Unit 4. Islam and Al-Andalus

Cristóbal Marín

I.E.S. FERNANDO III EL SANTO / PROYECTO BILINGÜE A.N.L.: GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 33

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY UNIT 4: ISLAM AND AL-ANDALUS

,ا�س��م ا ن��دلس

UNIT 4: ISLAM AND AL-ANDALUS

OUTLINE

ASPECTOS LINGÜÍSTICOS VOCABULARY

1 - NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND MUHAMMAD • THE ARABIAN PENINSULA • MAKKAH • MUHAMMAD • THE HIJRAH • ACTIVITIES

2 - THE QURAN AND THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

• THE QURAN • THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM • ACTIVITIES

3 - EXPANSION OF ISLAM

• THE FOUR RIGHTEOUS CALIPHS. • THE HOLY WAR • UMAYYAD AND ABASSID DINASTIES • ACTIVITY

4 - STATE SYSTEM

• THE MAIN PUBLIC FIGURES • ACTIVITIES

5 - ISLAMIC ART AND BUILDINGS • GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS • PARTS OF A MOSQUE • PALACES • ACTIVITIES

6 - AL-ANDALUS (ISLAM IN SPAIN)

• MUSLIM CONQUEST • ABD-AL-RAHMAN I • THE CALIPHATE OF CORDOBA • TAIFAS, ALMORAVIDS, ALMOHADS • ACTIVITIES

7- AGRICULTURE AND ECONOMY

• CHARACTERISTICS • ACTIVITIES

8 – SOCIETIES AND CITIES

• GROUPS OF THE SOCIETY IN AL-ANDALUS

• PARTS OF A CITY • ACTIVITIES

9 - VOCABULARY

PASADO SIMPLE: NEGATIVA E INTERROGATIVA.

PREPOSICIONES DE MOVIMIENTO. VERBOS CON PREPOSICIÓN: PASAR A TRAVÉS DE UN TÚNEL…

CONECTORES TEMPORALES: PRIMERO, DESPUÉS...

EL IMPERATIVO: INSTRUCCIONES PARA LA REALIZACIÓN DE UN TRABAJO MANUAL.

/EI/ /əU/ /aI/

/ɔ I/ /Iə/ /eə/

• AUBERGINE • ADVISOR • ARTICHOKE • CALIPH • CITADEL • FASTING • HOLY WAR • JAWS • MOSQUE • MUSLIM • OBEY • PILGRIMAGE • TO PRAY • TO PREACH • PROPHET • QURAN • RIGHTEOUS • THE HIJRAH • TO TRAVEL • VIZIER

PHONETICS

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1 – NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND MUHAMMAD

Arabia is a large peninsula in the

South-West of Asia. It is situated between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Arabia is mostly desert. The heat is intense and there are sandstorms. Water is only found in oases (green areas fed by underground water). Not all of Arabia is a desert; there are also mountains in the South-West. It was in this area that Islam was born and developed.

Many Arabs lived in villages near oases or in the mountain valleys. There were farmers, and there were merchants as well. These merchants transported goods across the desert. They travelled in caravans (a group of travelling merchants and animals).

Arabia was important in the trade between India and the

Mediterranean Sea. One city in this route was Makkah (or Mecca), a crossroads for merchants and also an important religious place. In Makkah was the Kaaba, a square building with statues of gods and goddesses. Inside the building was also a black stone, believed to have fallen from heaven. This is why pilgrims used to go to Makkah.

Muhammad was born in Makkah in 570. His childhood was not easy. His family was poor and his father

had died before he was born. First his grandfather and later his uncle took care of him. As a teenager he worked in trade with his uncle and became a successful merchant. He married a rich widow named Khadijah and they had children. This marriage made him a wealthy man and an important person among the merchants of Makkah.

Muhammad used to go

to a cave in the hills to meditate about life and about the problems that existed in Makkah. In this cave, he said he was visited by an angel who told him he was the messenger of God and that he had to preach a new religion: Islam, which means “surrendering to the will of Allah”. In Makkah he started to tell people to destroy statues of false gods and to worship only Allah, the one true God. He also preached that rich people should give to the poor.

