EARLY ISLAM
BACKGROUND
THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD
THE UMAYYYAD AND `ABBÂSID CALIPHATES
ECHOES TODAYby
Joseph Kenny, O.P.DOMINICAN PUBLICATIONS
LAGOS
1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 The Middle East on the eve of Islam
1.1 The Byzantine Empire
1.2 Egypt
1.3 Syria Palestine & Iraq
1.4 Jewish Christianity
1.5 The Persian Empire
1.6 Arabia2 Muhammad’s early life
2.1 Birth and childhood -------------------» Genealogical Chart
2.2 A trip to Syria
2.3 Adolescence
2.4 A young trader
2.5 Marriage to Khadîja3 Prophetic stirring
3.1 First experiences
3.2 Interpretation
3.3 Khadîja’s support
3.4 An interruption of experiences
3.5 First preaching among friends
4 Public preaching and opposition
4.1 The conflict begins
4.2 Muhammad’s supporters resist persecution
4.3 Muhammad refuses Meccan offers of compromise
4.4 The Satanic verses
4.5 Break with the traditionalists
4.6 The intellectual battle
4.7 Renewed persecution
5 The hijra
5.1 Some Muslims take refuge in Ethiopia
5.2 The Meccans boycott the Muslims
5.2 The Meccans boycott the Muslims
5.4 Family deaths and realignments
5.5 Muhammad left stranded
5.6 Negotiations with Medina
5.7 The hijra concluded
6 Muhammad’s power base in Medina and opposition
6.1 Muhammad’s initial position in Medina
6.2 Muhammad appeals to the Jews and is rebuffed
6.3 Family events
7 The war begins
7.1 Jihâd
7.2 The Battle of Nakhla
7.3 The Battle of Badr
7.3 The Battle
7.5 Disposition of prisoners and spoil
7.6 Ruqayya dies
7.7 Two poets killed
7.8 Attribution of the victory to angels, and summary
7.9 Prisoner exchange
7.10 Zaynab’s hijra and her husband’s conversion
7.11 Conversion of `Umayr ibn-Wahb
7.12 The Qur’ân on division of booty
8 Further successes
8.1 The Qaynuqâ` Jews
8.2 Zayd ibn-Hâritha raids a caravan
8.3 Assassination of Ka%b ibn-al-Ashraf
8.4 The conversion of Huwayyisa
8.5 Muhammad’s marriage to Hafsa (n.4)
9 Reverses
9.1 The battle of Uhud
9.2 Muhammad nearly killed
9.3 Conclusion of the battle
9.4 Theological interpretation
9.5 Missionaries to the Adal and al-Qâra clans are killed
9.6 Missionaries to the Najd clan killed
9.7 A morale booster: the expulsion of the Nadîr Jews
9.8 Zaynab bint-Khuzayma (n.5)
9.9 Umm-Salama = Hind bint-abî-Umayya (n.6)
9.10 Zaynab bint-Jahsh (n.7)
9.11 The law of seclusion
10 The turn of the tide
10.1 The Battle of the Trench: a “Jewish plot”
10.2 Preparations for battle
10.3 The siege
10.4 An incident with the Jews
10.5 Sabotage of the alleged Quraya-Meccan alliance
10.6 The Meccans give up
10.7 Revenge against the Quraya Jews
10.8 The assassination of Sallâm ibn-Abî-l-Huqayq
10.9 Some conversions and expeditions
10.10 Expedition against the Mustaliq and marriage to Juwayriya (n.9)
10.11 The trial of `Â’isha
11 Muslim ascendancy assured
11.1 The attempted `umra pilgrimage
11.2 The Pledge of Good Pleasure
11.3 The treaty of al-Hudaybiyya
11.4 Another version of Hudaybiyya
11.5 Muslim exceptions to the treaty
11.6 The conquest of Khaybar and marriage to Safiyya (n.10)
11.7 The conquest continues
11.8 Al-Aswad the shepherd
11.9 Conditions of surrender
11.10 Regulations about booty
11.11 Attempted poisoning and departure
11.12 Al-Hajjâj ibn-%Ilâ deceives the Meccans
11.13 The return of some Emigrants from Ethiopia
11.14 Messages to surrounding kings
11.15 Muhammad’s `umra (March 629); marriage to Mayműna (n.13)
11.16 The raid on Mu’ta (Sept. 629)
12 The occupation of Mecca
12.1 A breach of treaty
12.2 Abű-Sufyân ibn-Harb begs for reconciliation
12.3 The Muslims march on Mecca
12.4 Abű-Sufyân ibn-Harb accepts Islam and surrenders Mecca
12.5 Entry into Mecca, a skirmish, judgement on apostates and poets
12.6 Cleaning up the Ka`ba
12.7 Some pardons and an end to the killings
12.8 Expeditions of Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd
13 Mastery of Arabia
13.1 The Battle of Hunayn
13.2 An attempt on at-Tâ’if
13.3 The spoil of Hawâzin
13.4 Muhammad’s second `umra (February 630)
13.5 Ka`b ibn-Zuhayr and the poets
13.6 The raid on Tabűk (October 630)
13.7 The opposition mosque
13.8 The Thaqîf Arabs submit
13.9 Abű-Bakr leads the hajj
13.10 Deputations from around Arabia
13.11 A Christian delegation from Najrân
13.12 Repudiation of rival prophets
13.13 Muhammad’s threat to dismiss his wives
14 Departure
14.1 The farewell pilgrimage
14.2 The extent of Muhammad’s power
14.3 Muhammad’s final illness and death
14.4 The question of succession
14.5 The burial
15 The golden age of Islam
15.1 Abű-Bakr (632-4) & consolidation in Arabia
15.2 `Umar ibn-al-Khattâb (634-644) & expansion
15.3 `Uthmân (644-656) & dissatisfaction
15.4 `Alî (656-661) & civil war
15.5 The Umayyad period (656-750)
15.6 Islamic thought and culture under the Umayyads
15.7 The Umayyad political system
15.8 The `Abbâsids
15.9 The reigns of each caliph in this period
15.10 Characteristics of `Abbâsid rule
16 Medieval and modern times
16.1 The disintegration of the `Abbâsid empire
16.2 Shî`ite attempt to capture the Muslim world
16.3 The Crusade impact
16.4 The Mongols
16.5 The Ottoman Turks
16.6 Today
16.7 Conclusion
Map: The Middle East in the 7th Century
