Islam, the Quran, and the Five Pillars: Crash Course World History #13

Summary

John Green's Crash Course on World History delves into the origins and spread of Islam, from its beginnings with Muhammad in the 7th century to its rapid expansion into a major empire. The video explores key aspects of Islamic faith, including the Five Pillars, and the socio-political environment of early Islam. It addresses misconceptions, highlights the significance of Islamic contributions to global history, and underscores the religion's enduring impact. Green emphasizes Islam's historical importance and its often overlooked role in shaping the modern world.

Takeaways

• 📜 Islam, like Christianity and Judaism, began on the east coast of the Mediterranean but is less understood in the West.
• 🕌 In less than 200 years, Islam grew from non-existence to a major religious and political force.
• 📖 The Quran is seen as the literal word of God and emphasizes strict monotheism and caring for the less fortunate.
• 🕌 The Five Pillars of Islam are: Shahada (faith), Salat (prayer), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), Zakat (almsgiving), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
• ⚔️ Islam spread rapidly, partly through military campaigns, becoming a dominant force in the region.
• 👥 After Muhammad's death, the community needed a political leader, leading to the caliphate system.
• 🕌 The first caliph, Abu Bakr, began military campaigns that expanded the Islamic Empire significantly.
• 📚 The Quran and supplementary texts like the Hadith are crucial to understanding Islam.
• 🌍 Islam’s early conquests included territories from the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires, and later parts of Spain.
• 🔄 The Islamic Empire contributed significantly to preserving classical texts and fostering trade and learning.

Q & A

What is the main topic of this episode of Crash Course World History?

The main topic is the history and development of Islam.

What did the angel Gabriel tell Muhammad to do, according to the video?

The angel Gabriel told Muhammad to begin reciting the word of God.

How did Muhammad initially react to the revelations from Gabriel?

Muhammad was initially freaked out by the revelations.

What was Muhammad’s society like at the time he began receiving revelations?

Muhammad's society was intensely tribal, and the Arabian peninsula was a religious melting pot with a mix of polytheistic and monotheistic beliefs.

What are the Five Pillars of Islam mentioned in the video?

The Five Pillars of Islam are shahada (profession of faith), salat (ritual prayer), sawm (fasting during Ramadan), zakat (almsgiving), and hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Why did Muhammad’s teachings initially upset the Quraysh tribe?

Muhammad’s teachings upset the Quraysh tribe because they promoted monotheism, which threatened the tribe's economic interests tied to the pilgrimage trade in Mecca.

What significant event marks the year 0 in the Islamic calendar?

The hijra, Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina, marks year 0 in the Islamic calendar.

What role did Muhammad play in Medina?

In Medina, Muhammad was both a religious leader and a political leader, turning the Islamic community into a small empire.

What happened after Muhammad’s death in 632 CE?

After Muhammad's death, the community needed a political leader, leading to the appointment of Abu Bakr as the first caliph and the beginning of the caliphate.

What are some reasons for the rapid expansion of the early Islamic Empire?

The early Islamic Empire expanded rapidly due to effective military campaigns, the weakening of neighboring empires (Byzantine and Sassanian), and the appeal of Islam’s message.

How did the Islamic Empire contribute to the preservation and spread of knowledge?

The Islamic Empire preserved many classical texts that formed the basis of the Western Canon and facilitated a period of significant trade and learning, paving the way for the Renaissance.

What is sharia, and how is it perceived according to the video?

Sharia is the body of Islamic law, but it is not a single set of laws; there are numerous interpretations within the legal tradition.

How did the concept of umma challenge tribalism in Arabia?

The concept of umma, or the community of believers, trumped all other ties, including tribal ties, which was a significant shift in Arabian society.

What are hadiths and how do they differ in authenticity?

Hadiths are collections of sayings and stories about the Prophet Muhammad. They vary in authenticity, with some being well-sourced and others being poorly sourced.

