CHAPTER 12Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization
to South and Southeast Asia
World Civilizations: The Global ExperienceFifth Edition
Stearns/Adas/Schwartz/Gilbert
Copyright 2007, Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
I. The Islamic Heartlands in the Middle and Late Abbasid ErasII. An Age of Learning and Artistic RefinementsIII. The Coming of Islam to South AsiaIV. The Spread of Islam to Southeast Asia
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
I. The Islamic Heartlands in the Middle and Late Abbasid Eras
Abbasid empire weakened, 9th-13th centuriesPeasant revolts
Al-Mahdi (775-785)Shi’a unreconciledSuccession not secure
A. Imperial Extravagance and Succession Disputes
Harun al-RashidSon of al-MahdiThe Thousand and One NightsBarmicides
Persian advisorsDeath followed by civil war
Al-Ma'mun
The Abbasid Empire at Its Peak
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
I. The Islamic Heartlands in the Middle and Late Abbasid Eras
B. Imperial Breakdown and Agrarian DisorderCivil unrestCaliphs build lavishly
Tax burden increasesAgriculture suffers
The Abbasid Empire at Its Peak
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
I. The Islamic Heartlands in the Middle and Late Abbasid Eras
C. The Declining Position of Women in the Family and Society
Seclusion, veilPolygyny
D. Nomadic Incursions and the Eclipse of Caliphal Power
Former provinces threaten AbbasidsBuyids, Persia
Take Baghdad, 945Sultans
Seljuk Turks1055, defeat BuyidsSunnis
Shi'a purgesDefeat Byzantines, Egypt
E. The Impact of the Christian Crusades1096, western European Christian knights
Small kingdoms established
Saladin retakes landsLast in 1291
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
II. An Age of Learning and Artistic Refinements
Urban growthMerchants thrive
A. The Full Flowering of Persian Literature
Persian the court languageAdministration, literature
Arabic in religion, law, sciences
Calligraphy
FirdawsiShah-Nama
Epic poemSa'diOmar Kayyan
Rubaiyat
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
II. An Age of Learning and Artistic Refinements
B. Achievements in the Sciences
MathBuild on Greek work
ChemistryExperiments
Al-Razi
Al-BiruniSpecific weights
MedicineHospitalsCourses of study
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
II. An Age of Learning and Artistic Refinements
C. Religious Trends and the New Push for Expansion
Sufis
Mysticism
Ulama
Conservative
Against outside influence
Greek philosophy rejected
Qur'an sufficient
Al-Ghazali
Synthesis of Greek, Qur'anic ideas
Opposed by orthodoxy
D. New Waves of Nomadic Invasions and the End of the Caliphate
Mongols
Chinggis Khan
Hulegu
1258, Baghdad falls
Last Abbasid killed
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
III. The Coming of Islam to South AsiaBy 1200, Muslims rule much of north,
centralConflict between two different systems
Hindu religion v. Muslim monotheismMuslim egalitarianism v. Indian
caste system
A. Political Divisions and the First Muslim Invasions
First as traders, 8th centuryAttacks lead to invasion
Muhammad ibn QasimUmayyad generalTakes Sind, Indus valleysIndians treated as dhimmi
The Spread of Islam, 10th-16th Centuries
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
III. The Coming of Islam to South Asia
B. Indian Influences on Islamic CivilizationScience, math, medicine, music, astronomy
India influences Arab
C. From Booty to Empire: The Second Wave of Muslim Invasions
10th century, Turkish dynasty established in Afghanistan
Mahmud of GhazniBegins invasion of India
Muhammad of GhurPersianState in Indus valleyThence to BengalHis lieutenant, Qutb-ud-Din Aibak
forms state at DelhiDelhi sultanate rules for 300 years
D. Patterns of ConversionConverts especially among Buddhists, lower
castes, untouchablesAlso, conversion to escape taxes
Muslims fleeing Mongols, 13th, 14th centuries
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
III. The Coming of Islam to South Asia
E. Patterns of Accommodation
High-caste Hindus remain apart
Muslims also often fail to integrate
F. Islamic Challenge and Hindu Revival
Bhakti
Devotional cults
Emotional approach
Caste distinctions dissolved
Shiva, Vishnu, Kali especially
Mira Bai, Kabir,
Songs in regional languages
G. Stand-off: The Muslim Presence in India at the End of
the Sultanate Period
Brahmins v. ulama
Separate communities
Chapter 12: Abbasid Decline and the Spread of Islamic Civilization to South and Southeast Asia
Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007
IV. The Spread of Islam to Southeast Asia
Shrivijaya
A. Trading Contacts and Conversion
Trading leads to peaceful conversion
Sufis important
Starting with Sumatran ports
Malacca
Thence to Malaya, Sumatra, Demak (Java)
Coastal cities especially receptive
Buddhist elites, but population converts to Islam