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Soon this message spread and he had

many followers. Makkah’s leaders did not like Muhammad’s ideas and made his life difficult. He moved to another town -Yathrib- in 622 A.D. This year marks the starting point of the Muslim calendar and is known as the Hijrah. The city of Yathrib welcomed Muhammad and his followers, and its name was changed to Madinah. Muhammad ruled Madinah and created an Islamic state and an army. With this army Muhammad conquered Makkah in 630 and made it the holy city of Islam. From here the new religion of Islam spread. � Activities: - Answer these questions:

• What is Arabia like? Describe its natural features.

• What are caravans? • Where was Muhammad born? • Why did Muhammad have to leave Makkah? • What is the name of this abandoning?

- Calculate approximately the correspondence between Islamic years and the Gregorian years 2010, 1789, 1453. Keep in mind this formula: I = G 622 + (G 622 / 32). I is the Islamic year and G is the Gregorian year.

2 – THE QURAN AND THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

The Quran is the holy book of Islam, God’s written word. The

Quran contains guidelines for Muslims’ lives. People are expected to obey God’s laws if they want to be blessed in the afterlife.

There are five basic rules a Muslim has to follow. They are called the Five Pillars of Islam. These are:

1. Belief (Shahadah): Muslims must declare that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is his prophet.

2. Ritual/Prayer (Salah): Muslims must pray five times a day facing towards Makkah.

3. Charity (Zakah): Muslims must give to the poor. 4. Pilgrimage (Hajj): Muslims must visit Makkah once in

their lifetime if possible. 5. Fasting (Sawn): Muslims mustn’t eat or drink from

dawn to dusk during the sacred month of Ramadan.

Image from: http://www.astromeditions.com/images/91-7916-024-7B.jpg

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� Activities: - Answer these questions:

• What is the Quran? Can you give examples of other similar books?

• Look at the picture on the right and answer. What are the Five Pillars of Islam in English? 1 Shahadah: 2 Salah: 3 Zakah: 4 Sawm: 5 Hajj:

3 – EXPANSION OF ISLAM

� Activity: - With the help of the top map, write the principal zones of expansion of Islam in this map.

The first four caliphs were people close to Muhammad. They were called the Four Righteous Caliphs. They continued the expansion of Islam through the Holy War: westward to the Iberian Peninsula; eastward to river Indo. From 661 to 750 the power was under the Umayyad family. In the year 750 the Umayyad family was killed by Abbasid family and they established the Abassid Caliphate.

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4 – STATE SYSTEM

This was efficient and well-organized. The main public figures were: o Caliph: spiritual head and temporal ruler. o Vizier or Hajib: political advisor to the Caliph, a kind of Prime

Minister. o Wali or Emir: regional governor with civil and military powers. o Cadi: judge, he rules over religious and secular matters. � Activities:

- Write the correct term of the following definitions:

- Look for information and write the names of one caliph from the Four Righteous Caliphs; one caliph from Umayyad family; and one caliph from Abbasid family.

5 – ISLAMIC ART AND BUILDINGS

Muslims are not allowed to show images of living creatures, but sometimes they have broken this rule. Islamic designs are based on flowers, leaves, geometrical patterns and calligraphy (the use of artistic lettering). With these elements they decorate walls, books, rugs and buildings.

The most important building in the Islamic world is the Mosque. This is where Muslims pray. Mosques were centers of religious and daily life: they were places of worship and also meeting places, schools and courts. The main parts of a mosque are: o Reception hall. o Large courtyard with an ablutions

fountain where Muslims wash before praying to show respect for God.

o Minarets or towers, from where Muslims are called to pray.

• Political advisor to the Caliph:……………………………... • Judge:………………………………………………………… • Temporal ruler:……………………………………….,…….. • Regional governor:………………………………………….. • He rules over religious and secular matters:………......... • Spiritual head:……………………………………………..... • A type of Prime Minister:………………………………….... • He has civil and military powers:…………………………..

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o Prayer hall. o Quibla: a wall inside the Mosque. o Mihrab: a niche in the quibla wall that indicates the direction of Makkah.

