Richard+C+Foltz+article+on+Trade+and+the+Rise+of+Islam

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=Richard C. Foltz: The Islamization of the Silk Road=

I. Islam favored trade a. Muhammad was a trader b. Muhammad’s revelation was legitimated by the belief of his trader wife Kadija c. Mecca was a trading town i. Revelations on social injustice (social class) d. Yathrib (Medina) i. Migration (hijra) begins the Islamic calendar ii. Yathrib raided Mecca’s caravans 1. by 628 Mecca was controlled by Muslims II. Muhammad became a negotiator of trade/non-aggression pacts a. Loyalty is called submission (Islam), & is often interpreted as meaning they had all become Muslims b. Foltz defines “submission” in a more literal way, which explains the 632 rebellion of the Arabic tribes (non-agression pacts ended with the death of Muhammad, and a return to raiding culture) i. This problem was solved by the election of a Caliph ii. This unity caused the need for raiding outside Arabia, giving impetus to expansion. III. Economic aspect of Muslim expansion a. Not as religiously motivated as has been thought. i. Just doing what they were acculturated to do (raiding for economic gain) (the Umma gives Arabs a greater tribe) ii. The subjects of the great empires of the time were poorly treated, so Arab conquerors were initially welcomed. IV. Muslim Caliphate a. By 660, Umayyads were much like the exploitative Byzantine or Sassanid kings. b. Muslims & non-Muslims were both unhappy c. Non-Arab converted Muslims changed things forever. V. Changed Islam a. Initially Arabs saw Islam as their own religion i. Evidence: “the religion of the Arabs,” (al din al-‘arab) ii. Evidence: Quran spread Muslim rule, not necessarily Islam b. Once conquered, reasons existed not to extend the faith i. Conversion affected sources of income & wealth distribution ii. Non-muslims had good reasons to want to join the ruling group, as symbolized by adopting their faith 1. by the early 700’s, non-Arabs outnumbered Arabs c. Factionalism i. Based on time of conversion ii. Based on wealth iii. Based on tribal associations iv. Power-bases & Garrison towns, personal armies v. All contributes to difficulty and dissatisfaction of majority non-Arab Muslims vi. Iran 1. Margins of Umayyad rule 2. Dissatisfaction with Umayyads 3. Shi-at Ali VI. Abbasid Revolution 749-751 VII. Islam & Trade in Eastern Lands a. Islamization of Central Asia at multiple levels i. Spread of political power (spread of rule does not equal spread of faith) 1. Control of Silk Road by mid 8th century = control of trade 2. “convert or die” largely a myth 3. pursuit of patronage ii. Muslim domination of Commercial Activity 1. Conversion thus facilitates business deals 2. Means that initially Islam’s dominance was urban iii. Assimilation b. 2nd Generation of converts had most impact c. Rural people were less affected d. A Shayk’s personal interpretation of faith shaped people’s understanding (lack of reading and lack of Qur’an, lack of specific systematized interpretive roadmap)

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