Early Caliphates

1
Rise of Islam

• Early Caliphates 631 945
• Umayyad Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate

2
Basis of Religion

• Islam means ________________.
• Mecca and Medina
• Making Prayers to _____________.
• Nomadic Bedouins
• Arabian Kin-related Clans
• Clans form tribes (unique social fabric)
• Harsh environment, survival depends on
  cooperation

3
5 Pillars of Islam

• 1. There is one God and Muhammad is his prophet
  Declaration of Faith
• 2. of wealth to the poor
• 3. Pilgrimage to Mecca (once in life)
• 4. Daily Prayer
• 5. Keep Holy the Month of Rammadan

4
Muhammad 610-632

• Ostracized due to clan conflict, and what other
  tribes believes to be disrespect for the gods, he
  was driven out of Mecca.
• His Preaching emphasized tolerance, understanding
  and submission to a greater power.
• 622 flight from Mecca
• 630 triumphant return
• Transcendence of Tribal boundaries

5
Umayyad 633-750

• Originally expelling Muhammad from Mecca,
  eventually they were won over as a tribe and
  continued on with his work attempting to unify
  arabs around one, Muslim banner.
• Weakness of borders states and crumpling empires
  made conquest easier
• Muhammad did not appoint a successor, crisis of
  leadership follows his death.
• Civil War

6
Contest over power

• Caliph means____________________.
• Should Muhammads successor be related to him in
  some way? Or is that unimportant?
• Two choices for Caliph that won the most support
  were
• Ali, Muhammads cousin and son-in-law
• Abu Bakr, a close friend and early follower of
  Muhammad

7
Disagreements

• Abu Bakr wins widespread support and key mistakes
  by Ali lose him any chance for victory
• Murdered, and with most of his relatives
  slaughtered as well earns the hatred of a large
  portion of the Muslim community
• Sunni Muslims Ummayad
• (Mainstream 90)
• Shiite Muslims (Minority 10)
• They are a majority in Iraq and Iran

8
Umayyad Caliphate

• Dramatic Expansion and Conquest during their rule
• Capital moves to Damascus in Syria
• Aristocracy and Bureaucracy rule over an empire
  with Muslims and Arabs as a minority
• 732 Victory by Franks at Tours Halts the
  advance in Europe

9
Ummayad Caliphate - 732
10
Umayyad Caliphate

• No real motivation for non-muslims to convert,
  they were still taxed and they were still second
  class citizens
• Clan Politics and sectional rivalries still
  dominate the arab conquest state
• Relative Gender Equality during Umayyad Rule
• Only Muslim Arabs were full class citizens
• Aside from charity they were not to be taxed
• Only the conquered were taxed, and the dhimmis
  (people of the book)

11
Decline of Umayyad

• Growth of the Harem
• Corruption and an addiction to luxury
• Assimilation of garrisons into local populations
  sparks unrest and disloyalty among army
• Neglect of Duties
• Military building, Conquest, Bureaucracy, Clan
  politics
• Revolt and Splintering result

12
Abbasid Caliphate 750 945 (945-1055 puppet
govt by Persians)