Transcript Charles
Islam Literature Notecards by Charles Quinn CTQ Achievements P World History 276 • House of Wisdom = library + academy + observatory + translation center • Scholars included researchers, editors, linguists, and technical advisers • Translated texts from Greece, India, Persia, and elsewhere into Arabic • Helped preserve multiple ancient texts from elsewhere CTQ Achievements P The Muslim Almanac 336 • Caliph Al-Mamun set up The House of Wisdom • Members translated many works from Greece and Syria • Preserved Arabic and many other pieces of literature • Libraries contributed to advances in mathematics and sciences CTQ The Quran P World Literature and Its Times 420-421 • • • • Divided into sections called surahs Each surah is divided into ayahs 114 surahs ordered by length Shorter = earlier portions of revelations of Allah, earlier in time (chronologically ordered) • The Opener (first surah) expresses basic beliefs and almost introduces religion CTQ The Quran P World History and Its Times 421 • Second surah = model for structure of religion • Contains info on Muhammad’s message and on the journey to Medina • Addresses Jews because of Jewish tribes in Medina that helped Muhammad • Tribes in Medina = first People of the Book • Second half of Quran = rules for fasting, pilgrimage, etc. (more of rulebook than set of stories) CTQ The Quran P World History and Its Times 421 • Surahs contain incidents from stories of Jewish and Christian prophets • Prove God’s mercy to those who believe in him and are grateful for his bounties (Muslims) • Illustrates how the faithful must contend with oppositions • Encourages Islam, while almost discouraging other religions CTQ Poetry Q The Muslim Almanac 335 • “Poetry, in general, was regarded as being capable of being a subversive verbal art that idealized pre-Islamic ways” CTQ Poetry P The Muslim Almanac 335 • Poetry was unacceptable to the spirit of the new religion, Islam • Was at first used for pre-Islamic beliefs (polytheism) • Worked as a guide for the obscure meanings of Quranic phrases, made them easier to understand CTQ Poetry P The Muslim Almanac 335 • Many forms of pre-Islamic poetry survived into the early Islam era • Poetry was used to express of tell nostalgia, bravery, skill in hunting and war, and love • Used to preserve and remember history • Held tribe together, gave them a sense of pride in individual tribe CTQ Poetry P • • • • • The Muslim Almanac 335 Bedouin tribes began pre-Islamic poetry Helped preserve history Told stories of bravery in battles Poets = very important in tribes Poets = treated well, heavily respected, thought of as most important members of tribe CTQ Poetry P The Muslim Almanac 335 Types of Poetry: • Ascetic poetry: poetry on love, story telling, and other basic forms • Panegyric poetry: poetry in praise of Prophet, borrowed much of its diction and imagery from pre-Islamic poets CTQ Poetry P The Muslim Almanac 335 Poetry during the Umayyad time period: • Polemical poetry: extolled virtues of tribesmen and satirized opponents • Love poetry: some in the pure and Virgil type, expressed love and grief CTQ Poetry P Arab World Notebook 335 • Arabs inherited rich legacy from poetry • Forms and themes of chivalry influenced early Spanish and French works • Islamic poetry = basis for much early poetry CTQ Poetry P World History 276 • Former Bedouin themes in poetry were later used in Islamic poetry after the rise of Islam Poetry during the Abbasid caliphate: • Multiple new forms • Nature • Pleasure of life • Pleasure of love CTQ Poetry Q World History 276 • “Literature had been a strong tradition in Arabia even before Islam. Bedouin poets, reflecting the spirit of desert life, composed poems celebrating ideals such as bravery, love, generosity, and hospitality” CTQ Poetry Q World History 276 • “Early Muslim poets sang the praise of the Prophet and of Islam and, later, of the caliphs and other patrons who supported them” CTQ