Crossroads to Islam: The Origins of the Arab Religion and the Arab StateIn this controversial exploration of the early history of Islam, archaeologist Yehuda D. Nevo and researcher Judith Koren present a revolutionary theory of the origins and development of the Islamic state and religion. Whereas most works on this subject derive their view of the history of this period from the Muslim literature, Crossroads to Islam also examines important types of evidence hitherto neglected: the literature of the local (Christian) population, archaeological excavations, numismatics, and especially rock inscriptions. These analyses lay the foundation for a radical view of the development of Islam.According to Nevo and Koren, the evidence suggests that the Arabs were in fact pagan when they assumed power in the regions formerly ruled by the Byzantine Empire. They contend that the Arabs took control almost without a struggle, because Byzantium had effectively withdrawn from the area long before. After establishing control, the new Arab elite adopted a simple monotheism influenced by Judaeo-Christianity, which they encountered in their newly acquired territories, and gradually developed it into the Arab religion. Not until the mid-8th century was this process completed.This interpretation of the evidence corroborates the view of other scholars, who on different grounds propose that Islam and the canonized version of the Koran were preceded by a long period of development. This new view turns on its head the traditional history of the rise of Islam, which claims that Islam began with Muhammad in Mecca and Medina around 622; then spread throughout Arabia under his charismatic leadership; and finally, after Muhammad''s death (632), inspired his followers to conquer widespread territories both in the East and West. By contrast, Nevo and Koren suggest that the rise of the Arab state created a need for a state religion, eventually called Islam.This absorbing and controversial rethinking of Islam''s early history is must reading for students and scholars of Islamic history and anyone interested in the origins of the world''s second largest religion. |
Contents
THE BACKGROUND | 15 |
The Byzantine East on the Eve of Invasion | 27 |
The Role of the Church | 51 |
The Demographic Background | 67 |
THE TAKEOVER AND THE RISE OF | 85 |
The Evidence of Contemporary Texts | 103 |
The Evidence of the Coins | 137 |
A Suggested | 155 |
The Chosen Prophet | 247 |
Mohammedanism and Walīds Islām | 271 |
Religious Development | 297 |
Scripture and Salvation History | 337 |
APPENDICES | 355 |
B Chronology of alŠām | 361 |
| 427 | |
| 451 | |
Other editions - View all
Crossroads to Islam: The Origins of the Arab Religion and the Arab State Yehuda D. Nevo,Judith Koren No preview available - 2003 |
Crossroads to Islam: The Origins of the Arab Religion and the Arab State Yehuda D. Nevo,Judith Koren No preview available - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
7th century Abbasid Abd al-Malik Abraham accepted al-jannah al-Šām Allah Amen Lord Arab Arab religion Arabia archaeological Basic Text battle belief Brock Byzantine Byzantium caliph century C.E. Chalcedonian Chapter Christian church coins concept conquest contemporary cult Damascus datable desert discussed Dome early eastern provinces élite emperor empire epigraphic evidence fact faith foederati forgive formula God's Greek Heraclius Hijāz Hišām's Hoyland Ibid included Indeterminate Monotheism Islam jannah Jerusalem Jesus Judeo-Christian later Marwānid meaning messenger minted Mohammedan Monophysite Monotheism monotheistic mosque Muawiyah Muhammad Muslim Muslim sources Muslim texts Negev Nessana Nestorian official pagan Palaestina patriarch peninsula period Persian Phoinikon phrase political popular inscriptions population pre-Mohammedan probably Prophet Qur'an rabb reference religious Rock inscription rulers Sassanian scripture Sebeos Sede Boqer Sirah Sophronius suggest Syria takeover tawhid term towns Traditional Account translation tribes Umayyad Wansbrough ΜΑ اغفر الله اللهم بن رب على غفر لا ما