The First Dynasty of Islam: the Umayyad Caliphate AD 661-750

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The First Dynasty of Islam: the Umayyad Caliphate AD 661-750 The First Dynasty of Islam The period 661–750 AD was a crucial one for the history of Islam and the Middle East. The territories conquered by the Muslims in the Middle East, north Africa and Spain were ruled from Syria by a succession of caliphs belonging to the Umayyad family, the first caliphal dynasty to emerge in the history of Islam. Under their rule the region began a process of transformation which eventually led to the emergence of Islam, both as a religion and as a culture, in its classical form. The First Dynasty of Islam provides a succinct and accessible introduction to the Umayyad period. An introductory chapter discusses the importance of the era as a whole, with further chapters examining • the Umayyad family and its rise to the Caliphate • the Sufyanids • the second civil war • ?bd al-Malik and al-Hajjaj • the development of factionalism and the problems of Islamisation • the third civil war and the caliphate of Marwan II • the overthrow of the Umayyad caliphate The first edition established itself as a balanced and approachable text for undergraduates and others interested in the early history of Islam. This second edition, with an expanded and up-to-date bibliography, will prove even more useful to its intended readership. G.R.Hawting is Senior Lecturer in the History of the Near and Middle East at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. The First Dynasty of Islam The Umayyad Caliphate AD 661–750 Second edition G.R.Hawting London and New York First published 1986 by Croom Helm Ltd Second edition published 2000 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. © 1986, 2000 G.R.Hawting All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN 0-415-24073-5 (Pbk) ISBN 0-415-24072-7 (Hbk) ISBN 0-203-13700-0 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-17692-8 (Glassbook Format) Contents Conventions vii Abbreviations ix Glossary xi Figures and Maps xiii Foreword to the Second Edition xix Preface and Acknowledgements xxi Chapter 1 Introduction: The Importance of the Umayyad Period and its Place in Islamic History 1 Islamisation 1 Arabisation 9 The Umayyads in Muslim Tradition 11 Chapter 2 The Umayyad Family and its Rise to the Caliphate 21 The Background of the Umayyads 21 Mu‘awiya’s Acquisition of the Caliphate 24 Chapter 3 The Sufyanids 34 Organisation and Administration of the Caliphate 34 Events and Personalities of the Sufyanid Period 40 Chapter 4 The Second Civil War 46 Chapter 5 ‘Abd al-Malik and al-Hajjaj 58 Changes in Government and Administration 61 Al-Hajjaj in Iraq 66 Chapter 6 The Development of Factionalism and the Problems of Islamisation 72 The Family of al-Muhallab and the Development of Factionalism 73 ‘Umar II and the Mawali 76 Hisham and Khalid al-Qasri 81 vi Contents Chapter 7 The Third Civil War and the Caliphate of Marwan II 90 Walid II 90 Yazid III 94 Marwan II 96 Chapter 8 The Overthrow of the Umayyad Caliphate 104 The Muslims of Khurasan 105 The Army 107 The ‘Abbasids and the Hashimiyya 109 The Umayyad Collapse 115 Appendix 1 A Note on the Sources 120 Appendix 2 Modern Developments in the Study of and Attitudes to Umayyad History 123 Bibliographical Postscript to the Second Edition 129 Bibliography 139 Index 145 Conventions Dates Unless there is a particular reason for providing the Islamic, hijri date, all dates are AD. References In the notes to the text, given at the end of each chapter, references are usually to the name of the author or editor and a short form of the title of the work. Full titles, together with date and place of publication, are provided in the bibliography. See the list of abbreviations for the titles of journals, etc. Transliteration A full scholarly transliteration is not provided in the text but the bibliography and index are translit-erated. The bibliography reproduces the various methods of transliteration used by the authors cited. My transliteration follows the system of the Encyclopaedia of Islam, with the few modifications customary in works in English. On the whole, readers without any Arabic will safely ignore the transliteration symbols, but may wish to note the following: ‘ = the Arabic letter ‘ayn, a guttural sound produced by constricting the larynx; ’ = the hamza, a glottal stop like the tt in the Cockney pronunciation of butter; vowels are short unless they have a macron (¯) over them; ibn (abbreviated to b. in the middle of a name) = ‘son of’; B. (abbreviation of Banu) = ‘descendants of’, ‘family of’, ‘clan of’, ‘tribe of’, as appropriate. vii