Islam Abbassid Caliphate 750-1258
Islam Abbassid Caliphate 750-1258, schism and concepts sunnis/shi'ites
Dynasty started in 750, following the 747 revolt in Persia against moral corruption of Ummayyad dynasty. Caliphs descends from Prophets family, by Prophet's Uncle Abbas. Center of gravity of political Islam moved from Syria to Bagdad.
Ideology of shi'ism - originally, abbsassid dynasty is about unity of all muslims, of all origins, around one state (al-dawla : the state)
Aimed at restauring the ideal muslim community and order associated to Prophet Muhammed.
It aimed to include all the existing members as equals (arabs or non-arabs), concept of Mawali - non-arab muslim converts
Most Mawali from persian origin. Abbassid caliphs expressed there willingness to establish a social system that respects the rights of all on the basis of faith.
Struggles surrounding definition of what is a muslim, up to 780 ac
750-850: one central adminstrative authority
during this, Islam had showed great progresses in many spheres of humanity, in evolution of practices and blablabla...
- Military power of state shifted from arab to turks and to some extent, persians.
- Religious institutions and offices by arabs, administrative offices hold by persians (during Abbassids dynasty)
- Effective political power again shifted gradually from Caliphs to local emirs (governors), until caliphs had only nominal authority. The institution nevertheless lasted until mongol invasions.
In reinforcing and consolidating muslim identity, contributing factors are:
(in the sunni concept)
- the collection of the hadith materials - from the teachings of the Prophet, collected and classsified and made available to the faithfuls (canonisation of writtings), played a role in substantiating the muslim identity
- emergence of an elite group, the Ulema, or scholars & jurist, as religious authorities coming to foreground and emphasis of qu'ran and hadith as a way to remain a true muslim. there was ulemas before, but in abbassid dynasty, they gain importance and are the ultimate authorithy in interpreting the qu'ran, not the caliph.
- language written and spoken in government and religious realms is arab, litterature and poetry is persian. Non-arab converts brings something into muslim community, enriches community.
Sunni
accepts separation of political and religious powers
Caliph is political leader, delegates religious task to Ulemas.
Caliph is the ultimate "defender" of the faith.
Ulemas decisions are revokable, but only by a council of ulemas
Shi'ites
orthodox: "Ali followers"
powers are inseparables: concept of Imam
Imamates: Word of Imam carries a weight and is almost as binding as writtings, decisions are not challengable
Example of conflicts within Sunni ideology during Abbassid Caliphate:
in certain periods of time, superceeding authorities of law-givers over others became a problem of state and confusions followed. During the Abbassid Caliphate, 3 successive Caliphs imposed one form of religious dogmas: Mu'tazilites dogma, upon scholastic issue of Qu'ran as created or uncreated. They took the former stand and imposed it as state doctrine and repressed opponents (inquisition-like).
This illustrates situations of theological interpretations by political authorities with political consequences. Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, founder of a legal school (hanbalism), is put to jail, trialed, and becomes a symbol of "resistance". Point is, within sunni belief there existed conflicts. This doctrine (creation of Qu'ran) lasted 3 decades, after which it was reversed completely, strict interpretation of law became state policy, persecutors became persecuted. Islam and islamic law should be the center of political and social life. Names of caliphs shows importance of justifying there positions in terms of religious foundation of power: "al-mansur": "the one made victorious by god";
"al-mahdi".
Shi'ites
In Shi'a Islam, no real oppenness to other communities, which had to hide their identities... Founding the Imamate institution, and of own hadith collection, in reaction to sunnism
Hadith: collection of everything that is related to Mohammed. Shi'ites only collected Hadith materials transmitted by members of prophets tribe, all other reports being eliminated.
Branches of Shi'ites
The Seveners
Ja'far al-Sadiq, important player in determining Shi'a ideology.
He's the Sixth Imam. dies 765. around central question of leadership of muslims, still unresolved today, Ja'far will start the following dogma: Imam should be named by predeccessor: designation of sucessor by predecessor, from line of Imams connecting all the way back to prophet muhammed through Ali. Each imam numbered. Ja'far son was Ismail, eldest son. Also had another son, youngest, Musa. Traditionally, Imam would name is eldest son, but story wants that Ismail was wether drunk or dead at time of naming successor, and Ja'far named Musa.
A minority group of dissident wanted Ismail to be Imam instead of the Musa. This "dissident" group still existing today, the Ismailites, or the Seveners Shi'as (Ismailiyya).
The Twelvers
The 11th Imam (Hasan), has no sons. He named a successor, but this one disappearred! Followers of this branch believes that he was elevated directly to heaven. He is reffered to as "Muhammad", the "waited for Imam", or "hidden Imam". Story wants that he'll come out at end of time with Jesus and establish justice. He's the 12th Imam. A Majority of Shi'a Islam still holds to that belief. Shia's did not displayed their beliefs and identity before 8th century, by fear of repression under Abbassids dynasty.
Divison exists between believers of seveners & twelvers. Primarily a political distinction within dogma of shi'ism.
