The G.R.A.P.E.S. of Islam
Geography:
The Arabian peninsula is located on the meeting point of Afro-Eurasia. Straddled between these three landmasses, this desert of rocks, mountains, and sand begs for trade as loud as it did to Byzantium. But unlike the empire of New Rome, this sector was not inviting. The air was dry and acidic-feeling, and the sun's rays cut like burning knives, and the very earth itself lunged in attack in massive walls of spiraling sand. But live is nothing if not resilient, and it always finds a way--labored maybe, but always gleaming through the tans and browns of the infertile land. And that life is in the form oases: pools of water from underground, surrounded by lush emerald greenery and animals on long-standing migration rituals for their resources. The animals of Arabia take many different forms for the sake of adaptation. The horned viper's camouflage to the monochromatic landscape has fooled it's predators for centuries. And when it is spotted, it's sidewinding motion helps it dart and race away. The fleet-footed oryx, the inspiration of the mythological unicorn, only needs to ingest dry vegetation for nutrients, and it's white pelt reflects the heat away. But those kinds of animals aren't the only ones with a trick or two up their proverbial sleeves. Humans, in all their persistent, stubborn, glory, have lived in Arabia for centuries. Donning ghutras (a cotton covering the head and back of neck) and loose, white, cotton clothing, the people of Arabia have adopted a nomadic culture, traveling from oasis to oasis.
The Arabian peninsula is located on the meeting point of Afro-Eurasia. Straddled between these three landmasses, this desert of rocks, mountains, and sand begs for trade as loud as it did to Byzantium. But unlike the empire of New Rome, this sector was not inviting. The air was dry and acidic-feeling, and the sun's rays cut like burning knives, and the very earth itself lunged in attack in massive walls of spiraling sand. But live is nothing if not resilient, and it always finds a way--labored maybe, but always gleaming through the tans and browns of the infertile land. And that life is in the form oases: pools of water from underground, surrounded by lush emerald greenery and animals on long-standing migration rituals for their resources. The animals of Arabia take many different forms for the sake of adaptation. The horned viper's camouflage to the monochromatic landscape has fooled it's predators for centuries. And when it is spotted, it's sidewinding motion helps it dart and race away. The fleet-footed oryx, the inspiration of the mythological unicorn, only needs to ingest dry vegetation for nutrients, and it's white pelt reflects the heat away. But those kinds of animals aren't the only ones with a trick or two up their proverbial sleeves. Humans, in all their persistent, stubborn, glory, have lived in Arabia for centuries. Donning ghutras (a cotton covering the head and back of neck) and loose, white, cotton clothing, the people of Arabia have adopted a nomadic culture, traveling from oasis to oasis.
Religion:
Islam, after some time, became the popular religion of Arabia. Islam was first revealed to a merchant named Muhammed. Muhammed was an orphan, but he was very fortunate to have had an uncle to take him in and raise him. Growing up, he was a caravan leader, and he caught the eye of a widow and successful businesswoman Khadijah. She proposed to him, and they lived a marriage similar to that of the Byzantine's Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora. Muhammed's and Khadijah's marriage was a balanced one, with each one considering the other their intellectual equal. Advice from Khadijah was taken and usually followed, but always acknowledged.
Muhammed became a merchant as adult. One day, atop Mount Hira (to pray and meditate) when he claimed to be visited by the Angel Gabriel. This angel was told to have verbally given Muhammed the word of God: the Qur'an. Muhammed then went on to teach the Qur'an for the remaining years of his life, until he died.
There was a book called the Sunna that kept how Muhammed lived his Islamic life, and later Muslims followed the steps. In it were the various rules of Islam. With it's 5 pillars: shahada (faith), salat (worship), zahat (giving), sawm (fasting), and hajj (pilgrimage). Other guidelines were the prohibition of pork and of alcohol, and a woman's hijab, or covering of everything but the face, hands, and sometimes feet by loose clothing (for the sake of modesty).
Islam, after some time, became the popular religion of Arabia. Islam was first revealed to a merchant named Muhammed. Muhammed was an orphan, but he was very fortunate to have had an uncle to take him in and raise him. Growing up, he was a caravan leader, and he caught the eye of a widow and successful businesswoman Khadijah. She proposed to him, and they lived a marriage similar to that of the Byzantine's Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora. Muhammed's and Khadijah's marriage was a balanced one, with each one considering the other their intellectual equal. Advice from Khadijah was taken and usually followed, but always acknowledged.
Muhammed became a merchant as adult. One day, atop Mount Hira (to pray and meditate) when he claimed to be visited by the Angel Gabriel. This angel was told to have verbally given Muhammed the word of God: the Qur'an. Muhammed then went on to teach the Qur'an for the remaining years of his life, until he died.
There was a book called the Sunna that kept how Muhammed lived his Islamic life, and later Muslims followed the steps. In it were the various rules of Islam. With it's 5 pillars: shahada (faith), salat (worship), zahat (giving), sawm (fasting), and hajj (pilgrimage). Other guidelines were the prohibition of pork and of alcohol, and a woman's hijab, or covering of everything but the face, hands, and sometimes feet by loose clothing (for the sake of modesty).
Achievements
The Islamic empire was one of great intelligence. For one, they set up some very early, very grand libraries--particularly the one in Cordoba, Spain. The Library of Cordoba was one where scholars from all over the world would flock to to read the painstakingly hand-copied, calligraphic books--more than 400,000 of them! And speaking of calligraphy itself, the art form has been responsible all copies of the Qur'an.