Another important building is the Palace. Palaces were organized around courtyards. They had fountains and pools and were surrounded by their own walls. Examples in Spain are the Alhambra in Granada and Medinat al -Zahra in Córdoba.

� Activities: - Look for information about the Mosque of Cordoba and answer these questions: • Who was the caliph that ordered the building? • How long did its construction take? • How many enlargements were made in this mosque? • What is the name of the caliph who ordered each one

of those enlargements? • Who ordered the building of the cathedral that is

inside? - Indicate in the plan on the right the main parts that can be identified in a mosque, namely: 1 Courtyard; 2 Minaret; 3 Prayer hall; 4 Quibla; 5 Mihrab. Write each number in its correct place.

6 – AL-ANDALUS (ISLAM IN SPAIN)

Al-Andalus is the name given to the territory conquered by

the Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula. In April 711, a Muslim army led by Tariq ibn Zayad entered the Iberian Peninsula from the South. The invading forces were mainly Berber tribesmen from the North of Africa under Arab leadership. They defeated Rodrigo, the Visigoth, in Guadalete. After that battle the Muslims had little opposition from the Visigoths and moved rapidly to the north and occupied the territory.

By the year 714, Muslims were in control of all of the Iberian Peninsula except for a narrow strip on the Northern coast. They even went across the Pyrenees, but were defeated by the Franks in Poitiers in 732. In this way the Iberian Peninsula became part of the Umayyad Empire, which had its capital in Damascus.

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In 755 something changed: the Abbassid family took

power over the Umayyads and moved the capital from Damascus to Baghdad. One member of the Umayyad family, however, escaped and came to Al-Andalus. His name was Abd-al-Rahman I, and he proclaimed himself emir of Al-Andalus, politically independent from Baghdad.

One of his successors, Abd-al-Rahman III proclaimed himself Caliph, this meant that Al-Andalus was completely independent. This period is considered to be the Golden Age of Al-Andalus. Córdoba was the capital, a large and prosperous city.

By the 11th century, the Caliphate had declined and the territory was fragmented into small kingdoms (or Taifas). The strongest Taifas conquered the smaller ones and dominated large territories, but there was no unity.

Christian kingdoms from the North took advantage of this situation and started moving south. Almoravids and Almohads (Muslims) couldn’t stop the Christians either.

Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula ended in 1492, when the kingdom of Granada (the last Muslim kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula) surrendered to the Catholic Kings in 1492. � Activities:

- Answer these questions:

• What is Al-Andalus? Was it big or small? • What are Baghdad and Damascus? • How long was the Caliphate of Cordoba? • What are Taifas? • Which Muslim kingdom was the last one in the Iberian

Peninsula? - Look for information about Abd-al-Rahman III and his time.

• In what year was he born and in what year did he die?...................................................................... • What is the name of his father?............................................................................................................. • How many years was he an Emir and how many years was he a Caliph?

.............................................................. • When did he found the Caliphate of Cordoba?...................................................................................... • What is the name of the palace city that he founded?........................................................................... • Between what years was it founded and where?................................................................................

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• What was the name of his successor?...................................................................................................

7 – AGRICULTURE AND ECONOMY

Muslims had a good agricultural system based on irrigation techniques (which increased farmland) and on an expert knowledge of advanced agricultural methods. They knew for example how to fight insect pests, how to use fertilizers and how to create new plant varieties.

Muslims imported their techniques and crops from the Middles East (like sugar cane, cotton, rice, oranges, artichokes, spinach, aubergines, carrots and exotic plants).

� Activities: - Answer these questions:

• On what was the Muslims agriculture system based? • What knowledge about agriculture did Muslims have?

- Name some of the crops Muslims brought to the Iberian Peninsula.

8 – SOCIETY AND CITIES

The people that the Muslims found in the Iberian Peninsula were Christian Visigoths. They didn’t put up much resistance to domination and Muslims respected the presence of other religions in the territory. They were tolerant towards Christians and Jews.

