Foundations of the islamic conquest
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• Mecca functions from early stages as a market town reliant on trade for economic prosperity – pilgrimage to shrine of Ka’ba reason for importance.
• End of 6^th century dominates lucrative West African transit network - Quraysh dominates transit trade in slaves and spices - contacts from Syrian entrepots to Yemen. Social and economic alliances with numerous nomadic groups in the region – enabling safe passage Meccan caravans – virtually every resident of Mecca contributes to trading capital. Clans of Umayya and Makhzum grew particularly wealthy – profit sharing able to translate some of their economic influence into political influence.
• Why? Decline southern Arabian competitors? Shift land routes? Meccan traders into true financiers - organizing men and money to realise their commercial objectives. Class of men with well-developed managerial and organizational skills.
• Muhammad leading young men of Mecca –diplomatic tact, active in caravan trade, self-control aided spread of commercial and political influence. Deliberate and reflective on wealth differences and given to solitary contemplation.
• 610 – Muhammad ends promising merchant and tribesmen future. Visited by Archangel Gabriel and Muhammad sees future as a prophet. But one god and all equal under God – sin to oppress poor and weak. Everyone judged eventually.
• Quraysh not overly happy – heaven and hell? Was condemnation of tribal ancestry? First followers mostly poor social indistinguishable individuals – given protection by father as suffered humiliation of kinship etc. Converted businessmen to Islam from Medina and 622 Muhammad and followers emigrated there.
• Muhammad quickly consolidates power and emerges as dominant political chief of Medina.
• Not like Mansib in normal Harem – Muhammad’s Medina displayed much greater cohesiveness - new ideology and gradual rise of new institutional and organizational arrangements – grew into a new state – much better relations with tribal confederations etc. No problem creating confederation – bigger problem maintaining it.
• Can’t given definitive date but by end of career Muhammad controlled a polity main characteristics of state: high degree centralisation, primacy of law or centralised higher authority in the settlement of disputes, institutions to perform administrative functions. 622 for convenience.
• Appearance Islamic state unparalleled in history of peninsula - integrative power of acting on raw material of Arabian society unleashed expansive military potential of peninsula and generated Islamic conquest – transformed face of ancient world irrevocably Need to understand why integrative power? Ideological and organisational aspects of developing new state.

Other Notes in this Category

1. A tribal society
2. Abu Bakr and Ridda wars
3. Causes of Islamic Conquest
4. Conclusions
5. Economics and Social Relations
6. Foundations of the islamic conquest
7. Introductory Points
8. muhammad’s consolidation
9. Muhammad’s Teachings
10. Political life in northern and central arabia
11. Religious Aristocracies
12. State and society in pre-islamic arabia
13. The early islamic world – patricia crone
14. The New Ruling Elite
15. The State and the Nomads
16. Tribe and state in arabia

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