Abbreviations AIEOr. Annales de l’Institut des Études Orientales AIUON Annali, Istituto Universitario Orientate di Napoli AJSL American Journal for Semitic Languages and Literatures BSOAS Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies BZ Byzantinische Zeitschrift CMedH Cambridge Mediaeval History EI1 Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1st edition EI2 Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition GS I.Goldziher, Gesammelte Schriften IC Islamic Culture IJMES International Journal of Middle East Studies IOS Israel Oriental Studies IQ Islamic Quarterly Isl. Der Islam JA Journal Asiatique JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society JESHO Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient JRAS Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society JSAI Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam JSS Journal of Semitic Studies MW Muslim World PPHS Proceedings of the Pakistan Historical Society ix x Abbreviations Rend. Linc. Rendiconti dell Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche RH Revue Historique RHR Revue de l’Histoire des Religions RO Rocznik orientalistyczny RSO Rivista degli studi orientali SI Studia Islamica WI Die Welt des Islams ZA Zeitschrift für Assyriologie ZDMG Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenländischen Gesellschaft Glossary* amir ‘commander’; an army leader and/or governor of a province amir al-mu’minin ‘Commander of the Believers’; a title of the caliph ashraf leading members of the leading families among the Arab tribesmen barid the system of communications between the provinces and the caliphal court bay‘a the pledge of allegiance given to a caliph, heir apparent, or contender for power dar al-islam the regions under Muslim government in contrast to the dar al-harb (‘house of war’) da‘wa ‘call’, ‘propaganda’; the movement which prepared the way for the ‘Abbasid takeover of the caliphate dinar the gold coin dirham the silver coin diwan the register of individuals entitled to pay or pension from the government; a government department fils the copper coin fiqh the theory of Islamic law (not the law itself, the shari‘a) fitna conflict within the Muslim community, especially that between ‘Ali and Mu‘awiya hajj the pilgrimage to Mecca in the month of Dhu’l- Hijja xi xii Glossary imam a) the supreme head of the Muslims, particularly used in this sense by the Shi‘ites b) a prayer leader in a mosque c) an honorific title applied to a religious scholar jizya a tax, in the classical system a poll tax (tax on individual persons) jund ‘army’; a military district khalifa ‘deputy’; the caliph kharaj a tax, in the classical system a land tax khutba a speech; in the early period any speech of importance delivered by a figure of authority, especially the caliph or governor; eventually developing into the sermon delivered at the mid- day prayer service in the mosque on Fridays majus ‘Magian’; in the strict sense Zoroastrians but used more widely for followers of religions other than Judaism or Christianity to whom the Muslims wished to grant some toleration mawla ‘client’; a non-Arab who has accepted Islam; a follower of an important individual salat the ritual, five times daily, prayer service of Islam shurta a small force used by the governor or other authority to keep order sunna ‘accepted usage or practice’; eventually identified with the Sunna of the Prophet, the usage of Muhammad which Sunni Islam accepted as being, together with the Koran, the main source of authority for its law ‘ulama’ the religious scholars of Islam wali’l-‘ahd the heir apparent * The meanings given are those usually applicable in this book. In other contexts the words may have other meanings. Figure 1: The ‘Northerners’ Figure 2: The ‘Southerners’ Figure 3: The Umayyads Figure 4: The Other Descendants of ‘Abd Manaf Foreword to the Second Edition In spite of some significant developments in our understanding of aspects of the history of the Umayyad caliphate in the fifteen years or so since this book was first published, readily accessible introductions to the period for undergraduates and interested non- specialists remain few. This book was generally well received by reviewers and has proved useful for its intended readership. Since it has been out of print for some time and in any case was available only as a (rather expensive) hardback, it has now been decided to reissue it in paperback. The opportunity has been taken to correct a few errors (for pointing out which I am grateful to reviewers) and to add a postscript surveying some of the important work relevant to the Umayyad caliphate which has appeared since the first edition in 1986.