At first Muslims didn’t encourage conversions to Islam. Non-Muslims paid heavier taxes and had fewer rights than the Muslim population. Later, Christians converted so that they didn’t have to pay taxes and had better political and economic opportunities.

The most important group in society was the Arab conquerors and their descendants. They owned the best lands and ruled the territory.

- Berbers (also Muslims) had fewer privileges. - Mozarabs were Christians who did not convert to Islam. They

paid more taxes and some of them moved to the Christian kingdoms of the North.

- Muladies were converted Christians. They adopted the religion, language and customs of the invaders, in some cases to avoid paying taxes and to have more political and economical opportunities

- Jews lived in separated areas inside the cities. Their role in the economy was important.

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The spread of Islam had an impact on urban development. Islamic cities adapted to the topography and

were surrounded by walls with some gates. The town plan consisted of narrow winding streets. Economic activity and public spaces were separated from the residential area. o The area inside the walls was called medina in Al-Andalus. Generally, this was the residential area. o The main mosque was located at the heart of the town and was usually surrounded by the souq or

market. o Markets (souks) were the centre of the economic activity of the town. Goods were spatially distributed

according to their nature. o The Citadel (alcazar), usually located in the highest part of the town, was the palace of the governor. It

was surrounded by its own walls and had its own mosque. o Outside the walls were the cemeteries, gardens and farming fields. � Activities: - Briefly explain each of the groups we find in the Al-Andalus society. - Describe synthetically a city of Al-Andalus. - Write the names of the different parts with their corresponding numbers.

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9 – VOCABULARY

English Pronunciation Spanish A

Ablutions fountain sust. y sust. /ə'blu:ʃəns/ /'faʊnt�n/ Fuente de abluciones

Advisor sust. /əd'va�zər/ Consejero-a

Afterlife sust. /'ɑ::::ftəla�f/ Vida después de la muerte, vida eterna, el más allá

to Allow verb. /ə'laʊ/ Permitir, dejar

Among prep. /ə'm�ŋ/ Entre

Army sust. /'ɑ:rmi/ Ejército

Artichoke sust. /'ɑ:rtətʃəʊk/ Alcachofa

Aubergine sust. /'əʊbər�i:n/ Berenjena

to Avoid verb. /ə'v��d/ Evitar, eludir

B

Belief sust. /b�'li:f/ Creencia

Between sust. /b�'twi:n/ Entre

to Bless verb. /bles/ Bendecir

To be Born verb. /'b�:rn / Nacer

to Break verb. /bre�k/ Romper, quebrar

C

Caliphs sust. /�kā-l�fs/ Califas

Cave sust. /ke�v/ Cueva

Cemeteries sust. /'semətri:s/ Cementerios

Charity sust. /'tʃærəti/ Caridad

Childhood sust. /'tʃa�ldhʊd/ Infancia, niñez

Citadel sust. /'s�tədəl/ Alcazar, citadel

Cotton sust. /'k$tən/ Algodón

Courtyards sust. /'k�::::tjɑ::::ds/ Patio

Crossroads sust. /'kr$srəʊdz/ Encrucijadas, cruces de caminos

D

Daily life adj. y sust. /'de�li/ /la�f/ Vida diaria

Dawn sust. /d�:n/ Amanecer

to Declare verb. /d�'kler/ Declarar

Deserted adj. /d�'z&:rt�d/ Desierto, desértico

to Destroy verb. /d�'str��/ Destruir

Dusk sust. /d�sk/ Anochecer, crepúsculo

E

Eastward adj. /'i:stwərd/ Hacia el este, en dirección al este

Efficient adj. /�'f�ʃənt/ Eficiente, eficaz

to Encourage verb. /�n'k�r�d�/ Animar, alentar

to Escape verb. /�'ske�p/ Escaparse, fugarse

to Establish verb. /�'stæbl�ʃ/ Establecer, fundar

to Expect verb. /�k'spekt/ Exigir

F

Facing adj. /'fe�s�ŋ/ Orientado

Fasting sust. /fɑ:st�ŋ/ Ayuno

Father sust. /'fɑ:ðər Padre

Fewer rights adj. y sust. /�f�ü-ər/ /ra�ts/ Menores derechos

Figures sust. /'f�gjərs/ Figuras, personajes públicos

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Followers sust. /'fɑ:ləʊər/ Seguidores-as