Most of Central Asia, Iran, but also large part of arab world is shi'a.
Dynasty started in 750, following the 747 revolt in Persia against moral corruption of Ummayyad dynasty. Caliphs descends from Prophets family, by Prophet's Uncle Abbas. Center of gravity of political Islam moved from Syria to Bagdad.
Ideology of shi'ism - originally, abbsassid dynasty is about unity of all muslims, of all origins, around one state (al-dawla : the state)
Aimed at restauring the ideal muslim community and order associated to Prophet Muhammed.
It aimed to include all the existing members as equals (arabs or non-arabs), concept of Mawali - non-arab muslim converts
Most Mawali from persian origin. Abbassid caliphs expressed there willingness to establish a social system that respects the rights of all on the basis of faith.
Struggles surrounding definition of what is a muslim, up to 780 ac
750-850: one central adminstrative authority
during this, Islam had showed great progresses in many spheres of humanity, in evolution of practices and blablabla...
- Military power of state shifted from arab to turks and to some extent, persians.
- Religious institutions and offices by arabs, administrative offices hold by persians (during Abbassids dynasty)
- Effective political power again shifted gradually from Caliphs to local emirs (governors), until caliphs had only nominal authority. The institution nevertheless lasted until mongol invasions.
In reinforcing and consolidating muslim identity, contributing factors are:
(in the sunni concept)
- the collection of the hadith materials - from the teachings of the Prophet, collected and classsified and made available to the faithfuls (canonisation of writtings), played a role in substantiating the muslim identity
- emergence of an elite group, the Ulema, or scholars & jurist, as religious authorities coming to foreground and emphasis of qu'ran and hadith as a way to remain a true muslim. there was ulemas before, but in abbassid dynasty, they gain importance and are the ultimate authorithy in interpreting the qu'ran, not the caliph.
- language written and spoken in government and religious realms is arab, litterature and poetry is persian. Non-arab converts brings something into muslim community, enriches community.
Sunni
accepts separation of political and religious powers
Caliph is political leader, delegates religious task to Ulemas.
Caliph is the ultimate "defender" of the faith.
Ulemas decisions are revokable, but only by a council of ulemas
Shi'ites
orthodox: "Ali followers"
powers are inseparables: concept of Imam
Imamates: Word of Imam carries a weight and is almost as binding as writtings, decisions are not challengable
Example of conflicts within Sunni ideology during Abbassid Caliphate:
in certain periods of time, superceeding authorities of law-givers over others became a problem of state and confusions followed. During the Abbassid Caliphate, 3 successive Caliphs imposed one form of religious dogmas: Mu'tazilites dogma, upon scholastic issue of Qu'ran as created or uncreated. They took the former stand and imposed it as state doctrine and repressed opponents (inquisition-like).
This illustrates situations of theological interpretations by political authorities with political consequences. Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, founder of a legal school (hanbalism), is put to jail, trialed, and becomes a symbol of "resistance". Point is, within sunni belief there existed conflicts. This doctrine (creation of Qu'ran) lasted 3 decades, after which it was reversed completely, strict interpretation of law became state policy, persecutors became persecuted. Islam and islamic law should be the center of political and social life. Names of caliphs shows importance of justifying there positions in terms of religious foundation of power: "al-mansur": "the one made victorious by god";
"al-mahdi".
Shi'ites
In Shi'a Islam, no real oppenness to other communities, which had to hide their identities... Founding the Imamate institution, and of own hadith collection, in reaction to sunnism
Hadith: collection of everything that is related to Mohammed. Shi'ites only collected Hadith materials transmitted by members of prophets tribe, all other reports being eliminated.
Branches of Shi'ites
The Seveners
Ja'far al-Sadiq, important player in determining Shi'a ideology.
He's the Sixth Imam. dies 765. around central question of leadership of muslims, still unresolved today, Ja'far will start the following dogma: Imam should be named by predeccessor: designation of sucessor by predecessor, from line of Imams connecting all the way back to prophet muhammed through Ali. Each imam numbered. Ja'far son was Ismail, eldest son. Also had another son, youngest, Musa. Traditionally, Imam would name is eldest son, but story wants that Ismail was wether drunk or dead at time of naming successor, and Ja'far named Musa.
A minority group of dissident wanted Ismail to be Imam instead of the Musa. This "dissident" group still existing today, the Ismailites, or the Seveners Shi'as (Ismailiyya).
The Twelvers
The 11th Imam (Hasan), has no sons. He named a successor, but this one disappearred! Followers of this branch believes that he was elevated directly to heaven. He is reffered to as "Muhammad", the "waited for Imam", or "hidden Imam". Story wants that he'll come out at end of time with Jesus and establish justice. He's the 12th Imam. A Majority of Shi'a Islam still holds to that belief. Shia's did not displayed their beliefs and identity before 8th century, by fear of repression under Abbassids dynasty.
Divison exists between believers of seveners & twelvers. Primarily a political distinction within dogma of shi'ism.
Most of Central Asia, Iran, but also large part of arab world is shi'a.
posted by Jean-Sébastien Lévesque at 9:15 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home