Recommended publications
  • ACOR Newsletter Vol. 12.2
    ACOR Newsletter ^i ^ Vol. 12.2—Winter 2000 Qastal, 1998-2001 On a cold afternoon in early February 2000, Ra'ed Abu Ghazi, a management trainee for the Qastal Erin Addison Conservation and Development Project (QCDP), was walking home from the Umayyad qasr and mosque complex at Qastal (map, p. 9). In the lot between the ancient reservoir and his home, he stopped to speak to some neighbor children playing a game. Then a teapot overturned and the late afternoon sun re- flected off a blue-green, glassy surface. Ra'ed knelt to get a closer look and brushed gently at the loose earth. The area had recently been bulldozed, so the dirt was loose and only about five centimeters deep. As he washed the surface with tea water, a pattern of bril- liant glass tesserae was revealed. Ra'ed had made an exciting discovery at Qastal: a large structure from the late Umayyad period (A.D. 661-750), floored with what experts have called some of the most exquisite mosaics in Jordan (Figs. 1-3). The new structure is only the most recent development in two-and-a-half fascinating years at Qastal. Qastal al-Balqa' is men- tioned in the Diwan of Kuthayyir 'Azza (d. A.H. 105=A.o. 723): "God bless the houses of those living between Muwaqqar and Qastal al-Balqa', where the mihrabs are." Al- though there remain com- plex questions about this reference to "mihrabs" (maharib—apparently plural), the quote at least tells us that Qastal was well enough known to have served as a geo- graphical reference point before A.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Legacies of Colonialism and Islam for Hausa Women: an Historical Analysis, 1804-1960
    Legacies of Colonialism and Islam for Hausa Women: An Historical Analysis, 1804-1960 by Kari Bergstrom Michigan State University Winner of the Rita S. Gallin Award for the Best Graduate Student Paper in Women and International Development Working Paper #276 October 2002 Abstract This paper looks at the effects of Islamization and colonialism on women in Hausaland. Beginning with the jihad and subsequent Islamic government of ‘dan Fodio, I examine the changes impacting Hausa women in and outside of the Caliphate he established. Women inside of the Caliphate were increasingly pushed out of public life and relegated to the domestic space. Islamic law was widely established, and large-scale slave production became key to the economy of the Caliphate. In contrast, Hausa women outside of the Caliphate were better able to maintain historical positions of authority in political and religious realms. As the French and British colonized Hausaland, the partition they made corresponded roughly with those Hausas inside and outside of the Caliphate. The British colonized the Caliphate through a system of indirect rule, which reinforced many of the Caliphate’s ways of governance. The British did, however, abolish slavery and impose a new legal system, both of which had significant effects on Hausa women in Nigeria. The French colonized the northern Hausa kingdoms, which had resisted the Caliphate’s rule. Through patriarchal French colonial policies, Hausa women in Niger found they could no longer exercise the political and religious authority that they historically had held. The literature on Hausa women in Niger is considerably less well developed than it is for Hausa women in Nigeria.