G

Gardens sust. /'gɑ:rdn+/ Jardines, huertas

to Give verb. /g�v/ Dar

Golden Age adj. y sust. /'gəʊldən/ /e�d�/ Edad dorada, de oro

Grandfather sust. /'græn,fɑ:ðər/ Abuelo

Guidelines sust. /'ga�dla�ns/ Pautas, directrices

Gulf sust. /g�lf/ Golfo

H

Heat sust. /hi:t/ Calor

Heaven sust. /'hevən/ Cielo

Holy adj. /'həʊli/ Sagrado-a, Santo-a

I

to Increase veb. /�n'kri:s/ Aumentar, incrementar

to Indicate verb. /'�nd�ke�t/ Indicar, señalar

Intense adj. /�n'tens/ Intenso

Invading adj. /�n've�d�ŋ/ Invasor-a

j

Jews sust. /dʒu:s/ Judíos-as

Judge sust. /d��d�/ Juez-a

L

Leadership sust. /'li:dərʃ�p/ Liderazgo

Leaves sust. /li:vs/ Hojas

to Lead verb. /li:d/ Guiar, llevar

Lettering sust. /'letər�ŋ/ Caracteres, letras

M

to Mark verb. /mɑ::::k/ Marcar

to Meditate verb. /'med�te�t/ Meditar sobre algo

Meeting places sust. y sust. /'mi:t�ŋ/ Lugares de reunión, de encuentro

Merchants sust. /'m&:rtʃənts/ Mercaderes, comerciantes

Messenger sust. /'mes�n+d�ər/ Mensajero-a

Mosque sust. /m$sk/ Mezquita

Muslim sust.y adj. /'mʊzl�m/ Musulman

Mostly adv. /'məʊstli/ En su (la) mayor parte, en su (la) mayoría

Must verb. /m�st/ Deber, haber de

N

Near adj o adv. /n�ə(r)/ Cerca, próximo, cercano, cerca de, cercano a

Niche sust. /ni:ʃ/ Nicho, hornacina

O

Oasis sust. /əʊ'e�s�s/ Oasis

to Obey verb. /ə'be�/ Obedecer

Once adv. /w�ns/ Una vez

to Own sufijo /əʊnd/ Tener, ser dueño de, poseer

P

Pattern sust. /'pætərn/ Diseño, dibujo

Pests sust. /pests/ Plagas

Pilgrimage sust. /'p�lgr�m�d�/ Peregrinación

Pilgrims sust. /'p�lgr�ms/ Peregrino-a

Pillars sut. /'p�lərs/ Pilares

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Pools sust. /pu:ls/ Piscina, alberca, estanque

to Pray verb. /pre�/ Rezar, orar

Prayer sust. /preə(r)/ Rezo, oración

to Preach verb. /pri:tʃ/ Predicar, dar un sermón

Prophet sust. /'pr$f�t/ Profeta-isa

Q

Quran sust. (nombre propio) /Ku:rən/ Corán

R

Rapidly adv. /'ræp�dli/ Rapidamente

Righteous adj. /'ra�tʃəs/ Recto-a, rectos-as, honrado-a, honrados-as

Rug sust. /r�g/ Alfombra, alfombrilla, tapete

Rule sust. /ru:l/ Regla, norma

S

Sacred adj. /'se�kr�d/ Sagrado-a

Sandstorms sust. /'sændst�::::ms/ Tormentas de arena

Should verb. /ʃʊd/ Debería, deberías, debiera

Situated adj. /'s�tjʊe�t�d/ Situado-a, ubicado-a

Soon adv. /su:n/ Pronto, dentro de poco

Souks sust. /�su:ks/ Zocos

Spatially adv. /'spe�ʃəl�/ Espacialmente, en el espacio

to Spread verb. /spred/ Extender, expandir

Square sust. /skweə(r)/ Plaza

to Start verb. /stɑ:rt/ Empezar, comenzar, iniciar

Statue sust. /'stætju:/ Estatua

Sugar cane sust.y sust. /'ʃʊgər/ /ke�n/ Caña de azúcar

Surrendering adj. /sə'rendər�n/ Entregado-a (os-as), Redido-a (os-as)

