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Developments in DAR-AL-ISLAM 1.2

Introduction to Dar al-Islam

  • Translation: "House of Islam," representing regions where Islam was the majority religion circa 1200.

  • Notable historian quote on the scope of Dar al-Islam.

Major Monotheistic Religions

Judaism

  • Ethnic religion of the Jews, originated in the Middle East.

  • Core belief: Monotheism—worship of one God.

  • Historical significance: Foundation for Christianity and Islam.

Christianity

  • Established by Jesus Christ, a Jewish prophet.

  • Jesus as the Messiah, spreading teachings of salvation and grace after his crucifixion.

  • Initially a persecuted minority; later adopted by Roman Empire, influencing states in Europe and Africa through a hierarchical structure (popes, bishops, cardinals).

Islam

  • Founded by Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century on the Arabian Peninsula.

  • Muhammad: Final prophet in a line of God's messengers (includes Jewish and Christian traditions).

  • Teachings centered on righteous actions: almsgiving, prayer, fasting.

  • Rapid spread of Islam post-Muhammad's death in 632, leading to the establishment of Dar al-Islam.

Economic Impact of Islam

  • Muhammad as a former merchant influenced Islamic attitudes toward trade.

  • Islamic states often more prosperous than Christian states before 1200.

The Abbasid Caliphate

  • Founded in the 8th century; significant for innovations during the Golden Age of Islam.

  • Notable for advancements in various fields (science, mathematics, literature, etc.).

  • By 1200: Abbasid Empire in decline, shift towards Turkic Muslim powers.

Rise of Turkic Empires

  • New empires emerging after the Abbasids were predominantly Turkic rather than Arab.

Seljuk Empire

  • Established in the 11th century in Central Asia; originally brought in as military force by the Abbasids.

  • Increased power at the expense of the Abbasid caliphs.

Mamluk Sultanate

  • Emerged in Egypt after the fall of the Ayyubid Sultanate led by Saladin.

  • Originally enslaved Turkic warriors (Mamluks) took power from incompetent successors.

Delhi Sultanate

  • Established a Muslim state in South Asia, ruling for around 300 years.

  • Key factor in the decline of Arab empires and rise of Turkic powers.

Method of Islamic Expansion

Military Expansion

  • Example: Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate by invading Turks.

Merchant Activity

  • Trade stimulated by Muslim rule, especially in North Africa and the Mali Empire’s conversion to Islam for trade access.

Missionary Efforts

  • Role of Sufi practitioners in spreading Islam through a focus on mystical experiences that were inclusive across class and gender.

  • Despite skepticism from the Islamic scholarly class, significant for growth in conversion.

Innovations During the Golden Age of Islam

Mathematical Advancements

  • Nasir al-Din al-Tusi: Inventor of trigonometry for understanding celestial bodies.

  • His work laid foundations used by Copernicus in heliocentric theory.

House of Wisdom in Baghdad

  • Established during the Abbasid Caliphate; key library and center for scholars worldwide.

  • Preservation and translation of Greek philosophy by figures like Plato and Aristotle into Arabic, which eventually influenced the Renaissance in Europe.