Transcript Islam in West Asia and Africa

Islam in Africa and Asia
Chapter 8
Islamic Achievements
 Muslims during the Islamic Empire developed
innovations that are still used today because:
– The Islamic world was rich, diverse and creative.
Greeks, Chinese, Hindus, Arabs, Persians, Turks
and others all contributed.
– Muslims helped spread ideas as well as goods
along their trade routes that connected Asia,
Europe and Africa.
– Scholars read about and preserved Greek and
Roman ideas.
The Islamic Empire at its height:
Prior to the Arrival of Islam
North of the Sahara had been part of classical civilizations
(Phoenician, Greek outpost, Carthage Roman province)
Lack of political unity
Secret societies handle disputes
No need to tax b/c don’t have to support a bureaucracy
Social—organized by lineage and age
Unifying force
– Religion—animism and ancestors
– Language--Bantu
Arrival of Islam 640-700 CE
Attraction
Abbasids provided some political stability
Equality within a community of believers
made it easier to accept new conquerors and
rulersegalitarian
Unite state & religion under 1 helped
reinforce the authority of African kings —
caliph
BUT locally divided by social, ethnic and
gender
Kingdoms and Trade
Camel caravans
couldn’t survive
in the forests so
the Sahel
became a point
of exchange
Mali
Mansa Musa 1312-1337
*pilgrimage
*brought back scholars
*trade protection
*cosmopolitan court life
*tolerant
*gold, salt, dates—
Introduction of Islam to Northern India
Arabs conquer Sind (northwest India), 711
Mixed population, but held by
Abbasid dynasty to 1258.
Mahmud of Ghazni raids into
India, 1001-1027
Plunders, destroys Hindu and
Buddhist temples
– Often builds mosques atop
ruins
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Conversion to Islam
25 million converts
by 1500 (1/4 of total
population)
Possibilities of social
advancement for
lower-caste Hindus
– Rarely achieved:
whole castes or
jatis convert,
social status
remains
consistent
8
Sufis
Personal, emotional,
devotional approaches to
Islam
Important missionaries of
Islam to India
Some flexibility regarding
local customs
9
Merchants and Islam
Arabic trade with
India predates
Islam
Dominated trade
between India
and the west to
15th century
Established local
communities in
India
– E.g. Cambay
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What role did trade play in the Islamic Empire?
Trade played an important role in the Islamic
Empire:
– The Muslim world was connected to a series
of important trade networks in Africa, Asia, &
the Indian Ocean
– Trade routes increased cultural diffusion
– In addition to spreading Islam, Muslims
borrowed & spread Indian, Greco-Roman,
Persian, & Chinese achievements