What misconception about the Quran and the concept of 72 virgins does the video address?

The video clarifies that the idea of receiving 72 virgins in heaven is not in the Quran but comes from a poorly sourced hadith.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Islamic History

John Green introduces the episode of Crash Course: World History, focusing on Islam. He highlights the lack of understanding of Islam in the West, contrasting it with Christianity and Judaism. John explains the importance of learning about global history rather than just European Christianity. The episode aims to educate viewers on early Islamic history, starting with the rapid spread of Islam and the life of Muhammad, who received revelations from the angel Gabriel.

05:06

🌍 Pre-Islamic Arabia and the Rise of Muhammad

John describes the tribal society of Muhammad's time and the religious diversity in the Arabian Peninsula, including polytheism and monotheisms like Christianity and Judaism. Muhammad, initially hesitant, accepted his role as a prophet after encouragement from his wife and others. He began preaching monotheism in a society deeply rooted in tribalism and polytheistic worship at the Kaaba in Mecca.

10:09

🏛️ The Foundations of Islamic Beliefs and Practices

The video explores the core beliefs and practices of Islam, including the Five Pillars: shahada (faith), salat (prayer), sawm (fasting during Ramadan), zakat (almsgiving), and hajj (pilgrimage). John emphasizes Islam's focus on strict monotheism and social justice, particularly the care for the less fortunate. The Quran is presented as the direct word of God, different from the narrative styles of the Bible.

📜 Supplementary Texts and Misconceptions in Islam

John addresses supplementary Islamic texts like the hadith, explaining the varying reliability of these sources. He debunks the misconception about the 72 virgins, which comes from a poorly sourced hadith. John also introduces sharia, explaining that it is not a single set of laws but a collection of interpretations. The umma, or community of believers, transcended tribal ties, causing friction in early Islamic society.

⚔️ Early Islamic Conflicts and Expansion

The video covers the conflicts Muhammad faced with the Quraysh tribe due to his monotheistic preaching, leading to the hijra to Medina. In Medina, Muhammad's leadership turned the Islamic community into a small empire, eventually conquering Mecca. John explains the political and religious unity in Islam and the challenges faced after Muhammad's death, leading to the division between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims.

🏰 The Rightly Guided Caliphs and Islamic Expansion

The succession of caliphs after Muhammad's death is discussed, focusing on Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. Each caliph contributed to the expansion and consolidation of the Islamic Empire, despite internal conflicts and assassinations. The video highlights the military and administrative successes that led to the rapid growth of the Islamic Empire.

🌍 The Spread of Islam and Its Cultural Impact

John explains the spread of Islam, noting that it often occurred peacefully and through trade, not solely by military conquest. The Islamic Empire's success in wars and its strategic position between wealthy empires facilitated its expansion. The cultural and intellectual contributions of the Islamic world, including the preservation of classical texts and advancements in various fields, are emphasized.

📚 Legacy of the Islamic Golden Age

The video concludes by discussing the lasting impact of Islam on global history. The Islamic Empire's contributions to trade, learning, and culture are acknowledged, including its influence on the Renaissance. John reflects on the widespread Islamization of the Middle East and the enduring importance of Islam in the region's identity. The episode ends with a preview of the next topic and credits.

Keywords

💡Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion that originated in the 7th century CE in the Arabian Peninsula. It quickly grew to be a major religious and political force, forming one of the largest empires in the world. The video emphasizes that Islam is often misunderstood in the West and aims to provide a clearer understanding of its origins and practices.

💡Muhammad

Muhammad is the founder of Islam, considered the last prophet in the Islamic faith. Born in Mecca, he received revelations from the angel Gabriel, which became the Quran. His leadership not only established the religious principles of Islam but also formed the basis of a new political order. The video highlights his role in transforming the Arabian society and spreading the religion.

💡Quran

The Quran is the holy book of Islam, believed to be the word of God as revealed to Muhammad. It differs from the Bible in that it is less narrative and more of a direct record of divine revelations. The video notes its central themes of monotheism and social justice, especially the care for the less fortunate.

