Transcript Origins of Islamic Civilization

Origins of Islamic Civilization
[contested term]
Reli 180
Introduction to Islamic Civilization
Brief history of “Civilization”, 1
Aristotle on development of life in cities
Al-Farabi (d. 950) calls this tamaddun
‫ تمدن‬, from “city” (madina ‫) مدينة‬
Ibn Khaldun (d. 1382) refers to urban or
sedentary life as hadara ‫ حضارة‬and
opposes it to nomadic life in the desert
(badawa ‫) بداوة‬, as the two main forms
of human society (`umran ‫)عمران‬
2
Brief history of “Civilization”, 2
Dr. Samuel Johnson rejects the term
“civilization” from his dictionary (1775)
French and English authors
nevertheless start using the term
around 1790
Denotes only European countries as
opposed to barbarians of Asia, Africa,
America
Justification for colonialism (French
“mission civilizatrice” or civilizing
mission)
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Brief history of “Civilization”, 3
Samuel Huntington (quoting Bernard
Lewis) in 1993/96 writes on Clash of
Civilizations in post-Soviet context
President Khatami of Iran proposes
“dialogue of civilizations” (guft-o-guy
tamaddoni ‫ )گقت و گوی تمدنی‬in 1996;
adopted as theme by UN in 2001
4
Aims of Egger’s book [preface]
“the tension between adherence to tradition
on the one hand and adaptation to changing
conditions of the other” (xii)
“intellectual and political development
receive more attention than social and
economic history”
Stages in historical development, varieties
of expression of Islam
“Muslim political unity was shattered”
5
Formative period, 610-950
Continuity of Islamic identity in the absence
of central religious authority
Consequent religious differences among
Muslims
“Arab Empire” – why not “Muslim”?
Continuities with Roman (Byzantine) and
Persian empires
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The Middle East in the sixth
century CE
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Southwestern Asia in the seventh
century: Byzantine Empire
Hellenistic [Greek-ish] civilization after
Alexander – dominance of Greek language
resentment of Byzantine dominance,
religious dissent by non-Orthodox
Various Christians -- Monophysites: Coptic
(Egypt), Jacobites (Syria), Armenians;
Nestorians; Orthodox
Arabs in the Byzantine world: Palmyra,
Ghassanid kingdom
8
Sasanian Empire (226-642 CE)
Desert surrounded by mountains
Agricultural valleys of Central Asia
(Transoxiana, “beyond the Oxus”)
Dense population South of the Caspian
Religious ideas of Zoroastrianism:
Resurrection, judgment, heaven and hell,
Satan, Messiah (adopted byJews)
Large Christian and Jewish communities in
Persia (Iran)
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Imperial Persia: Ctesiphon
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Imperial Persian: Persepolis
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Capture of Roman Emperor Valerian by
Sasanian (Persian) Emperor Shapur
12
Irano-Semitic culture and rise of
Arabs
Nabateans (Hellenized Arabs) engaged with
Greeks, Hebrews, Romans
Academy of science and philosophy at
Jundishapur
Arabs in Iraq (Christian), client Lakhmid
kingdom with poetic tradition
Exhaustion of Byzantine and Persian
empires
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The Arabian Peninsula
South: Yemen, luxury
trade; oases
North: Petra, capital of
the Nabateans
Marib Dam
Petra
14
Changes in the Arabian Peninsula
Domestication of the camel, 500-100 BCE
Nomads and semi-nomads, tribal society
Relations with Ethiopia (Axum)
Jewish rule in Yemen, Christian invasion
Islamic period: Arabs as nomadic groups
outside the cities, strong sense of tribal
genealogy
• modern times: nationalistic concept of Arabs as anyone
speaking Arabic
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The Rise of Islam -- Mecca
Regional trade
Religious background: monotheistic
“hanifs”, Jews and Christians [Allah]
Emphasis on God’s unity, “conscientious
use of wealth”
Opposition of Meccan pagans
Shift to Medina in 622 (beginning of
Islamic era)
The economy of raiding
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Text, Page 28: the Death of the
Prophet
Creation of a polity in Arabia as a substitute
for tribal membership
Ideal of ultimate loyalty to God rather than
one’s tribe (a tension never resolved)
Question: what are the continuities with the
past in the new Arab regime?
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