 90% of the population converting.

Why was so much more of Anatolia converted than of India?

Probably because the conversion was a lot smoother from Christianity to Muslim because of the common monotheism and respect for Jesus. Anatolia was also far more disrupted by the invasion, and therefore their culture was more weakened. Turks took over and welcomed converts by granting them with rewards and oppurtonites.

Despite the Islamization, the Turks still kept to their culture. For example, Turk women were still held in high respect -- and they were even more dignified than the men.

West Africa:
Rather than being carried with invaders, Islam came with Muslim traders. The new religion was welcomed in the urban centers of West African empires. Islam offered comfort to people via it's single God. Because of this Islam became prominent in many West African cities.


Spain:
Islam did not overtake Christianity the way it did in Anatolia, instead Muslim Spain was a harmonious place for Muslims, Jews and Christians. Arabized Christians were not accepted amongst Muslim culture The peaceful age soon ended as intolerance increased. Christians and Muslims soon became segregated and many Muslims became forced oout of Spain.


The World of Islam as a New Civilization:
Ulama was most important part of transmitting these beliefs to other groups. The ulama were not priests in that they did not stand between God and the people, rather they served as judges and reciters of the Quran.

Sufis also emerged as religious teachers and spread their ideas throughout the Muslim world. Islamic trade greatly influenced the exhange of religious ideas. Muslim merchants were some of the dominate traders in the Afro-Euroasia trade route.