Muslims believed that there was no simple description of Allah (the Arabic word for God), and they didn't worship icons. Therefore, the only way to visually honor the copies of God's word was to make the words themselves as beautiful as possible. Calligraphy was believed to be the only writing worthy of the message of God.
The Islamic empire was one of great intelligence. For one, they set up some very early, very grand libraries--particularly the one in Cordoba, Spain. The Library of Cordoba was one where scholars from all over the world would flock to to read the painstakingly hand-copied, calligraphic books--more than 400,000 of them! And speaking of calligraphy itself, the art form has been responsible all copies of the Qur'an.
Muslims believed that there was no simple description of Allah (the Arabic word for God), and they didn't worship icons. Therefore, the only way to visually honor the copies of God's word was to make the words themselves as beautiful as possible. Calligraphy was believed to be the only writing worthy of the message of God.
But it wasn't just writings and art that the Muslims excelled at; there were hard sciences, too. In the Islamic Empire, there were mathematicians figuring out the deepest processes of solving algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and calculus. Algebra was improved from the classical Greek studies (translated in those libraries), and named from the Arabic words "al jabr", meaning "the coming together of different pieces".
The Islamic domain was also a great place of medicine. There were herbs that provided the use of sedatives and antiseptic--both of which made their surgery safer. And going more into that topic and the like, there were many hospitals in the Muslim world, one of them in Syria's Damascus. In fact, there was one in every single large city. The strong studies of medicine are attributed to the fact that it was that Allah provided a cure for every disease.
But likely the most responsible for Islam's expansion was the irrigation system. There was a complexly simple and elegant method of using gravity to purify the water. Old Roman aqueducts were being put to use again. The water brought from the rainy mountains could reach the parched plains, spreading and increasing population.
The Islamic domain was also a great place of medicine. There were herbs that provided the use of sedatives and antiseptic--both of which made their surgery safer. And going more into that topic and the like, there were many hospitals in the Muslim world, one of them in Syria's Damascus. In fact, there was one in every single large city. The strong studies of medicine are attributed to the fact that it was that Allah provided a cure for every disease.
But likely the most responsible for Islam's expansion was the irrigation system. There was a complexly simple and elegant method of using gravity to purify the water. Old Roman aqueducts were being put to use again. The water brought from the rainy mountains could reach the parched plains, spreading and increasing population.
Economy
The people of Arabia were widely nomadic before the empire, with clans of Bedouin tribes traveling between oases and the towns around them. Therefore, the city of Mecca grew extremely popular, with merchants from all over Arabia carrying exotic goods like silk, linen, perfume, incense, and spices. Needless to say, the economy of Arabia became very strong and stable.
There was a system of checks and banking in the Islam empire. Checks (called sakk) were used in the place of money. These checks could be cashed in at any of the banks in the empire, since the central bank had many branches. This idea of credit smoothed out the issue of separate currencies, and therefore boosted international trade.
The people of Arabia were widely nomadic before the empire, with clans of Bedouin tribes traveling between oases and the towns around them. Therefore, the city of Mecca grew extremely popular, with merchants from all over Arabia carrying exotic goods like silk, linen, perfume, incense, and spices. Needless to say, the economy of Arabia became very strong and stable.
There was a system of checks and banking in the Islam empire. Checks (called sakk) were used in the place of money. These checks could be cashed in at any of the banks in the empire, since the central bank had many branches. This idea of credit smoothed out the issue of separate currencies, and therefore boosted international trade.
Social Structure
Since Muhammed was an orphan with a surprisingly good childhood, he grew up pitying fellow orphans and other unfortunates who didn't have his luck. Therefore, Islam shared his beliefs about equality. This is followed through fairly simple actions piled on top of each other.
When arriving to Arabia, it is expected of you to wear simple clothing, as to not boast wealth. Things like this are a trend in Islam, because it is a land of a religion dominated by the ideas of social justice, equality, peace, respect, and love.
The third pillar of Islam, zahat, is about giving. Muslims give 2.5% of the value of all their things to charities and the poor. This action is one that helped even out the class divisions of the Arabic world.
Because of this, the rise of Islam didn't sit very well with the rich. They didn't want to sacrifice their wealth. However, the poor were quick to accept it, because it meant that they would be able to be treated as equals in their society. And Islam is working hard; it's getting closer to the goals of equality every day.
Since Muhammed was an orphan with a surprisingly good childhood, he grew up pitying fellow orphans and other unfortunates who didn't have his luck. Therefore, Islam shared his beliefs about equality. This is followed through fairly simple actions piled on top of each other.
When arriving to Arabia, it is expected of you to wear simple clothing, as to not boast wealth. Things like this are a trend in Islam, because it is a land of a religion dominated by the ideas of social justice, equality, peace, respect, and love.
The third pillar of Islam, zahat, is about giving. Muslims give 2.5% of the value of all their things to charities and the poor. This action is one that helped even out the class divisions of the Arabic world.
Because of this, the rise of Islam didn't sit very well with the rich. They didn't want to sacrifice their wealth. However, the poor were quick to accept it, because it meant that they would be able to be treated as equals in their society. And Islam is working hard; it's getting closer to the goals of equality every day.