Chapter 13- The Islamic Heartlands and India (1000-1500):

     (1). Examine impact of period’s consolidation & institutionalization of Sunni legal & religious norms.

     (2). Discuss Sufi Piety and Organization, and explain its influence on Islamic society.

     (3). Discuss the consolidation of Shi’ite traditions between the tenth and twelfth centuries.

     (4). Outline the major western Islamic regional developments during the 8th-14th centuries.

     (5). Outline the major eastern Islamic regional developments during the 9th-15th centuries.

     (6). Examine the spread of Islam to India.

     (7). Describe the major results of the Muslim-Hindu encounter.

     (8). Outline the Islamic states and dynasties of India during the 13th through 16th centuries.

     (9). Discuss the Hindu and Islamic religious and cultural accommodation.

    (10). Examine the Islamic Heartlands and India (1000-1500) in world perspective.

 

v   Introduction

Ø    Islam’s Political, Social, & religious Development:

§       Survey of Islamic Heartlands

·       New Islamic literature

·       Political dominance of Mongols & Turks

·       Linguistic & cultural influences 

v   Religion and Society

Ø    Consolidation of Sunni Orthopraxy (practice):

§       Sunni legal & religious norms

§       From 11th century=> Ulama’s key role

·       Established status quo with growing power & influence

·       Illustrated by Madrasa=> college of higher learning

¨     Evolved over time=> attracted students to masters

¨     All sought learned scholars to learned study of:

Ø    Qur’an, Hadith, Jurisprudence, & grammar

¨     Gained rulers’ endowments=> aim: control/influence

¨     Became teacher support institution=> certifications

Ø    “Unofficial piety” & pilgrimages of Muslims:

§       Informal Sufi groups were outside ulama control

·       Evolved as unofficial piety (Brotherhood)

§       Contrast of Islamic orthopraxy with Christian orthodoxy?

§       Sunni Orthopraxy=> firmly established by 1000

·       Dominant tradition (85% Muslims) over what?

§       Sunni legal schools narrowed scope for creative change

·       Stressed reliance & literal reading of Qur’an & Hadith

¨     Indicated growing social conservative trend

¨     Orthodoxy & orthopraxy joined=> reduce creativity

¨     no church to enforce above-yet (modern “Islamist”)

·       Ulama embraced growing conservative theology– why?

¨     Impact on social & political status=> status quo

Ø    Sufi Piety and Organization:

§       Brotherhood & wearers of coarse wool garments

§       Stress: simplicity & humility of the Prophet (roots)

·       Ascetic Godly life over mere dutiful observation

¨     (Any western parallels?)

§       Sufi piety tried to bridge gap between human & divine

§       Socially merged with “folk” piety=> popular practices

·       Saint veneration, shrine pilgrimage, season festivals

§       Sufi Brotherhood=> regional & international associations

Ø    Consolidation of Shi’ite Traditions (10th – 11th centuries):

§       Diverse Shi’ite groups preclude unity (different beliefs)

§       Strongest center for Shi’ite in Egypt

·       North African Fatimids

§       Two most influential Shi’ite groups:

·       Seveners (Isma’ilis)=> 1st son of 6th Iman

¨     Gnostic & Neo-platonic philosophy

¨     Often revolutionary against status quo

·       Twelvers=> most accepted by 11th century

¨     12th iman will emerge as Mahdi  “guided one”

Ø     appear out from hidden comic concealment

Ø    usher in messianic age & Day of Judgment

¨     Flourished in Iran: Safavids=>state religion/doctrine

Ø    (Also Buyids who controlled Abbasid caliphate)


 

v   Regional Developments (Timelines pp. 342 & 350)

Ø    The Islamic West: Spain and North Africa:

§       Spanish Umayyad dynasty (756-1021)

·       Height of power & civ under al-Rahman III (912-961)

·       Cordoba’s mosque-university

·       Check new rising Fatamid power in North Africa &

¨     Christian advances blocked in Northern Spain

·       Religious “exlusivism” sparks conflict

¨     Moors vs. Christians 

§       Almoravid & Almohad dynasties (1056-1275) (Map)

·       Originated the Berber religious warrior brotherhood

·        Spain launches Reconquista=> El Cid

·       Revival of Moorish culture in Spain

¨     Paper manufacturing emerged in Spain=>

¨     Transmitted to Western Europe

¨     Indian fable literature

¨     Major philosophers, thinkers, intellectuals:

Ø    Ibn Rushd (Averroes)

Ø    Ibn al-Arabi  (Maimonides) (p. 343)

¨     Moorish architecture: The Alhambra (pp. 344-345)


Ø    The Islamic West: Egypt & The Eastern Med:

§       Samanid dynasty (875-999)

§       Buyid Shi’ite dynasty (Baghdad)

§       The Fatimids (969-1171)

·       Origin of Druze (1020)

·       Defeated by Saladin in 1171

§       The Mamluk Sultanate (1250-1517)

·       Hiers of Fatimids & Saladin (Eastern Med.)

·       Syria from late 1200s

·       Claim made to Abbasid Caliphate

·       Mamluk victory at Ain Jalut halts Mongols (1260-61)

¨     Stops Mongol advance into Syria & West (Treaty)

Ø    The Islamic East: Before Mongol Conquest:

§       The Ghaznavids (modern Afghanistan) (994-1186)

·       Lahore (modern Pakistan)

§       The Saljuqs (Baghdad) (1055-1194)

·       1st major Turkish Dynasty

·       Viziership of Nizam al-Mulk – patron of Arts (1063-92)

¨     Umar Khayyam – Ruba’iyat (p. 348)

·       Ghazzali=> great theologian & scholar (d. 1111)

 

 

  

Ø    The Islamic East: The Mongol Age:

§       Mongols & Ilkhanids (Il-Khans)

·       Genghis Khan’s wrath (1162-1227)

¨     Khwarizm Shah massacres Mongol ambassadors

¨     Genghis Khan plunders Islam areas (1219-22)

·       Hulegu Khan (r. 1256-1265) conquers Baghdad (1258)

·       Hulegu & Il-Khanid successors rule Iran (1260-1335)  

§       Timurids & Turkomans

·       Timur-the Lame=> rape, plunder, & destruction

¨     Campaigns destroy Islamic East (1379-1405)

·       Tumids=>successors of Timur rule Transoxiana & Iran

¨     Few constructive evidence of Timur legacy - except:

Ø    Gur-i-mir (tomb of Timur) Samarkand (p. 350)

Ø    Shahrukh of Heart=>patron of Arts & philosophy

·       Turkomans=> compete for control of western Iran

¨     Last Sunnis to rule Iran to end of 15th century    

¨     Replaced by Safavids=> new Shi’ite era


v   The Spread of Islam Beyond the Heartlands

Ø    1000-1500=> spread of Islam => 

§       Became lasting religious, cultural, & political force

·       Expansion to new areas of political control (Map-p.351)

§        Vehicles spreading Islam?

·       Sufi Brotherhood

·       Merchants

·       Conquest 

§         Islam also spread East to India (next)