Chapter 9- Islamic Civilization

Islamic civilization for a long time had a profound role in world affairs.
Islam spread from Arabia to parts of Europe, to North Africa, to Asia and to the Far East.
Islam decisively shaped the Afro-Eurasian world. Nomadic Arab tribes were given a central role.
In the 7th and 8th centuries Islam had made a huge expansion into the classical world.
Islam challenged and competed with Christianity, and also was transformed by African cultures.
Islam came from the Arabian Peninsula, where independent clans lived, they had their sheep and camels involved in seasonal migrations, each clan or tribe had blood feuds with one another.
There tribes and clans recognized a variety of gods, ancestors, nature spirits, valued bravery.
In scattered Oases, highlands of Yemen, interior mountain communities there was the practice of village-based agriculture. Arabia also stood in important trade routes, which connected Indian ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. This gave rise to cosmopolitan and commercial cities.
One of these important cities was Mecca. It was long distance to many trade routes, but was site of Kaaba, most important religious shrine in Arabia, which housed representations of 360 deities.
Mecca's dominant tribe was the Quraysh, which controlled access to Kaabe and it grew wealthy.
Arabia was on the periphery of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid Persian Empire.
Many Jews, Christians and also Zoroastrians had resided in Arabia along with Arab tribes.
Some Arabs were already feeling that Allah/Yahweh is the only true god, others were idols.
Mohammed Ibn Abdullah (570-632) was born in Mecca to a Quraysh family.
Muhammed lost his parents, came under care of an uncle, and worked as a shepherd.
At age of 25, he married a wealthy widow of Khadija, who was a prosperous merchant.
Muhammad was a reflective man and was troubled by social inequalities and religious corruption.
Muhammad was experiencing revelations beginning in 610. These revelations became holy scriptures. The revelations were intended to be recited. Submission to Allah was primary obligation of believers. Submission involved creation of completely new society. Quran also demanded social justice with a special tax to the poor. Quran challenged the tribal nature of Arab society. Quran created the ummah, and removed tribal and clan divisions. Pillars of Islam were established, one is recognition of no god but allah and mohammed as his prophet, ritual prayer, almsgiving, fasting during Ramadan, and fifth requirement was the pilgrimage to Mecca. Muhammad threatened traditional order in Mecca, so he moved to Medina, which started the Islamic calendar. Muhammad won victories against Meccan opponents, so this attracted people to his cause. Muhammad was also a political leader. He eventually managed to succeed in purging Mecca of it's idols.
Islamic empire would soon expand very quickly and conquer large amounts of territory.
In the Battles of Yarmuk and Qadesiya and Nehavend, Muslims defeated Romans and Persians.