1.2 Reading Guide
Describe the impact of Islam in Africa
Indian Ocean: Islamic merchants brought these regions into a wider trading network than before. Swahili: Traders blended Bantu and Arabic in East Africa. Spoken in SE Africa.
Describe the commerce, class and diversity in Islamic society
Explain the significance Slavery: Muslims couldn't enslave other Muslims. Exempted from slavery were Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians. Slaves came from Africa, Kievan Rus' (present-day Ukraine, Belarus, Russia) and Central Asia. Children were free. Women slaves might serve as concubines to Islamic men who had 4 wives already. They had more independence, going to markets, dance, earn money. Status of women: Islamic women enjoyed a higher status than Christian and Jewish women. Were allowed to inherit property and retain ownership after marriage. Remarry if widowed and receive cash settlement in divorce. Could also practice birth control.
Explain the causes and effects of the rise of Islamic states over time
Explain the significance of Spread of Islam: 3 major religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) continued to influence Europe, Africa, Middle East. Islam spread rapidly after the death of Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w). Using military action and missionaries, Islam spread from India to Spain. New Islamic states came from Egypt, Turkey, India. Muhammad: (570-632) major prophet Baghdad: A city where scholars traveled to study at the center of learning. House of Wisdom: The center of learning. Abbasid Caliphate: major dynasty Invasions: In 1100's and 1200's Abbasid Empire was attacked by 4 groups of different outsiders (Mamluks, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, and Mongols). Mamluks: slaves recruited by Egypt (west of the Abbasid Empire) to serve as soldiers and gov. officials. Mostly Turkish. In a time of political unrest, they seized control of Egypt and established an empire called Mamluk Sultanate across North Africa. Seljuk Turks: A group of Muslims that came from Central Asia. They captured parts of the Middle East, including Baghdad. Leader called himself Sultan, which reduced the caliph (highest ranking Abbasid) to chief Sunni. Empire lasted from 1037-1194 Sultan: the Seljuk leader Crusaders: a group of soldiers organized by European Christians to reopen access to travel because Abbasid Empire didn't restrict their travel, but the Seljuks did. Mongols: Came from Central Asia. Conquered what was left of the Abbasid Empire in 1258 and pushed Seljuk Turks out of Baghdad. Continued to push Westward but were stopped by Mamluks in Egypt.Economic challenges: 13th century. Baghdad lost its place on the Silk roads when goods began to move more frequently along northern routes. Over time Baghdad lost its pop. And fell into despair. Countryside didn't have enough carrying capacity.
Describe Islamic Rule in Spain
Explain the significance of Cordoba: Capital for Spain after Muslims invaded from the South. Battle of Tours: Islamic military turned back in 732 when they lost this battle against Frankish forces. This defeat marked the limit of rapid Islamic expansion into Western Europe. Most of the continent remained Christian but Muslims ruled Spain for the next 7 centuries. Prosperity under Islam: Umayyad rulers in Cordoba created peace with Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Promoted trade, allowing Chinese and SE products t enter Spain. Goods traveled in dhows. First developed in India or China, had long thin hulls. Cultural and Scholarly Transfers: Cordoba had the largest library in the world at that time. Famous scholar from Spain (Averroes) was Ibn Rushd Al-Andulus: Islamic state in Spain. Became center of learning.
Describe the effects of intellectual innovation in Dar al-Islam
Explain the significance of the Advances in math: studied mathematic texts from India Advances in literature: translated Greek literary classics into Arabic, saving the words of Aristotle and other Greek thinkers from oblivion. Other Advances: They adopted paper-making techniques from China Nasiral-Din al-Tusi: (1201-1274) one of the most celebrated Islamic scholars. He contributed to astronomy, law, logic ethics, mathematics, philosophy, and medicine. He supervised building the most advanced observatory and produced the mot accurate astronomical charts. Laid the groundwork for making trigonometry a separate subject. Medial advances and hospitals are improved in cities like Cairo. Ibn Kaldun: (1332-1406) acknowledged as a founder of fields of historiography. And sociology. A'ishah-al-Ba'uniyyah: (1406-1507) most prolific female Muslim writer before the 20th century Sufis: emphasized introspection to grasp truths that they believed couldn't be understood through learning. Sufism may have begun as a response to the Umayyad caliphate's love of luxury. Sufis important in spread of Islam. Commerce, Class, Diversity: Islamic society viewed merchants as more prestigious than others in Europe and Asia. Merchants could grow rich from trading n the silk roads, esteemed as long as dealings were fair and gave to charity. In non-Arab areas of Islamic expansion, controlled by Islamic caliphs led to discrimination towards non-Arabs, not open persecution. Discrimination faded away in 9th century. Caliph's soldiers were forbidden to own territory they conquered. People paid tribute to Islamic Caliphs than Byzantine rulers. Quran: Holy book of Islam
