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Islam + India

600 to 1200 CE

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The prophet Mohammed (570-632)

Unity? World conquest

Many ready to submit? Cultural influences – historical, but many original? Problems for neighboring peoples

China Europeans India

Success , yet failure!?!

Introduction

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Mohammed’s Life and Message

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Caravans then marriage then voices and

visions Mecca preaching

His message Ka’aba Allah Day of judgment

Claiming the Judeo-Christian heritage

Early life

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City/ Desert divide

Some Jews, some Christians, many pagans Early expectations

At first, expected Jews and Christians to convert.

He was restoring, not preaching something new 622 – Flight to Medina (Hegira) Mohammed’s new life

Jews v Pagans Need for law giver – He did it.

Reaction to Mohammed

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Pagans convert, Jews – not

Also new recruits from Mecca Crisis = shortage of land for food as new

comers arrive. Mohammed the caravan raider

Median revenge army defeated. Sign from God

Jews driven out, land seized More growth, so attack a near by oasis

But now make Jews pay a tax

Median Success

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Tolerate Christians and Jews , attack heretical

Moslems No forced conversions, but a tax

Why? People of the Book Mohammed defines what is expected of

faithful Combination of revelation and causal actions Became binding on all Moslems Islam – submission to God’s will

Toleration

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Pray 5 times a day Civil and religious authority fused

God’s will in all things Public acknowledgement of God’s unity and

Mohammed’s prophetic status 3 other rules

Aid to poor Fast in Ramadan Pilgrimage to Mecca Five Pillars of Islam

Other rules – division of spoils, number of wives – later and not duties.

Mohammed and God’s Will

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Band of devoted followers Daily prayer and phalanx spirit Successful raiders Meccans not certain it was right to oppose

Mohammed In 630 CE, he returns in triumph to Mecca Other tribes accepted or faced attack One by one they came over.

Mohammed in Medina

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The First Caliphs

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Mohammed dies - 632

Issues: how could community continue What bout chiefs who had severed allegiance?

Abu Bakr Not prophet Became Caliph Attacks tribes who had withdrawn 634 dies – united again

The Crisis

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His character His campaigns

636 – Byzantine army @ Jordan River ( B of Yarmuk)

Mesopotamia = Palestine and Syria – Egypt falls 636

Sassanian Empire collapses in 651 Key factor factor was the conviction that God

was with the Moslems

Omar

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Preferred to keep the Muslims together and

communities Use of garrison cities – new deserts Conquered people = taxes

Kept Persian and Byzantine systems in force Same officials

Division among the garrisons Like a dividend for soldiers

Still tribal Tribal garrisons Old customs and feuds ? New rules of conduct?

* Organizing the lands

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Head of Omayyad family of Mecca

“No” respect? His solution? Jealousy?

Othman

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Since we can’t trust Othman… Laying out the suras Presume completenesss? The EXACT word of God

Rejection of other scriptures Next, language studies…..

* The Koran

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Standard practices Crisis after second assassination (656) Two conflicting principles?

Members of Mohammed’s family Ali

Tribal custom Family

War? Postphoned – Ali assassinated

* Succession

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Mauwiyah – Omayyad head

Forestalls Husain Bases of power and forces in play….

Ex-Persian vs. ex-Byzantine Tribal differences

First split Religious enthusiasts – only perfectly pious Hidden Iman Others – true successor was other descendant – 7

generations, 12 generations All agreed present leaders = no go

Shia v Sunni

* The Conflict

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Omayyad Caliphate

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661-750 Omayyad govern Spain 711 Visigoths India – 705 Central Asia = Chinese defenses attacked

Talas 751 Old Persian and Carthaginian empires combined

Failure at Byzantium – 717 Psychologically important

Expansion and Success

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New territories = new spoils, failure = none Disgruntled groups had outlet - now????

Internal conflict Scale of fighting increases

Radical sects, tribal and clique intrigues Omayyad overthrown – 750

Abbasid’s – till 1258

* Why the failure mattered

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Conqueror not eager to evangelize!

Taxes Undermining traditional structure (wanderers)

No help in revelation Converts = equality and discontent

Arab v Non-Arab

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Both roles? Addition of Hadith as source of guidance Second only to Koran Still not complete

Sharia By analogy General opinion of faithful

Ulamas Knowing God’s will

* Religious v Secular Leadership