💡Kaaba

The Kaaba is a sacred structure located in Mecca, which predates Islam and was initially a site for various tribal deities. After Muhammad's conquest of Mecca, the Kaaba was dedicated to the worship of one God, becoming the focal point of Islamic worship. The video describes its transformation and significance in Islamic practice.

💡Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are the core practices required of Muslims: Shahada (faith), Salat (prayer), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), Zakat (almsgiving), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). These pillars structure the daily lives and spiritual practices of Muslims, emphasizing submission to God's will. The video explains each pillar and its importance.

💡Sharia

Sharia is the body of Islamic law derived from the Quran and Hadith. It encompasses a range of legal and moral guidelines for Muslims. The video clarifies that Sharia is not a single, monolithic set of laws but has multiple interpretations and applications across different Muslim communities.

💡Hijra

The Hijra refers to Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, marking the start of the Islamic calendar. This event was crucial for the survival and growth of the early Muslim community. The video highlights its significance in consolidating Muhammad's followers and establishing an Islamic state.

💡Caliph

A Caliph is a political and religious leader in Islam, considered the successor to Muhammad. The first Caliph was Abu Bakr, followed by Umar, Uthman, and Ali. The video discusses the role of the caliphs in expanding the Islamic Empire and the origins of the Sunni-Shi'a split.

💡Umma

The Umma is the global community of Muslims bound by their faith. Muhammad's creation of the Umma was a significant shift from tribal affiliations to a unified religious identity. The video emphasizes how this unity was crucial for the early expansion and cohesion of the Islamic Empire.

💡Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire was one of the major powers bordering early Islamic territories. Its conflicts with the Sassanian Empire and eventual losses to Muslim armies were significant in the rapid expansion of Islam. The video uses the Byzantine Empire to illustrate the geopolitical context in which Islam emerged and grew.

Highlights

Introduction to the topic of Islam and its historical context.

Islam's rapid expansion within 200 years, becoming a major religious and political force.

The angel Gabriel's appearance to Muhammad and his initial reaction.

Description of Muhammad's society as intensely tribal and religiously diverse.

The significance of the Kaaba in Mecca and the religious melting pot of Arabia.

Islam as a radical reforming religion, seeking to restore Abrahamic monotheism.

The Quran's acknowledgment of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus as prophets.

The five pillars of Islam: shahada, salat, sawm, zakat, and hajj.

Importance of the hadith as supplementary sacred texts in Islam.

Clarification on the misconception about the 72 virgins in heaven.

Explanation of sharia law and its multiple interpretations.

The concept of umma, the community of believers, and its significance.

The hijra to Medina and the shift in focus from Jerusalem to Mecca.

The emergence of the Sunni and Shi'a sects following Muhammad's death.

Early Islamic empire's military successes and territorial expansions.

Impact of the Islamic empire on trade, learning, and preservation of classical texts.

Transformation of Egypt and the significance of Mecca in Islamic practice.

Teaser for the next episode on the Dark Ages.

Transcripts

Hi there, I’m John Green, this is Crash Course: World History and today we’re going

to talk about Islam, which like Christianity and Judaism grew up on the east coast of the

Mediterranean but unlike Christianity and Judaism is not terribly well understood in

the West. For instance, you probably know what this is and what this is, you probably

don’t know what that is. Google it.

Mr. Green Mr. Green why do you think people know so little about Islamic history?

Did you just ask an interesting non-annoying question, me from the past? I think we don’t

know about early Islamic history because we don’t learn about it, me from the past,

because we don’t learn about it, because we’re taught that our history is the story

of Christianity in Europe, when in fact our history is the story of people on the planet,

so let’s try to learn something today.

[theme music]

So in less than 200 years Islam went from not existing to being the religious and political

organizing principal of one of the largest empires in the world.

