Umayyad 661750 ce under the rule of the umayyad caliphate, the islamic empire expanded rapidly to include much of northern africa, western india, and spain. History of the muslim world world history spuler, bertold, hathaway, jane on. The rise and fall of the islamic caliphate in history. Muslim armies conquered most of arabia by 633, followed by north africa, mesopotamia, and persia, significantly shaping the history of the world through the spread of islam.
Islamic world islamic history from 1683 to the present. Throughout the history of islam, a few other muslim states, almost all. Most historians believe that islam originated in mecca and medina at the start of the 7th century ce, approximately 600 years after the founding of christianity. Under the umayyad caliphs the abbasids lived quietly until they became involved in numerous disputes, beginning early in the 8th cent. Yet the caliphates significance in islamic history and muslim culture remains poorly. This article lists some of the states, empires, or dynasties that were ruled by a muslim elite. In caliphate, islamic historian hugh kennedy dissects the idea of the caliphate and its history, and explores how it became used and abused today. A classic survey of islamic history in three volumes, including consideration of all aspects of the caliphate.
Motamar alalame alislami world muslim congress, 1991 ocolc607779108 online version. During the abbasid caliphate there were other caliphs who also laid claim to the caliphate including the fatimid caliphate, the umayyad caliphate of cordoba, and the almohad caliphate. This book is not only extremely well written but also plugs a very important gap in the history of islamic political studies. Muawiyah ibn abu sufyan was the first umayyad caliph, ruling from 661 to 680. From this perspective the 18th century was a period of degeneration and a prelude to european domination, symbolized by napoleon is conquest of egypt in 1798. What a caliphate really is and how the islamic state is not one. Originally written in arabic and urdu, the arabic version was awarded first prize by the muslim world league at the first islamic conference, following an open competition for a book on the life of prophet mohammed in 1979. Science in the medieval islamic world was the science developed and practised during the islamic golden age under the umayyads of cordoba, the abbadids of seville, the samanids, the ziyarids, the buyids in persia, the abbasid caliphate and beyond, spanning the period.
The abbasid caliphate was a major dynasty that ruled over the islamic empire during its peak. Although this move by the newly secular republic of turkey sparked an outcry among other muslims around the world, no new caliphate has ever been recognized. The title was first used when abu bakr, companion of the prophet muhammad and an early convert to islam, was chosen to assume muhammads political and administrative functions after muhammads death in 632 ce. After the collapse of the classical empires, the next great civilization that arises is that of the arab islamic caliphates.
The abbasids held the caliphate from 749 to 1258, but they were recognized neither in spain nor after 787 w of egypt. A very interesting propostition and as relevant today as it ever has been, especially given the troubles in the middle east, this books should be of great help to anybody with an interest in this area of the world. Prior to the advent of islam, the umayyads were a largely merchant family of the quraysh tribe centered at mecca. Sea of the caliphs christophe picard harvard university press. This account of islamic history from the advent of islam to the 5th century ah 11th century ce also contains a chapter discussing the primary sources available for the period. From a preeminent scholar of islamic history, the authoritative history of caliphates from their beginnings in the 7th century to the modern day in caliphate, islamic historian hugh kennedy dissects the idea of the caliphate and its history, and explores how it became used and abused today. It is a complete authoritative book on the life of prophet muhammad s by sheikh safiurrahman almubarkpuri. The prophet and the age of caliphates deals with issues of continuing and increasing relevance in the twentyfirst century, when it is, perhaps, more important than ever to understand the early development of the islamic world. It was following the death of the fourth caliph that muawiya seized power and established the umayyad caliphate, the first islamic dynasty. The rise of islamic empires and states article khan.