    [Show full text]
  • New “System” of Presentation of Umayyad Desert Castles in Jordan
    Sub-theme C: Conserving and managing intangible heritage - methods Sous-thème C : Conservation et gestion du patrimoine immatériel - méthodes ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Section C2: Transmission, interpretation and tourism Session C2: Transmission, interprétation et tourisme ________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEW “SYSTEM” OF PRESENTATION OF UMAYYAD DESERT CASTLES IN JORDAN. INTEGRAL MUSEUM OF UMAYYAD CIVILIZATION Jamal ILAYAN*, Jordanie / Jordan INTRODUCTION Ancient civilizations erected structures outside the cities for different purposes. For example, in Syria These ancient castles were built as travel stations along Persians, Romans and their Arabic allies3 (Lakhmed in the road between the Umayyad capital, Damascus, in Iraq and Ghassanid in Syria) built agricultural houses4, Syria and the other district cities in Iraq and Arabia. The Khans, castles and control towers. Babylonians built interpretation of these castles will be based on the first Khan in Mesopotamia in the second century, understanding the reasons for their foundation, their with a square plan and a central portico. This typology typology, function, structure and the relationships influenced the general plan of Umayyad castles. We between them. At present these castles need a new system can identify the Byzantine influence in the technical for their presentation that reflects their present condition structure and in the adaptation of the typology (way while preserving and respecting their values and in which the space was used) of single apartments in significance. The new system offers to the public a clear the Umayyad castles. view of the integral aspects of the Umayyad civilization, which will help in the development of the program II. Interpretation of the system of ancient “Museum with No Frontiers” (MWNF)1.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Lo Ndo N Soas the Umayyad Caliphate 65-86
    UNIVERSITY OF LONDON SOAS THE UMAYYAD CALIPHATE 65-86/684-705 (A POLITICAL STUDY) by f Abd Al-Ameer 1 Abd Dixon Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philoso] August 1969 ProQuest Number: 10731674 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10731674 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 2. ABSTRACT This thesis is a political study of the Umayyad Caliphate during the reign of f Abd a I -M a lik ibn Marwan, 6 5 -8 6 /6 8 4 -7 0 5 . The first chapter deals with the po litical, social and religious background of ‘ Abd al-M alik, and relates this to his later policy on becoming caliph. Chapter II is devoted to the ‘ Alid opposition of the period, i.e . the revolt of al-Mukhtar ibn Abi ‘ Ubaid al-Thaqafi, and its nature, causes and consequences. The ‘ Asabiyya(tribal feuds), a dominant phenomenon of the Umayyad period, is examined in the third chapter. An attempt is made to throw light on its causes, and on the policies adopted by ‘ Abd al-M alik to contain it.
    [Show full text]
  • INFORMATION to USERS the Most Advanced Technology Has Been Used to Photo­ Graph and Reproduce This Manuscript from the Microfilm Master
    INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photo­ graph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the original text directly from the copy submitted. Thus, some dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from a computer printer. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyrighted material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are re­ produced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each oversize page is available as one exposure on a standard 35 mm slide or as a 17" x 23" black and white photographic print for an additional charge. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. 35 mm slides or 6" X 9" black and w h itephotographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. Accessing the World'sUMI Information since 1938 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA Order Number 8824569 The architecture of Firuz Shah Tughluq McKibben, William Jeffrey, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1988 Copyright ©1988 by McKibben, William Jeflfrey. All rights reserved. UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy.
    [Show full text]
  • This Document Consists of 8 Printed Pages. [Turn Over Cambridge