And that story begins in the 7th century CE when the angel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad,

a 40-ish guy who made his living as a caravan trader and told him to begin reciting the word of God.

Initially, this freaked Muhammad out, as, you know, it would—but then his wife and

a couple of other people encouraged him and slowly he came to accept the mantle as prophet.

A few things to know about the world Islam entered: First, Muhammad’s society was intensely

tribal. He was a member of the Quraysh tribe, living in Mecca and tribal ties were extremely important.

Also, at the time, the Arabian peninsula was like this crazy religious melting pot. Like

most tribal Arabs worshipped gods very similar to the Mesopotamian gods you’ll remember from episode 3.

And by the time of Muhammad, cult statutes of many of those gods had been collected in

his hometown of Mecca in this temple-like structure called the Kaaba.

But Arabia was also a home for monotheisms like Christianity and Judaism, even a bit

of Zoroastrianism. So the message that there was only god wouldn’t have been like as

surprising to Muhammad as it was, for instance, to Abraham.

Also, and this will become very important, the northern part of Arabia was sandwiched

between the Byzantine Empire and the Persian Sassanian Empire—and you’ll remember,

those guys were always fighting. They were like snowboarders and skiers, or like the

Westboro Baptist Church and everyone else.

At its core, Islam is what we call a radical reforming religion—just like Jesus and Moses

sought to restore Abrahamic monotheism after what they perceived as straying, so too did Muhammad.

Muslims believe that God sent Muhammad as the final prophet to bring people back to

the one true religion, which involves the worship of, and submission to, a single and all-powerful God.

The Quran also acknowledges Abraham and Moses and Jesus among others as prophets, but it’s

very different from the Hebrew and Christian bibles:

For one thing it’s much less narrative, but also its

the written record of the revelations Muhammad received—which means its not written from

the point of view of people, it is seen as the actual word of God.

The Quran is a really broad-ranging text, but it returns again and again to a couple

themes. One is strict monotheism and the other is the importance of taking care of those

less fortunate than you. The Quran, says of the good person

spends his substance—however much he himself may cherish it—upon his near of kin, and

the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the freeing of human

beings from bondage.

These revelations also radically increased the rights of women and orphans, which was

one of the reasons why Mohammad’s tribal leaders weren’t that psyched about them.

To talk more about Islamic faith and practice, let’s go to the Thought Bubble.

The five pillars of Islam are the basic acts considered obligatory, at least by Sunni Muslims.

First is the shahada or the profession of the faith:

There is no god but god and Muhammad is God’s prophet, which is sometimes translated as

“There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s prophet”, which tries to make

Muslims sound other and ignores the fact that the Arabic word for god—whether you are

Christian or Jewish or Muslim—is Allah.

Second, salat, or ritual prayer five times a day—at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset,

and late evening—which are obligatory unless you haven’t hit puberty, are too sick, or

are menstruating. Keep it PG, Thought Bubble.

Third, sawm, the month-long fast during the month of Ramadan, in which Muslims do not

eat or drink or smoke cigarettes during daylight hours.

Since Ramadan is a lunar-calendar month, it moves around the seasons, and obviously it’s

most fun during the winter, when days are shorter, and least fun during the summer,

when days are both long and hot.

Fourth is zakat, or almsgiving, in which non-poor Muslims are required to give a percentage

of their income to the poor,

and lastly hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims must try to fulfill at least once

in their lives, provided they are healthy and have enough money.

And there’s also more to understanding Islam than just knowing the Quran. Like Judaism

with its Talmud, and Christianity with its lives of saints and writings of Church fathers,

Islam has supplementary sacred texts, chief among which is the hadith, a collection of

sayings and stories about the Prophet.

Thanks Thought Bubble. Oh, it’s time for the open letter?

Magic.

An Open Letter to the 72 Virgins. Oh, but first let’s check what’s in the Secret

Compartment. Huh, it’s Andre the Giant. Did you know that Andre the Giant died a virgin-

is a fact that I made up?

