ESPIRIT Chart on Pre-Islamic Arabia Civilization/Nation/Group: The Pre-Islamic Arabian World Time Period: 500-1450
E
Economic: -A wide variety of Bedouin, or nomadic cultures developed over the centuries based on camel and goat herding. -Some major East-west trading routes were created which improved trade.
S
Social: -Women gained some rights, but still weren’t nearly equal to men. -3 distinct social classes formed among Bedouin tribes.
P
Political: -Muhammad was ruled by former Bedouin clans. -Medina was controlled by two Bedouin and three Jewish clans.
I
Interactions: -Nomadic (Bedouin) groups fought amongst themselves for territory. -Trade from important cities like Mecca interacted with merchants from the Byzantine Empire and east Indian merchants.
R
Religion: -Believed and worshiped gods. -Had a combination of animism and polytheism.
I
Cultural & Intellectual: -The struggle for subsistence in the unforgiving Arabian environment resulted in a strong dependence on the loyalty to ones family and clan. -In the scrub zones on the edges of the empty quarters, or uninhabitable desert zones, a wide variety of Bedouin, or nomadic, cultures had developed over the centuries, based on camel and goat herding. -Best aced to culture was poetry.
T
Technology and demographic changes: -Did not any major technologic achievements or any written language.
5 pillars of Islam
1. Shahadah: The first part defines the role of the Muslim, a continuous striving throughout life. This striving reaches into all aspects of personality and activity toward the self, the family and the community, to the entire community of humankind and the natural environment. "to state belief in One God and the prophet hood of Muhammad" 2. Salat: Each of the five prayers can be performed within a window of time. (1) between dawn and sunrise, (2) noon to mid-afternoon, (3) between midafternoon and just before sunset, (4) at sunset, and (5) after twilight until nighttime. 3. Siyam: During one month each year, Muslims fast, meaning that they do not eat or drink anything between dawn and sunset. 4. Zakat: (Charity as a Duty) is the annual giving of a percentage of a Muslim’s wealth and possessions beyond basic needs. When Muslims have cash savings for a year, they give 2.5% of it as Zakat, encourages the poorest members of society to do well. 5. Hajj: The basic act of worship in Islam is the pilgrimage (journey) to the city of Makkah during a certain time of year, which unifies Muslims every Ramadan.
Summary: The Five Pillars of Islam summaries the duties put upon every Muslim. Shahadah is the profession of faith; it defines the role of a Muslim. Salat is praying five times a day during a window of time. Siyam is fasting for one month each year. Zakat is when a Muslim gives a percentage of their money to the Zakat which encourages even the poorest in society to do well. The last pillar is the Hajj, which in the pilgrimage to Mecca during a certain time every year. All these duties shape the Islam religion and set upon the role of a Muslim.
Notes on New Religious Map
The period of classical decline led to the expansion of the world’s major religions Buddhism and Christianity.
Religious change led to cultural, social, and political implications.
Plagues and growing population instability influenced many people to turn to religious beliefs.
Although Buddhism and Christianity were completely different religions, their emphasis on spiritual life and the importance of divine power reshaped much of Asia and Europe.
Many people combined new beliefs with old, which meant religions changed too.
Hinduism experienced greater population appeal after the fall of the Guptas.
Buddhism was changed more than Hinduism as it went through India borders.
After Buddha’s death, Buddhism shifted from an original emphasis on ethics to become a more emotional cult stressing on the possibility of popular deliverance.
Buddhism evolved further as the religion spread into China.
Buddhism had a large impact on women in China, which disrupted China’s firm belief in patriarchal power, ended up in cultural blending.
Christianity played a direct role in the formation of two postclassical civilizations.
Christianity stressed the exclusive nature its truth and was intolerant of competing beliefs.
When Rome collapsed, Christianity had as a result demonstrated immense spiritual power and developed a solid organization.
The spread of major religions was a result of the changes in classical civilizations brought on by attack and decay.
The new religious encouraged a greater interest in spiritual matter and resulted in a tendency to focus on a single basic divinity instead of many gods.
There was increase skill in agriculture and the creation of early civilizations or new contacts.
The centers of classical civilization would still hold a dominant position in world history after 500 C.E., but their control would be challenged by the spread of civilization to other areas.
Read pages 136-143 and answer the following questions
1. How did the death of Muhammad lead to the Expansion of Islam? After Muhammad died, his followers disagreed on who should succeed him. Abu Bakr, who was a close friend of Muhammad, became the first Caliph. He knew how everything worked and was a great leader to lead the expansion of Islam.
2. What were the motivations for Islamic conquest? The unity provided by the Islam faith gave them a new sense of common cause and strength. They wanted to stand up to the non-Arab rulers who had played them against each other. They were drawn to the campaigns of expansion by the promise of a share in the booty to be won in the rich farmlands searched and the tribute that could be exacted from towns that came under Arab rule. The chance to glorify their new religion may have also been a motive for the conquests.
3. How were the Umayyads able to defeat their adversaries? The Umayyads were able to defeat their adversaries because their empire was weak and the religion of the Sasanian Empire of Persia, Zoroastrianism, was unpopular. They tried to defend their borders, but army was too weak.
4. What caused the major division in Islam? When the third caliph was murdered, Ali came into power. The Umayyad’s rejected Ali’s claims and swore revenge when he failed to punish Uthman’s assassins.
5. What was the extent of the Islamic Empire under the Umayyads? Umayyad’s caliphs wanted to build a bureaucracy that would bring different domains together. Under the Umayyads, Damascus was the political center.