The status of jews and christians in muslim lands, 1772 a question on the position of jews in islam, and the answer of the shaikh hasan al kafrawi, the shafiite professor of canon law in cairo, d. The best known fiction from the islamic world is the book of one thousand and one nights, a collection of fantastical folk tales, legends and parables compiled primarily during the abbassid era. At its peak, it was one of the largest empires in the history of the world. Contrary to popular belief, there is no one enduring definition of a caliph. List of muslim states and dynasties news newspapers books scholar jstor october 2017 learn how and when to remove this template message. Umayyad dynasty, the first great muslim dynasty to rule the empire of the caliphate 661750. The prophet and the age of caliphates is an accessible history of the near east from c. Very engaging history of the institution of the islamic caliphate, starting from the time of the. The history of modern islam has often been explained in terms of the impact of the west. Students and scholars of early islamic history will find this book a clear, informative and readable introduction to. Caliphate and kingship in a fifteenthcentury literary history of muslim leadership and pilgrimage. Although its roots go back further, scholars typically date the creation of islam to. During the medieval period, three major caliphates succeeded each other.
For the first time within the muslim community the selected caliph is the choice of just one faction. Caliph, in islamic history, the leader of the muslim community. The first book i would recommend is a history of god. This is a list of people who have held the title of caliph, the supreme religious and political. Sea of the caliphs returns muslim sailors to their place of prominence in the history of the islamic caliphate. Motamar alalame alislami world muslim congress, 1991 ocolc621689878. The position of caliph became hereditary during the umayyad caliphate, making it the first islamic dynasty. Caliph and caliphate islamic studies oxford bibliographies.
This book explores the myriad meanings of the caliphate for muslims around. The branch of islam that believes that a caliph should be elected by muslims or their representatives and that abu bakr was the first caliph. His practical and systematic book describes over 180 plants and how to. Beginning with the life of muhammad and the birth of islam, kennedy goes on to explore the great arab conquests of the seventh century and the golden age of the umayyad and abbasid caliphates when the world of islam was politically. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain. This refers to the fact that, after the death of muhammad, the rulers of the islamic community were the successors of the prophet. A caliphate is an islamic state under the leadership of an islamic steward with the title of caliph, a person considered a politicoreligious successor to the islamic prophet muhammad and a leader of the entire ummah. The collection is recorded as having originated from an arabic translation of a sassanian era persian prototype, with. This book is a must read for any analyst, student, or professor of middle eastern studies andor islamic studies.
The office of the caliphate stated that the ottoman sultans were also the leaders of the muslim world. What is the best history book about the islamic world. Hugh kennedy delves into the history and meaning of caliphate. Muslims are instructed in the quran to be tolerant of the two older and closely related religions, judaism and christianity, which share with islam the essential characteristics of monotheism and a sacred book.
From a preeminent scholar of islamic history, the authoritative history of caliphates from their beginnings in the 7th century to the modern dayin caliphate, islamic historian hugh kennedy dissects the idea of the caliphate and its history, and explores how it became used and abused today. Longing for the lost caliphate princeton university press. It provides a coherent overview of the various discourses regarding the caliphate and the concept of state in islam. They are sometimes called the rightly guided caliphs because each of them learned about islam directly from muhammad. A turkish travelers account of the world of india and the middle east. The islamic near east from the sixth to the eleventh century.
The abbasid caliphs established the city of baghdad in 762 ce. The four caliphs were the first four leaders of islam that succeeded the prophet muhammad. Abbasid caliphate islamic studies oxford bibliographies. The journey of caliphate from 632 to 1924 salih pay associate professor department of history of islam, faculty of theology uludag university, bursa turkey abstract caliphate signifies maintenance of administrative affairs, led by muhammad a. Arts and humanities world history 600 1450 regional and interregional interactions spread of islam the rise of islamic empires and states learn about the arab muslim conquests and the establishment of the caliphate. The relatively narrow focus of the book allows the author to explore in detail both the historical and, to a lesser extent, the ideological development of the caliphate, in contrast to general history books on the islamic civilization. The prophet and the age of the caliphates a history of. Alis caliphate eventually provokes the only major sectarian split in the history of islam. The book covers the life of muhammad and the birth of islam, through the great days of the ummayad and abbasid caliphates 8th10th centuries, to the period of political fragmentation which followed it when islam lost its core unity, never to be recovered. Do you want to read books on islamic history and you are confused. The shaybanids in turkistan, the gujarat sultanate in india 1536, the mughal empire from the reign of humayun 1548, iran 1727, the morocco sultanate 1579 and the kasghar.
