This is the first half of a two-quarter sequence studying the evolution of politics, society, and culture in the Islamic world from its origins ca. 600 C.E. down to the rise of the last great Muslim empires in Eurasia ca. In this quarter we will examine the three centuries from 600 to 945, the formative period of Islamic society and culture. Rather, we will emphasize the ways in which Muslims understood and interpreted these events. So, we will mainly examine the stories they told, and the political, social, and religious ideas they developed in response to the great events and crises of their times.
Caliphs come and go overnight, after all, but concepts and values can have a very long shelf life.
There is nothing merely antiquarian about the problems covered in this course. The first three centuries of Islam pose many crucial questions for our understanding of world history. Moreover, almost every issue which vexes the Islamic world today has its roots, or at least a clear precedent, in the formative period. Contemporary Muslims appeal constantly to this period for guidance in politics, law, social and personal morality, and religious beliefs. If we hope to understand what modern Muslims are trying to say and do, a solid grasp of events and ideas during the era 600-900 is absolutely essential.