Dear 72 Virgins,

Hey there, it’s me, John Green. Did you know that not all hadiths were created equal?

Some sayings of the Prophet are really well sourced. like for instance, a good friend

or a relative heard the Prophet say something and then it ended up as a hadith.

But some hadiths are terribly sourced like, not to be irreverent, but some of it is like

middle school gossip; like Rachel told Rebekah that her sister’s brother’s friend kissed

Justin Bieber on the face.

And the vast majority of Muslims don’t treat terribly sourced hadiths as scripture.

And the idea that you go to heaven and get 72 virgins is not in the Quran; it’s in

a terribly sourced hadith so it is my great regret to inform you, 72 Virgins, that in

the eyes of almost all Muslims you do not exist.

Best wishes, John Green

One more thing about Islam: Like Christianity and Judaism, it has a body of law. You might

have heard of it - it’s called sharia.

Although we tend to think of sharia as this single set of laws that all Muslims follow,

that’s ridiculous; there are numerous competing interpretations of sharia, just as there are

within any legal tradition.

So people who embraced this worldview were called Muslims, because they submitted to

the will of God, and they became part of the umma, or community of believers.

This would be a good moment for an Uma Thurman joke, but sadly she is no longer famous. I’m

sorry if you’re watching this, Uma Thurman.

Being part of the umma trumped all other ties, including tribal ties, which got Muhammad

into some trouble and brings us, at last, back to history.

So as Muhammad’s following in Mecca grew, the umma aroused the suspicion of the most

powerful tribe, the Quraysh.

And it didn’t matter that Muhammad himself was born into the Quraysh tribe because he

wouldn’t shut up about how there was only one God, which was really bad news to the

Quraysh tribe because they managed the pilgrimage trade in Mecca, and if all those gods were

false, it would be a disaster economically.

—although come to think of it, in the end the Meccan pilgrimage business turned out just fine.

So the Quraysh forced Muhammad and his followers out of Mecca in 622 CE, and they headed to

Yithrab, also known as Medina.

This journey, also know as the hijra, is so important that it marks year 0 in the Islamic calendar.

In Medina, Muhammad severed the religion’s ties to Judaism, turning the focus of prayer

away from Jerusalem to Mecca.

Also in Medina, the Islamic community started to look a lot more like a small empire than

like a church. Like, Jesus never had a country to run.

But Muhammad did almost from the beginning. And in addition to being an important prophet,

he was a good general and in 630, the Islamic community took back Mecca.

They destroyed the idols in the kabaa, and soon Islam was as powerful a political force

in the region as it was a religious one.

And it’s because the political and religious coexisted from the beginning, that there’s

no separate tradition of civic and religious law like there is in Christianity and Judaism.

very different from Judaism and even from Christianity—which you’ll remember debated

very different from Judaism and even from Christianity—which you’ll remember debated

for generations whether to be inclusive.

—and more importantly than separating Islam from other monotheisms, that really separated

Islam from the tribalism in Arabia.

So then when Muhammad died in 632 CE, there wasn’t a religious vacuum left behind: Muhammad

was the final prophet, the revelation of the Quran would continue to guide the umma throughout their lives.

But the community did need a political leader, a caliph. And the first caliph was Abu Bakr,

Muhammad’s father-in-law, who was not without his opponents:

Many people wanted Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, to lead the community. And although he did

become the fourth caliph, that initial disagreement — to radically oversimplify because we only have

ten minutes — began the divide between the two of the major sects of Islam: Suuni and Shi’a.

And even today, Sunnis Muslims believe Abu Bakr was rightly elected the first caliph

and Shi’a Muslims believe it should’ve been Ali.

To Sunnis, the first four caliphs—Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali— are known as the

Rightly Guided Caliphs, and many of the conservative movements in the Islamic world today are all

about trying to restore the Islamic world to those glory days, which—like most glory

days—were not unambiguously glorious.