    Cambridge International Examinations Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education ISLAMIYAT 0493/21 Paper 2 May/June 2017 MARK SCHEME Maximum Mark: 50 Published This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have considered the acceptability of alternative answers. Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for Teachers. Cambridge will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes. Cambridge is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2017 series for most Cambridge IGCSE®, Cambridge International A and AS Level and Cambridge Pre-U components, and some Cambridge O Level components. ® IGCSE is a registered trademark. This document consists of 8 printed pages. © UCLES 2017 [Turn over 0493/21 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2017 PUBLISHED Question Answer Marks 1 Choose any two of the following Hadiths, and: 1(a) describe their teaching about what Muslims believe; 4 1(a)(i) The central teaching of this prophetic Hadith focusses on being sincere to Islam and its teachings by whole heartedly believing in the supremacy and oneness of God and the finality of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It goes on to emphasise how Muslims should follow the teachings of Islam by understanding the Qur’an and sincerely practising the Pillars of Islam. It also stresses that Muslims should be sensitive to the needs of others and should always work to better the society by being loyal members of the community.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit 15 Islamic Society: Rise and Spread of Sects
    The Rise andRoman Expansion Empire: of UNIT 15 ISLAMIC SOCIETY: RISE AND Political SystemIslam* SPREAD OF SECTS* Structure 15.0 Objectives 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Arabian Peninsula on the Eve of Islam 15.2.1 Jahaliya: Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance? 15.2.2 Arabs Between the Great Empires 15.2.3 Southern Arabian Peninsula 15.3 Islam in Arabia and Muhammad: Early Islamic Society 15.3.1 Migration to Medina in 622 CE 15.3.2 Conquest of Mecca 15.4 Islamic Caliphate and Dissension in the Islamic World 15.5 The Ummayads: Kharijites and Shia 15.5.1 Who were the Kharijites? 15.5.2 Rise of Shia Islamic Sects 15.6 The Abbasid Caliphate: Mu’tazila and Asharite 15.7 Islamic Sufi Orders 15.7.1 Rise of Sufi Movement 15.7.2 Spread of Sufi Tariqa 15.8 Summary 15.9 Keywords 15.10 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises 15.11 Suggested Readings 15.12 Instructional Video Recommendations 15.0 OBJECTIVES In this Unit, we are going to study the rise and expansion of Islam and its various sects. Islam, as we know, emerged in Arabia but later spread to the three continents – Asia, Europe and Africa. After studying this unit, you should be able to: z understand the social and political circumstances in the Arabian Peninsula on the eve of the rise of Islam, z know the early conflicts which led to the establishment of Islam, z analyse about the formation of first Islamic State (Caliphate) in Medina and its consequences on the world history, z discuss the rise of Ummayad and Abbasid Caliphates, and z comprehend the roots and growth of dissent groups in Islam – Kharijites, Shia and Sunni, and Sufism.
    [Show full text]
  • Proquest Dissertations
    The history of the conquest of Egypt, being a partial translation of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's "Futuh Misr" and an analysis of this translation Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Hilloowala, Yasmin, 1969- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 21:08:06 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/282810 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly fi-om the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectiotiing the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book.
    [Show full text]
  • Downloaded from Brill.Com09/27/2021 02:39:24PM Via Free Access FURTHER READING 561
    Appendix 3 Further Reading Since the completion of Etan Kohlberg’s D.Phil. dissertation in 1971 there has been a marked increase in the number of studies devoted to subjects discussed there. This ap- pendix, jointly prepared by the author and the editor, lists some of these studies; oth- ers may have been inadvertently omitted. The material is arranged in two sections, in conformity with the main themes of the dissertation chapters included in this volume. The first section contains studies on the Companions, with a particular focus on their role during the fitna and the effects of the fitna on Sunni and Shiʿi theology and politi- cal thought; this section also includes a limited number of titles on concepts associ- ated with the Companions such as the prophetic tradition (sunna) and the doctrine of consensus (ijmāʿ). Studies listed in the second section deal with the doctrine of the imamate in Imāmī Shiʿism until the end of the Buwayhid period. Five of the selected titles (numbers 38–40, 47, 54) are translations of Arabic primary texts. Several of the titles mentioned here also appear in the Bibliography. §1. The Companions 1. Abd-Allah Wymann-Landgraf, U. F. Mālik and Medina: Islamic Legal Reasoning in the Formative Period. Leiden, 2013. * The views of Mālik b. Anas (d. 179/795) on the prophetic tradition, hadith and consensus are discussed on pp. 94–137. 2. Afsaruddin, A. Excellence and Precedence: Medieval Islamic Discourse on Legiti- mate Leadership. Leiden, 2002. * Chapter 4 presents the Sunni-Shiʿi debate on the merits of the Compan- ions versus the Prophet’s family, based primarily on al-Jāḥiẓ’s (d.