The islamic near east from the 6th to the 11th century a history of the near east 3 by hugh kennedy isbn. Beginning with the life of muhammad and the birth of islam, hugh kennedy goes on to explore the great arab conquests of the seventh century and the golden age of the umayyad and abbasid caliphates when the world of islam was politically and. Ruled by a caliph arabic khalifah, successor, who held temporal and sometimes a degree of spiritual authority. Meanwhile, the concept of the caliphate, kennedy tells us in the books rather inviting. As soon as he was appointed caliph, some arab tribes who had only been part of the community because of muhammad pulled out of the political coalition. While the caliphates gradually fractured and fell, other muslim dynasties rose. Caliphate, the politicalreligious state comprising the muslim community and the lands and peoples under its dominion in the centuries following the death 632 ce of the prophet muhammad. A global history, longing for the lost caliphate delves into why the caliphate. Sharif a history of muslim philosophy the message book by jaffar subhani a restatement of the history of islam and muslims book,by. Abbasid 7501258 ce, 12611517 ce the abbasids overthrew the umayyads and established the abbasid caliphate in 750 ce. Islam is the second largest religion in the world after christianity, with about 1.
Caliphate khilafat in arabic was a semireligious political system of governance in islam, in which the territories of the islamic. List of books and articles about abbasid caliphate. It also suggests why the idea of caliphate resonates powerfully in the muslim world today and how an institution that was once synonymous with the generation of. The political history of the arabs after muhammad when muhammad died, there were immediate problems among the muslim arabs. Caliphate and kingship in a fifteenthcentury literary history of.
History of faith, conquests, and conflicts first 100 years iqrasense on. The caliphs continued as heads of the muslim world though not universally recognized as such, of course until mustafa kemal ataturk abolished the caliphate in 1924. Islamic world islamic world islamic history from 1683 to the present. Beginning with muhammad recieving allahs message in 610 ce, the postclassical period begins with the arabs expanding into the areas seen below. He was able to keep the islamic world together but not all was well. History for kids early islamic world who were they. The caliphate pelican books by hugh kennedy goodreads. Islamic caliphate world history timeline the free atlas. The prophet and the age of the caliphates, is an attempt to chart the early history or the growth of islam. Four leaders, known as the rightly guided caliphs, continued the spread of islam immediately following the death of the prophet. General readers and scholars of early islamic history will find kennedys book a. Here is a list of famous books on islamic history and a little intro of the book to help you decide the book you may want to read. It became a center of learning and the hub of what is known as the golden age of islam.
Egyptian scholar ali abdel raziq published his 1925 book islam and the. The history of the caliphate, and islamic history more generally, must not be the possession of one interpretation or one narrow view, rather we should all, muslim and non muslim. Interesting facts about the caliphate of the islamic empire. That is, if youre interested in understanding what muslims wanted after the fall of the ottoman empire, this is the book for you. A worldwide caliphate is the concept of a single islamic world government, supported in particular by abu bakr albaghdadi, a leader of the islamic fundamentalist militant group the islamic state of iraq and the levant. The history of islam concerns the political, social, economic and cultural developments of islamic civilization. They presided over dramatic conquests which brought into being a vast empire centred on the middle east. They choose ali, another soninlaw of muhammad, as the fourth caliph. Historically, the caliphates were polities based on islam which developed into multiethnic transnational empires. Like the umayyad caliphate before it, the leader of the abbasids was called the caliph. The rest of the major sections of islam that are sunni and shiya, do not believe in this caliphate system since mirza ghulam ahmed claimed to be a prophet which is against the belief of muslims that mohammad was the last prophet, hence leading the group being considered to be not accociated with islam by the rest of the islamic community. Based on original arabic sources, the new edition of this wellestablished text has been comprehensively revised. The prophet and the age of caliphates is an accessible guide to the history of the near east from c.