The ummayids 8 march slides

1. ISLAMIC
HISTORY
The Umayyids
Syed Sajjadur
Rahman
8 March 2015

2. Significant periods
Year (AD)
570-632 The Prophet (pbuh)
632 - 661 The Khalifas
661-750 The Umayyids
751-983 The Abbasids
984-1289 The Seljuks and the Fatimids
1290-1918 The Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals

3. Khalifa: Definition
 A Khalifa is the successor (in a line of
successors) to Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh)
position as the political, military, and
administrative leader of the Muslims.
 The prophetic role of the Rasul-Allah (pbuh) is
strictly not included in this definition, as the
Qur'an and Hadith clearly state that He (pbuh)
was the last of the prophets.

4. The Khalifas (632- 661): Conclusions
 Humility and Simplicity
 Complete Commitment to the Quran and the
Sunnah
 Preserve, Consolidate and Expand the islamic
Empire
 Eventually captive of power and wealth
 Parochial interests – Bani Hashim, Bani Shams
 Political expediency
 The Prophet (pbuh) , "Once the sword is
unsheathed among my followers, it will not be
sheathed until the Last Day."

5. The Umayyids: Origins
pbuh

6. The Fitnas (civil wars)
 Rise and decline of the Umayyids can be
traced to three fitnas
 First Fitna: following the assassination of
Uthman (ra)
 Second Fitna: The rise of Marwan
 Third Fitna: The rise of the Abbasids

7. The Umayyid Dynasties
 The Sufyanids (661-680)
 Muwayiya
 Yazid
 The Marwanids (681-756)
 Marwan 1 ibn Al Hakam
 Abd al Malik ibn Marwan
 Al Walid Ibn Abd Al Malik
 Emirs of Cordoba (756-929)
 Abd al- Rahman I
 Abd al-Rahman II
 Khalifas of Cordoba (929-1017)
 Abd al-Rahman III
 Al-Hakak
 Sulayman al-Hakam

8. The Spread of Islam 622-750 AD

9. Conclusions and Legacy
 First Muslim Dynasty: transformed the
caliphate from a religious institution to a
dynastic one.
 Created the largest empire at the time –
primarily for military and political reasons
 Administrative Structures:
 Shift from Medina to Damascus
 Revenue, Postal and Justice systems
 Arabaization – language, coinage
 Construction of the Dome of the Rock

10. Conclusions and Legacy
 Social Organization: Four main social classes:
 Muslim Arabs
 Muslim non-Arabs (clients of the Muslim Arabs)
 Non-Muslim free persons (Christians, Jews,
and Zoroastrians)
 Slaves
 Khalifat Rasul Allah or Khalifat Allah ?