    [Show full text]
  • Non-Muslim Integration Into the Early Islamic Caliphate Through the Use of Surrender Agreements
    University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK History Undergraduate Honors Theses History 5-2020 Non-Muslim Integration Into the Early Islamic Caliphate Through the Use of Surrender Agreements Rachel Hutchings Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/histuht Part of the History of Religion Commons, Islamic World and Near East History Commons, and the Medieval History Commons Citation Hutchings, R. (2020). Non-Muslim Integration Into the Early Islamic Caliphate Through the Use of Surrender Agreements. History Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/histuht/6 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the History at ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Undergraduate Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Non-Muslim Integration Into the Early Islamic Caliphate Through the Use of Surrender Agreements An Honors Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of Honors Studies in History By Rachel Hutchings Spring 2020 History J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences The University of Arkansas 1 Acknowledgments: For my family and the University of Arkansas Honors College 2 Table of Content Introduction…………………………………….………………………………...3 Historiography……………………………………….…………………………...6 Surrender Agreements…………………………………….…………….………10 The Evolution of Surrender Agreements………………………………….…….29 Conclusion……………………………………………………….….….…...…..35 Bibliography…………………………………………………………...………..40 3 Introduction Beginning with Muhammad’s forceful consolidation of Arabia in 631 CE, the Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates completed a series of conquests that would later become a hallmark of the early Islamic empire. Following the Prophet’s death, the Rashidun Caliphate (632-661) engulfed the Levant in the north, North Africa from Egypt to Tunisia in the west, and the Iranian plateau in the east.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Apologetics and the Gradual Restriction of Dhimmi Social Religious Liberties from the Arab-Muslim Conquests to the Abbasid Era Michael J
    Eastern Michigan University DigitalCommons@EMU Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations, and Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations Graduate Capstone Projects 2017 Shifting landscapes: Christian apologetics and the gradual restriction of dhimmi social religious liberties from the Arab-Muslim conquests to the Abbasid era Michael J. Rozek Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.emich.edu/theses Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Rozek, Michael J., "Shifting landscapes: Christian apologetics and the gradual restriction of dhimmi social religious liberties from the Arab-Muslim conquests to the Abbasid era" (2017). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 863. http://commons.emich.edu/theses/863 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations, and Graduate Capstone Projects at DigitalCommons@EMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@EMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Shifting Landscapes: Christian Apologetics and the Gradual Restriction of Dhimmī Social-Religious Liberties from the Arab-Muslim Conquests to the Abbasid Era by Michael J. Rozek Thesis Submitted to the Department of History Eastern Michigan University in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER of History in History Thesis Committee: Philip C. Schmitz, Ph.D, Chair John L. Knight, Ph.D April 21, 2017 Ypsilanti, Michigan Abstract This historical research study explores the changes of conquered Christians’ social-religious liberties from the first interactions between Christians and Arab-Muslims during the conquests c. A.D. 630 through the the ‘Abbasid era c.
    [Show full text]
  • The Power of Truth: QUESTIONS for AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI (PART I)
    THE POWER OF TRUTH: * QUESTIONS FOR AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI JARRET BRACHMAN, BRIAN FISHMAN, JOSEPH FELTER ** 21 APRIL 2008 The views expressed in this report are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Military Academy, the Department of Defense and the U.S. Government. Combating Terrorism Center United States Military Academy West Point, NY WEB: http://ctc.usma.edu EMAIL: [email protected] * On 19 September 2007, As-Sahab Media, Al-Qa’ida’s official media outlet, released one of its most sophisticated video productions entitled, “The Power of Truth.” Over the course of its one hour and twenty minute duration, the film wove together a variety of primary source clips featuring Western counterterrorism analysts, observers and policymakers discussing the resilience of al-Qa’ida and America’s troubles in Iraq. The video illustrated one of the media strategies al-Qa’ida believes is most effective— condemning one’s opponents by using their own words against them. The CTC has consistently tries to use al-Qa’ida’s writing and statements (and was credited for doing by Zawahiri himself in his latest book, Exoneration) to understand the movement, its strengths, and weaknesses. We decided to use al-Qa’ida’s title, “The Power of Truth” because this paper, in essence, turns the mirror back on Zawahiri, showing the selectivity and discrepancies in Part I of his response. ** Dr. Jarret Brachman is the Director of Research at the Combating Terrorism Center; Mr. Brian Fishman is a Senior Associate at the Combating Terrorism Center; Dr.
    [Show full text]