Abu Bakr stabilized the community after Muhammad’s death, and began the process of recording

the Quran in writing,

And started the military campaigns against the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires that within

116 years would allow the Islamic Empire to go from this to this.

His successor Umar was both an uncommonly good general and a brilliant administrator

but like so many other great men, he proved terrible at avoiding assassination.

Which led to the caliphate of Uthman, who standardized the Quran and continued both

his predecessor’s tradition of conquest and his predecessor’s tradition of getting assassinated.

Then Ali finally got his turn at caliph, but his ascension was very controversial, and

it ultimately led to a civil war.

Which eventually led to the emergence of Uthman’s tribe, the Umayyads, as the dynasty ruling

over an ever-expanding Islamic Empire for more than a hundred years.

It’s common to hear that in these early years Islam quote spread by the sword, and

that’s partly true, unless you are — wait for it —

the Mongols.

Actually, as usual, the truth is more complicated:Many people, including the Mongols but also including

lots of people in Central and East Asia, embraced Islam without any military campaigns.

And in fact, the Quran says that religion must not be an act of compulsion, but this

much is true: The early Islamic empire was really good at winning wars.

And situated as they were between two very wealthy empires—the Byzantines and the Sassanians—there

was plenty to fight for.

First to fall was the Sassanians, the last non-Muslim successor to the Persian Empire.

They were relatively easy pickings because they’d been fighting the Byzantines for

like 300 years and were super tired. Also they’d been recently struck by plague.

Plague, man, I’m telling you; It’s like the red tortoise shell of history.

But in those early days they did pry away some valuable territory like Egypt and the

holy land and eventually they got into Spain.

Where various Muslim dynasties would entrench themselves until being expelled in 1492.

But as a good as they were at making war, it’s still tempting to chalk up the Arabs’

success to, you know, the will of God.

And certainly a lot of the people they conquered felt that way. Wars in this part of the world

didn’t just pit people against each other, they also pitted their gods against each other.

So while the Islamic Empire didn’t require its subjects to convert to Islam, their stunning

successes certainly convinced a lot of people that this monotheism thing was legit.

Once again, John Green proving super hip to the slang of today’s young’ns.

Also, you paid lower taxes if you converted, and just as taxes on cigarettes lead to people

not wanting to smoke, taxes on worshiping your idols lead to people not wanting to worship them anymore.

So in a period of time that was, historically speaking, both remarkably recent and remarkably

short, a small group of people from an area of the world with no natural resources managed

to create one of the great empires of the world and also one of its great religions.

And that very fact may be why people of Western European descent remain

largely ignorant about this period.

Not only were the Muslims great conquerors, they spawned an explosion of trade and learning

that lasted hundreds of years.

They saved many of the classical texts that form the basis of the “Western Canon”

while Europe was ignoring them and they paved the way for the Renaissance.

While it’s important to remember that much of the world between Spain and the Indus River

wasn’t Arabized, most of it was so thoroughly Islamized that these days we can’t think

of the world we now call the Middle East without thinking of it as Islamic.

Perhaps the greatest testimony to Islam’s power to organize peoples lives and their

communities is that, in Egypt, 5 times a day millions of people turn away from the Pyramids and toward Mecca.

Egypt, birthplace to one of the longest continuous cultures the world has ever known, is now

the largest Arab country in the world.

Next week we’ll talk about the Dark Ages. Spoiler alert: they were darkest in the evening.

Thanks for watching and we’ll see you next time.

Crash Course is produced and directed by Stan Muller, our script supervisor is Danica Johnson.

The show is written by my high school history teacher Raoul Meyer and myself and our graphics

team is Thought Bubble.

Last week’s Phrase of the Week was “They Might Be Giants”. If you want to guess this

week’s Phrase of the Week or suggest future ones you can do so in Comments where you can

also ask questions about today’s video that our team of historians will endeavor to answer.

Thank you so much for watching and as they say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome.