Report on Century of Islamic Civilization and Culture

Introduction of Century of Islamic Civilization and Culture

The culture is all about the community of humans or the group of people by having the common beliefs, information, knowledge as well as practices. In other words, in a region or a specific area of humans where people make a society with shared values, the same beliefs, as well as the same practices, is known as culture. Although, all of the practices are included generally by the Islamic culture that has formed around Islam. Furthermore, it consists of the Islamic rules or Quranic rules such as the Sharia traditions or the traditions which are not against Islam or not conflicting in any aspect of Islam as well as the prayer, fast, zakat, hajj, and others.

In this paper, the century of 600-700 AD has been selected for indicating what transpired and developed during this period. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that significant events and changes occurred in this century. One of the most important and major incidents that occurred included the passing away of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

Islamic Civilization & Culture of Islamic Civilization and Culture

The Islamic Culture and civilization was started in the 610 after death (AD) as well as that was directly at that time When Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUM) did start to Dawah of Islam in Mecca as well as in Arabic Regions. The teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUM) did inspire the people of Arab and non-Arab regions. Furthermore, an area stretching had been liberated by the Muslims from Aldus to Afghanistan within southern Spain. Although, the culture, trade as well as science did flourish in the state of Islam. According to Jewish professor admitted that all of the prophets were Muslim and described this thing into his the words as:

 “Islam has been the only religion since Adam for all those people who think that Islam was the religion of the Prophet Muhammad. Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Jonah and the final Prophet of God Muhammad were all followers of Islam which means submission to one God never b(not trinity), nor a man, not Jesus but the one true living God that is not born, never dies, never begets and was not begotten”

Furthermore, Islam did unite all of the newly liberated lands as well as introduced the Sharia laws, the common system for tax as well as the coinage system. Sometimes the Christians and Jews paid the necessary taxes, and the Muslims paid zakat while the Christian community and Jewish communities were free to go with their religious systems as well as they were free to run their religious affairs in their communities (Grunebaum, 2017).

A new unity system was brought and introduced by Islam for the tribes and the traders of the people of the Arabian Region. In the Middle East and beyond, the Arab armies spread Islam, which was led by the Caliph. It did really provide the help that their major enemies in Eastern Europe named as Byzantines as well as in Iran named as Sassanids were weakened by fighting each other. Moreover, the Muslim preachers, pilgrims, traders, as well as the intermarriages did spread the teachings of Islam and the introduced civilization and culture of Islam.

Founder of Islamic Civilization and Culture

The whole research on the Islamic civilization tells that the greatest unifying agent and driver of the Islamic civilization was Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born at Mecca. Before his birth, his father (Abdullah) died while at the age of six, his mother (Amina) was also passed away. Mecca was one of the most flourishing group cities in tread at the time of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In very simple words, the tribal societies of the desert did govern in the city of Mecca. Furthermore, blood descent identifies the memberships within the tribe. To those of the tribes or the group, it did always subordinate the interests of every single person.

Every group of people did worship their own gods or idols or any other type of objects or the animal beings such as snake, dog, cat, sky, sun, moon as well as ram during the period of the jahiliya as well as they fixed their ancestors idols and idols of their gods into the Kaaba. At the age of 25, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was married. He was a social activist who did never step back to help the poor and needy people. For the formation of the Islamic culture, he did introduced and uncover the significance of education to every child and adult as well as given the rights to every woman. He was the very first person who did raise his voice for the rights of every single person in the world, whether the person is male or female. The best system for marriage was introduced, which empowered every human in the world that he or she can marry where they want with the permission of their parents (Gibb, 2013).

Furthermore on the formation of the Islamic civilization, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did uncover every aspect of life whether it was related to values, beliefs, educations, rights of human, animal rights, the rights of the woman or man, rights of a wife or husband, rights of the children or parent as well as all the rights were clearly defined and described by Prophet Muhammad (PBUM) on the order of Allah. Even the methods of doing business and trade were also defined by him. In short, the Prophet did give every information on every aspect of knowledge as well as by teaching ethics; he did make the Islamic Civilization and culture that was very strong and useful for everyone.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that in the century of 600-700 AD, the Holy Prophet (SAW) played the most important role in disseminating knowledge and spreading the teachings of Islam. After he endured persecution in Mecca, the followers of Holy Prophet (SAW) and the Holy Prophet (SAW) himself migrated to Median where Islam was accepted by people. Emigration was marked by it and the Islamic calendar began with it. The Holy Prophet (SAW) established an Islamic state in Medina which was based on the laws that were revealed in the Holy Book of Quran. Eventually, other nations and tribes were invited by him to Islam as well. In 630, he returned to Mecca with a huge number of followers and because of his peaceful ways, Islam was accepted by citizens. Idols were cleared out by the Holy Prophet (SAW) and rededicated Kaaba.

