Chapter 9: (Worlds of Islam)

Chapter 9: The Worlds of Islam
Afro-Eurasian Connections
600-1500

The spread of Islam, drawing on other civilizations, was accompanied by the growth of a new civilization that shaped the Afro-Eurasian world.

The Birth of A New Religion

• Islam emerged in the Arabian Peninsula. Arabia contributed to the early history of Islam because it featured nomadic, agricultural, and commercial ways, was home to the highly religious trade city, Mecca, shared monotheistic values, was aware of the larger world, and was located between the Byzantine and Sassanid Empires.
• Muhammad Ibn Abdullah was Allah's messenger to the Arabs. The recorded revelations became the Quran, the sacred scriptures of Islam that emphasize a monotheistic belief in Allah, social justice (umma), and the Five Pillars of Islam.
• 1. Heart of the Islamic Message (God is the only God, and Muhammad is the Messenger)
• 2. Prayer 5x a day
• 3. Almsgiving
• 4. Ramadan (month of fasting)
• 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca
• 6. Jihad
• Muhammad took a journey to Medina because he faced opposition from Mecca (Jihad), and it was here he created a new society. 
• Islam was declared a religion, independent of Jewish affiliation, directed toward the Mecca, and spread throughout Arabia, becomes under Islamic control, leading to empire, no distinction between politics and religion, unlike Christianity where Church and government are separate. 
• New religion, state, and society emerge.

I am curious about the origins of Mecca, specifically how it became home to the Kaaba. I wonder what exact religious values the Kaaba represented, at this time Islam wasn't necessarily defined as a religion just yet. Another interesting point is that we can see the connections between Christianity and Buddhism in their leaders. For example, Jesus and Buddha reflected Muhammad the messenger. Something though that I find contradicting is that Islam "was not so much a call to a new faith as an invitation to return to the old and pure religion of Abraham" (368), yet the subtitle of the chapter is "The Birth of a New Religion." Perhaps the authors are trying to make a distinction between the concept of faith versus religion. I also wouldn't have expected to read that Muhammad acted "harshly to suppress" Jewish groups (369), as it seems very contrary to religious values and social justices that the Quran emphasized.

The Making of an Arab Empire

• New Arab state became an empire and spread, Arab culture spread, mixing and blending created new religion, empire, and civilization.
• Arab forces conquer other civilizations, more resistant to disease, stronger, so quickly to build empire because of profitable trade and wealth, protect the umma. Acceptance of Christianity and Judaism still persisted.
• Conversion to Islam was so widespread because Islamic ideas (monotheism, ritual, fasting, etc.) are familiar to Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism. The Arab empire made Allah attractive, and people did it for social reasons, such as avoiding the jizya (Non-Muslim tax), help in getting official positions, commerce-friendly, because Muslim identity was ideal in an Islam-governed state. 
• Different regions adopted the language or kept their own while adopting the religion, for example, Persian language and culture flourished, inspiring Islam and other regions for culture.
• The highly argued question of who would be the next leaders, or caliphs, of Islam after Muhammad's death created social and political conflict eventually lead to civil war of Muslims, creating Sunni Islam (who believed leaders should be caliphs, as selected by Islam community), and Shia Islam (who believed leaders should be imans, as earned through blood and descent, formed the minority). This division still persists today.
• Caliphs became monarchs as the Arab empire grew (coinage, taxation, centralized bureaucracy, opposition). Umayyad dynasty rule faced opposition because luxurious living of rules, replaced by Abbasids, but fractured politically into "sultanates."
• Sharia = body of Islamic law, provided blueprint for Islamic life, Islamic society, the question of what it meant to be a Muslim created tension. Sufi Muslims believed spirituality was more important than Muhammad's civilization, focus on God rather than government. 
• The Quran emphasizes that men and women are equal in spiritual life, but in social terms women are inferior to men, and they became secluded. (Honor killing, genital mutilation, receive half inheritance, negative view of women).

I think it is interesting how Sufi spirituality still persisted and coexisted with legalistic emphasis of the sharia. This was not true for Sunni and Shia Islam, and it is evident that the conflict was so extent because it still occurs today in the 21st century. It is also interesting that the Quran does not directly emphasize some of these practices towards women, such as honor killing and genital mutilation, yet the region adapted them culturally from other civilizations, and they just became acceptable norms. 

Islam and Cultural Encounter: A Four Way Comparison

• By the 10th century, little political unity remained, but Islamic civilization still flourished through a spread of religion that penetrated India, Anatolia, West Africa, and Spain.
• Turk warrior group violent conquests brought Islam to India. Islam communities emerged out from the poor, Sufis were a main contributor, but Islam was held by a small percent of the population. Differences existed among Indian caste system and social equality of Islam, so Islam remained small, but still some Hindus served in Muslim-ruled structures, Sikhism emerged, but still Muslims lived separately.
• Anatolia was invaded by Turks, originally under Byzantine Empire rule. The intrusion of Turkish generated more Islamination in Anatolia than in India because a smaller population, a weak Byzantine state, and Turkish built a new society that welcomed converts. Sufis played a major role.
• In West Africa, Islam was welcomed among traders and merchants, and it expanded, as well as Arabic language. Sufis played a minor role. No thorough religious transformation occurred in West Africa.
• Spain was invaded by Arabs, had a prosperous agricultural economy, Christians learned Arabic, but harmony between Christians and Muslims was brief because warfare. Islam was replaced by Christianity, Jews were expelled, Muslims forced to emigrate. Christian rule was reestablished unlike how Islam was incorporated into other regions.

As I was reading this, I thought it was unique that Islam conquest, invasion, and conquering led to much conversion. I wouldn't expect to read this, as usually those who conquer become known as the enemies, so I found it distinctive that these civilizations at the same time adopted their religion. I also think it is interesting that Jews were expelled from Spain where Christianity was dominant because Jesus, the Savior of Christianity, himself was a Jew.

The World of Islam as a New Civilization

• Islam was more a shared religious network than a centralized government, sometimes threatened from the outside, still Islam thrived as a civilization in Afro-Eurasia. There was a widespread commitment to the ulama (Islam scholars, teachers, created education system contributing to civilization). Sufis focused on devotion and personal transformation and taught others. Madrassas were formal colleges offering instruction of the Quran. Many made the hajj, the grand pilgrimage to Mecca.
• Islam created a network for trade that fostered commerce. Agricultural practices and products spread across the network, increased food production and population growth. Technology and ideas (medicine, science, philosophy) spread. Learning systems were created, for example, Arab scholars used Indian notation to develop algebra.

What began in Arabia spread and created a large network, causing conflict, interaction among cultures, and the platform for the birth of a new civilization and a spread of ideas. There was great diversity in the interaction of cultures and the debate of Islam, such as in the case of Sunni and Shia Islam. When I look back at how it all began, it amazes me to see how the civilization of Islam has come so far, all accomplished by human beings.