MENA 160A1 1st Edition Lecture 2 Outline of Last Lecture I. Defining what Islam is and Being able to identify different MuslimsII. World view of the Islamic worldA. Major divisions B. Population of MuslimsIII. Representation of Islam in the Western popular cultureIV. Various categories of representationA. Islam-violence, suppression of women, and tyrannical rulersB. The geographic representationOutline of Current Lecture V. Introduction to the geographic environment where Islam was born.VI. Discussion of the social, cultural, political, and economic characteristics of pre-Islamic Arabia.VII. Understanding pre-Islamic Arabia in the context of the general Near East & Middle East.Current LectureSome of Arabs Allies:- Ghassanids a. Pro-Byzantine, Monophysite Christians- Lakhmids: Capital at Hira, in Iraqa. Pro-Sasanid, Nestorian ChristianProxy wars fought between Rome and Persians via these groupsEventually, Rome and Persia break ties and punish their old allies-- Constantine (280-337)a. Creates Eastern Roman Capitalb. Tolerates Christianity c. Mother, Helena, builds churches in the Holy Land- Western Roman Empire falls in 476- Eastern Roman Empire thrives- Justinian (527-65) a. Imperial restorationb. Orthodox ChristianitySome notes from the video clip:- Islamic Arabs worshipped a number of spirits; generally natured oriented- They lived in Kabba and in Arabic, it means “cube”a. The Kabba in Mecca was one of the sanctuaries centered around a number of deitiesb. Kabba provided a rare pace of peacec. It made Mecca a vibrant center for trade- At the trade center, it provided Arabian incense, exotic perfumes, Indian spices, Chinese silk, etca. The greatest treasure was the rich mixture of culturesb. Muhammad started doing trade and was very good at settling disputes among othersThe Mecca System:- Arabian Peninsula hosted two categories of native populations: a. Nomadic Arabs or Bedouinb. Settled Arab agriculturists.- South and North Arabia were experiencing a period of decline.- A shift in power and influence away from sedentary communities and toward dominant nomadic tribes. - House of the holiest site (i.e. ka’ba)- Domestication of the camel along with cultivation of the date palm provided the transportation and nourishment for travelTwo huge deserts fill almost a huge section of ArabiaSouthern Arabia was better integrated economically and politically with surrounding civilizations such as, Abyssinia, Rome and Persiaa. Played a small role in Arabs rise of IslamAncient Arab institutions:- Clan and the tribe were the focus of the Bedouin’s ultimate loyalty.a. It is important to be a member of a tribe to be protected against hostile outsiders and harsh elements: raiding (ghazw) as a form of survival in a harshdesert environment. b. Clan: divided into many nuclear families. Each family inhabited a different tent.c. “Qabila”= tribe; “Gawn”= clan; “Assabiya”= social solidarity- There were four types of institutions:1. Economic institutions-Arabs engaged in peaceful economic relations with other tribes: weekly markets (suq) such as annual fair of ‘Ukaz near Mecca.-Market days become periods of truce.-Arabs lived at the margins of an important economic international trade networks: camel caravan from Yemen to Fertile Crescent.2. Political Institutions-Tribal autonomy.-Tribes can form alliance through confederations.-Internal dynamics: a form of “tribal democracy”: council or majlis composed of elected tribal elders who elect a spokesman or shaykh.-‘urf/ customary law: legal guidance in matters of inheritance, divorce, orphanage, etc. 3. Cultural Institutions- Poetry: mu’alaqat (suspended ones) during the annual fair of ‘Ukaz near Mecca.-Skill and eloquence in poetry was a Bedouin ideal.-Poets were very well respected in the community. 4. Religious Institutions- Paganism and worship of idols housed in the Ka‘ba. (Al-Lat, Man’at, Uzza).-Belief in supernatural forces.-Higher status for soothsayer (kahin) and poets who were sometimes seen as having spiritual insight.-Hanifs = Arabian monotheism-No religious wars were fought in north Arabia; although such wars were fought between Jews and Christians in southern Arabia (Dhu Nuwas converted to Judaism)-Sacred Time and Sacred Space necessary for pilgrimage, killing prohibited (haram)-Paganism =worshiping idols housed in ka’ba Arab values: generosity; hospitality; honor, retaliation:- Harsh conditions and few resources in desert created survival traits known as the Code of Honor: 1. Muruwwa = bravery in battle2. patience in misfortune3. persistence in revenge4. protection of the weak 5. defiance towards the strong 6. hospitality to the visitor ; even someone you do not even know7. generosity to the poor8. loyalty to the tribe9. Fidelity in keeping promises. Family Solidarity and Organization:- No concept of law in political-juridical sense. - No authority to legislate or enforce universal rules beyond kinship (blood relative) group- Notion of universal justice or abstract legal principles was absent- Protection under family and extended kinship relations- Raiding (al-ghazw) practiced against outsiders as an important means of gaining or redistributing resources- Raiding practiced during certain periods of the year, “rules of engagement” honored - Retaliation or retribution when blood was spilled- The system of mutual revenge (qisas), as a preventive to reckless killing- The system of diya (paying a financial compensation for death and injury) evolved as a less honorable substitution- “Fighting” a natural part of Bedouin (pastoral nomads) lifea. A pastoral life meant that you lived off and produced herds of : -milk, meat, bones, and hides, along with whatever could be made with these itemsIndividual terms with blood relatives:- Your first loyalties are with your closest relatives; family comes first- Feeling of Tribalism = to be aware of one’s close relationship to the “other” to determine quality of interaction and mutual responsibility- Solidarity = protect one’s tribal members from constant threat of predatory raids from outsiders. Religious Life:- There were Christians within Arabia; they were small in numbers and there was no church based in Arabia.- Jews had a large presence in Arabia. Many Jewish tribes (Banu Nadir, Banu Qaynuqa’, Banu Qurayza) (Banu Awf, Banu Harith, Banu Jusham, Banu Najjar, Banu