It was in 633 that the Holy Prophet (SAW) passed away and Abu Bakr (RA) was elected as his successor or Caliph. In 638, Muslims entered northern Arabia which included areas such as Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. In 641, Muslims traveled to the region of Egypt and Byzantine army was defeated by them. In 1655, the people of North Africa were also exposed to Islam and they eventually accepted the noble ways of the religion. Finally, in 661, Imam Ali (RA) was killed which brought an end to four righteous caliphs and their rule. With this, the rule of Umayyad was marked.

Methods utilized for Disseminating Knowledge

            It was made obligatory by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for the people who acquired knowledge to transmit the knowledge further to people who didn’t possess that information. During the time period of 600-700 AD, people who gained new information were not allowed to hold that information only to them. With the use of this method, information was passed on to numerous people and this played an important role in spreading Islamic teachings and values. As time passed, this became a Prophetic method of transmitting knowledge and information from a generation to the other. It was this responsibility of knowledge dissemination which impelled the Holy Prophet (SAW) to use different means of communication. Deputations, for instance, were received by him and they were instructed in Islam.

            An important role in the spread of Islamic civilization and culture was played by missionaries and teachers who were sent to other nations to disseminate their knowledge. Therefore, it can be said that the Holy Prophet (SAW) took significant steps for conveying religious percepts. Some other methods of disseminating knowledge included traveling to other nations with the intention of researching about Hadith, memorization, and reading a specific book when the sheikh is absent.

            With the death of Holy Prophet (SAW) in 632 AD, caliphs ruled Muslims and with the spread of Islam, the caliphs had a significant spiritual and political authority. And in the reign of the fourth Caliph, two Islamic rival traditions emerged. These traditions were the Shi'a and Sunni. This division indicated that an individual caliph could not rule the whole Islamic world. It can be said that the Abbasids and Umayyads were the caliphs’ dynasties. Umayyads ruled Islam from 661 and the Abbasid came into power. At Baghdad, this type of caliphs were based which gradually became the prosperous center of an artistic and trading capital of Islamic world. In 711, the southern Spain was conquered by the Muslim armies. At Andalus was the title which was bestowed to southern Spain and it became one of the richest European countries. The Moors or Muslims brough new crops like new technology, cotton, almonds, and oranges. Christian rulers were responsible for breaking Granada which was considered the last surviving kingdom of Islam (Kirk, 2016).

            During this era, the early literature was in Arabic as it was the language of communities made by the Holy Prophet (SAW) in Medina and Mecca. Since the early Muslim community was focused on the establishment of Islamic religion, the literary output was only religious in nature. The earliest literature was also formed by Hadith and Quran. And as the Umayyad Empire was established, the development of secular literature occurred. Although this literature didn’t possess religious content, this type of secular literature was expanded and spread by Arabs. And thus, it became a significant part of the widespread culture.

Conclusion of Century of Islamic Civilization and Culture

            Overall, it can be said that the actual spread and transfer of Islamic teachings and culture began in the period of 600-700. It was during this period that the Holy Prophet (SAW) made it obligatory for those who possessed Islamic knowledge to spread the information to those people who didn't possess. It was the beginning of spread of Islam and as scholars visited neighboring areas and regions, knowledge was disseminated to foreign people. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the century of 600-700 AD is considered one of the most important periods in the history of Islam because during this period, some important developments occurred in Islam. One of the most important is the Prophecy of the Holy Prophet (SAW) in 610. With this, the development and spread began and gradually, followers were gained.

References of Century of Islamic Civilization and Culture

Gibb, H. A. (2013). Studies on the Civilization of Islam. Routledge.

Grunebaum, G. E. (2017). Classical Islam: A History, 600 AD To 1258 AD. Routledge.

Kirk, G. E. (2016). A short history of the Middle East: from the rise of Islam to modern times. Routledge.