6. How were people of the book treated under the Umayyads? They were not treated fairly. They had to pay taxes and got no share of the booty.
7. Explain gender structures under the Umayyads. In the first centuries of Arab expansion, the strengthened position of women under Islam prevailed over the privacy and subordination that were characteristic features of women’s lives through much of the rest of the Middle East. Men were allowed to have up to 4 wives, but could not support more than one wife or treat all of his wives equally. Women could not have more than one husband. The bride-price was given to the future wife and not her father. The prophet’s teachings proclaimed the quality of men and women before god and the Islamic worship. Women were not allowed to lead prayers, but played an active role in the politics of the early community.
8. What factors led to the decline of the Umayyads? Bark, which had made a trip to the market the day after he was selected to succeed the prophet, enraged the dissenting party and sparked revolts throughout the empire.
Civilization/Nation/Group: The Pre-Islamic Arabian World
Time Period: 500-1450
-A wide variety of Bedouin, or nomadic cultures developed over the centuries based on camel and goat herding.
-Some major East-west trading routes were created which improved trade.
-Women gained some rights, but still weren’t nearly equal to men.
-3 distinct social classes formed among Bedouin tribes.
-Muhammad was ruled by former Bedouin clans.
-Medina was controlled by two Bedouin and three Jewish clans.
-Nomadic (Bedouin) groups fought amongst themselves for territory.
-Trade from important cities like Mecca interacted with merchants from the Byzantine Empire and east Indian merchants.
-Believed and worshiped gods.
-Had a combination of animism and polytheism.
-The struggle for subsistence in the unforgiving Arabian environment resulted in a strong dependence on the loyalty to ones family and clan.
-In the scrub zones on the edges of the empty quarters, or uninhabitable desert zones, a wide variety of Bedouin, or nomadic, cultures had developed over the centuries, based on camel and goat herding.
-Best aced to culture was poetry.
-Did not any major technologic achievements or any written language.
5 pillars of Islam
1. Shahadah: The first part defines the role of the Muslim, a continuous striving throughout life. This striving reaches into all aspects of personality and activity toward the self, the family and the community, to the entire community of humankind and the natural environment. "to state belief in One God and the prophet hood of Muhammad"
2. Salat: Each of the five prayers can be performed within a window of time. (1) between dawn and sunrise, (2) noon to mid-afternoon, (3) between midafternoon and just before sunset, (4) at sunset, and (5) after twilight until nighttime.
3. Siyam: During one month each year, Muslims fast, meaning that they do not eat or drink anything between dawn and sunset.
4. Zakat: (Charity as a Duty) is the annual giving of a percentage of a Muslim’s wealth and possessions beyond basic needs. When Muslims have cash savings for a year, they give 2.5% of it as Zakat, encourages the poorest members of society to do well.
5. Hajj: The basic act of worship in Islam is the pilgrimage (journey) to the city of Makkah during a certain time of year, which unifies Muslims every Ramadan.
Summary: The Five Pillars of Islam summaries the duties put upon every Muslim. Shahadah is the profession of faith; it defines the role of a Muslim. Salat is praying five times a day during a window of time. Siyam is fasting for one month each year. Zakat is when a Muslim gives a percentage of their money to the Zakat which encourages even the poorest in society to do well. The last pillar is the Hajj, which in the pilgrimage to Mecca during a certain time every year. All these duties shape the Islam religion and set upon the role of a Muslim.
Notes on New Religious Map
Read pages 136-143 and answer the following questions
1. How did the death of Muhammad lead to the Expansion of Islam?
After Muhammad died, his followers disagreed on who should succeed him. Abu Bakr, who was a close friend of Muhammad, became the first Caliph. He knew how everything worked and was a great leader to lead the expansion of Islam.
2. What were the motivations for Islamic conquest?
The unity provided by the Islam faith gave them a new sense of common cause and strength. They wanted to stand up to the non-Arab rulers who had played them against each other. They were drawn to the campaigns of expansion by the promise of a share in the booty to be won in the rich farmlands searched and the tribute that could be exacted from towns that came under Arab rule. The chance to glorify their new religion may have also been a motive for the conquests.
3. How were the Umayyads able to defeat their adversaries?
The Umayyads were able to defeat their adversaries because their empire was weak and the religion of the Sasanian Empire of Persia, Zoroastrianism, was unpopular. They tried to defend their borders, but army was too weak.
4. What caused the major division in Islam?
When the third caliph was murdered, Ali came into power. The Umayyad’s rejected Ali’s claims and swore revenge when he failed to punish Uthman’s assassins.
5. What was the extent of the Islamic Empire under the Umayyads?
Umayyad’s caliphs wanted to build a bureaucracy that would bring different domains together. Under the Umayyads, Damascus was the political center.
6. How were people of the book treated under the Umayyads?
They were not treated fairly. They had to pay taxes and got no share of the booty.
7. Explain gender structures under the Umayyads.
In the first centuries of Arab expansion, the strengthened position of women under Islam prevailed over the privacy and subordination that were characteristic features of women’s lives through much of the rest of the Middle East. Men were allowed to have up to 4 wives, but could not support more than one wife or treat all of his wives equally. Women could not have more than one husband. The bride-price was given to the future wife and not her father. The prophet’s teachings proclaimed the quality of men and women before god and the Islamic worship. Women were not allowed to lead prayers, but played an active role in the politics of the early community.
8. What factors led to the decline of the Umayyads?
Bark, which had made a trip to the market the day after he was selected to succeed the prophet, enraged the dissenting party and sparked revolts throughout the empire.