Surrounded adj /sə'raʊnd�d/ Rodeado-a

T

to Take care of verb. (phrasal verb) /te�k/ /keə(r)/ /ɑ:v/ Cuidar de, preocuparse de

Taxes sust. /tæks�s/ Impuestos, tasas

Towards prep. /tə'w�::::dz, t�::::dz/ Hacia

to Travel verb. /'trævəl/ Viajar

Travelling adj. /'trævəl�ŋ/ Viajantes, viajeros-as

U

Uncle sust. /'�ŋkəl/ Tío

Underground adj. /'�ndərgraʊnd/ Subterraneo-a

V

Vizier sust. /vi�zi:r/ Visir

W

Wealthy adj. /'welθi/ Adinerado-a, acaudalado-a, rico-a

Westward adj. /'westwərd/ Hacia el oeste, en dirección al oeste

Widow sust. /'w�dəʊ/ Viuda

Worship sust. /'w&:rʃəp / Adoración, culto a

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Caravana 1: http://www.arthursclipart.org/transport/land/caravan%20camel.gif Caravana 2: http://www.clker.com/cliparts/4/0/3/0/1195439663140698541camel_john_olsen_01.svg.hi.png Hégira mapa: http://www.raqs.co.nz/me/graphics/map622.gif Astrónomos islámicos: http://roshnipk.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Muslim-Astronomers-Muslim-Scientists-Islam-and-Science.jpg Corán 1: http://www.kidspast.com/images/quran.jpg Corán 2: http://www.eldiario24.com/uploads/editorial/2010/09/08/imagenes/53737_coran.jpg Caligrafía islámica 1: http://www.vocfm.co.za/public/images/upload_images/calligraphy.jpg Caligrafía islámica 2: http://www.islamicknowledge.net/images/1615d1151065482-arabic-calligraphy-iqra-bisme.jpg Cinco pilares del Islam: http://surreyisoc.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/5-pillars-of-islam1.jpg Expansión islámica 1: http://sites.google.com/site/gruelephant/_/rsrc/1243434961410/Home/islamic%20empire.png Expansión islámica 2: http://www.cambridgeblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/muslim-expansion.jpg Mezquita 1: http://visual.merriam-webster.com/society/religion/mosque_1.php Mezquita 2: http://visual.merriam-webster.com/society/religion/mosque_2.php Al-Andalus mapa: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x_2-4Ucxvvc/TB8mf1Pz9bI/AAAAAAAAALQ/vt1C3n6qYws/s1600/AlAndalusMap2-349x327.jpg Guadalete: http://layijadeneurabia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/alandalus2.jpg Abd-al-Rahman I: http://www.biografica.info/fotos/ABD2.png Abd-al-Rahman III: http://www.historiadelarte.us/graphic/islam/La%20corte%20de%20Abderraman.jpg Medinat al-Zahra 1: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/151905723_b659f2ac5a.jpg Medinat al-Zahra 2: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/2041288160_17a1b204f5_o.jpg Mezquita de Córdoba: http://www.mezquitadecordoba.org/img/MEZQUITA%20CORDOBA%204.jpg Ciudad en Al-Andalus: http://html.rincondelvago.com/0007241512.jpg Sociedad: http://html.rincondelvago.com/0007241512.jpg Mezquita planta: http://alikant.galeon.com/plantaacordoba.jpg Sociedad Al-Andalus: http://abenyusuf.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/musicamorocristiano.JPG Evolución de los territorios de Al-Andalus: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FQioMxWhi24/RvFa7gEFiKI/AAAAAAAAA60/vNJsgnl_Vag/s400/alandalus.gif Agricultura árabe: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0tM4t9G0Oc8/TJPBzmXbOxI/AAAAAAAAAEE/XxpCAqrSZoA/s1600/agricultura_arabe_al_andalus.jpg

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Unit 4. Islam and Al-Andalus