Islam Paper

In specific, this essay will discuss the origin and early expansion of Islam. In addition, some of the social, political, religious, and economic conditions before the advent of Islam will be discussed as well. Islam brought a number of changes and Muslims evolved politically in Byzantine and Sassanian Empires, which will be viewed in this paper.

Pre-Islamic Arabia:

Islam is the religion that overturns the Arabian Peninsula, from their deplorable moral and social condition to a civilized way of life. Before sixth century, most of the Arabs were leading a nomadic way of life, depending on trade and agriculture for their survival. In some parts of southern and central Arab, people were politically, as well as, culturally established, as compared to people living in northern parts.

            Geographically, Arabia is sandwiched between two great continents namely, Africa and Europe. This position, however, gave Arabs stronghold in trade but also keep them apart from their educated neighbors. There was no central and established political system in those parts and people were living in tribes. The tribal system lacked the spirit of community. People were only concerned of their tribal pride and honor. There was patriarchal family system and women and slaves were badly treated and jeopardized. The people, however, were marvelous poets. Poetry was an esteemed cultural manifestation for them. [1]

There was no central religion for people of Arabia. Most of the Arabs were idol worshippers, yet in other parts of the peninsula Christianity and Judaism was prevailing. Kaaba in Mecca was the holy place for pilgrimage. People from all parts of Arabia, once in a year visit Kaaba to pay homage to their idols.[2]

Advent of Islam and pace of civilization:

            During the sixth century, amongst the Meccan tribe of Quraish, God’s prophet was born. He guided the people of Arab to a straight path of unity and peace. Initially, nomadic tribal authorities did not accept His revelations and assaulted him. Slaves, women, and most of the family members were among the first to accept Islam.

            Islam came with hype, changing tribal monopoly to a centralized system, where all the authority belongs to God. Islam gave the idea that in the eyes of God, all human beings are equal. It established social and moral principles where power does not means money, but good deeds and humanely treatment with all the fellowmen[3]. After the migration Medina, Prophet Mohammad established a city in Medina where Muslims lead peaceful, yet troublesome life, with all the opposition from Mecca and the nearby tribes. They found this new religion hindering their successful trade relationship with other parts of Arabia, which previously was flourishing.

Expansion of Islam:

            Later in the years, and after twenty-three years of life of Prophet Mohammad, Message of Islam spread across Arabia. Muslims, with their fervent trade and nomadic way of life, carry this faith far and wide to Persia, Egypt and across Byzantine and Sassanid Empires. Persian empires accepted Islam as their centralized religion because of many reasons. One of them was due to political and economical unrest within their boundaries and with Islam; their social, moral, and cultural systems were protected. Islam came with the notion of peace, Philanthropy, equality and submission to God. These concepts proved to be the vital factors behind expansion of Islam towards non-Arabic Language speakers.[4]

            Expansion of Islam brings within the circle of faith intercultural mix of people. People with various backgrounds and cultural standards accepted Islam and with the demise of Prophet Mohammad, this expansion was leading to various challenges in order to control and safeguard true interpretation of faith. This is because of the addition of non-Arabic people into Islam that made the translation and compilation of Holy verses difficult. However, despite several challenges and troublesome years of expansion, Islam spread across the world and is now considered as one of the most practiced religion of the world.

References

Goldschmidt, Arthur. Davidson, Lawrence. 2005.  A concise history of the Middle East, Westview Press.

Rafed. 2009. Arabia before Islam. Retrieved on May 29, 2009, http://www.rafed.net/english/articles/history/02-arabia-before-islam.html

[1] Goldschmidt, Arthur. Davidson, Lawrence. 2005.  A concise history of the Middle East, Westview Press.

[2] Rafed. 2009. Arabia before Islam. Retrieved on May 29, 2009, http://www.rafed.net/english/articles/history/02-arabia-before-islam.html

[3] Goldschmidt, Arthur. Davidson, Lawrence. 2005.  A concise history of the Middle East, Westview Press.

[4] Rafed. 2009. Arabia before Islam. Retrieved on May 29, 2009, http://www.rafed.net/english/articles/history/02-arabia-before-islam.html