The Entry of Turks
Mention any three skills of Turks.
Excellent skills in horsemanship
Excelled at controlling their cavalry (soldiers on horseback). An entire cavalry force could wheel around to face any direction in a moment
Fight with great speed and agility. able to ride great distances without stopping, Turkic forces could also advance very quickly.
In what ways did Islam evolve as a religion and civilization from the 600-1000s? ( Pick 1 incorrect response)
New dynasties emerged and the Islamic faith and culture merged with local cultures.
Muslims kept their local languages when they converted, even in some religious ceremonies.
Many official Quran versions emerged in the different branches of Islam and Muslim dynasties.
The Fatimid dawa spread Ismailism to Iraq, Persian, Yemen, Gujarat, and Central Asia.
3. Many official Quran versions emerged in the different branches of Islam and Muslim dynasties.
His Highness the Aga Khan, in a speech said
"In the simplest of encounters- say, with two billiard balls- the outcome is a predictable result of position, velocity, and mass. But the encounters that interest me most are not so simple.."
Which encounters is the Imam referring to that are not simple?
Encounters of people and cultures,
Share 2 examples of exchanges took place between Muslims and Europeans.
The game of Chess
Citrus fruits
Language (shared vocabulary in Arabic and Spanish)
Learnings (Toledo school)
Trade
Who was Hasan i- Sabah?
Hasan-i Sabbah is one of the most well-known da‘is in Nizari Ismaili history.
Who were Turks?
&
Where did they come from?
Turks were nomads who belong to many ethnic backgrounds, rather than for just one tribe. They also engaged in raiding and plundering settled farming villages. These tribesmen were also warriors. They did not come from the land we now call Turkey, but from inner Asia.
The Turks emerged through trade, military conquest, and settlement, exerting influence within the Sunni Muslim world into the present. How did the Saljuq Turks influence the Muslim world? (Pick 1 incorrect response)
The Turks converted to Islam and retained their Turkic languages and cultures, even to this day.
The Saljuqs funded caravanserais, safe travel, encouraged trade and cultural exchanges.
The Saljuqs took the title of Caliph from the Abbasids and became the guardians of Islam.
3. The Saljuqs took the title of Caliph from the Abbasids and became the guardians of Islam.
Saljugs built learning institutions named 'Madrasas' during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Explain what are Madrasas?
Madrasas in Muslim lands became important institutions for the training of judges and religious scholars. They applied their learning to resolve issues which included questions on religious practices, ethical behaviour, and social relations.
In later centuries, madrasas in Persia, India and the Ottoman Empire also taught subjects such as logic, philosophy, theology, astronomy and mathematics.
What does the word 'crusade' mean?
The word ‘crusade’ came from the French word croisade, which meant to ‘mark with a cross’. It is a reference to the cross that was woven onto shirts worn by Christians who fought in the wars.
What does the term da'i mean?
and
What role Ismaili da'is played in the past?
The term da'i means ‘summoner’. Ismaili da'is invited people of different regions to the Ismaili cause by explaining to them the Shia Ismaili interpretation of Islam. They also provided instruction to the followers of the Ismaili Imam in these regions. Da'is were teachers who promoted their message through direct teaching and through their moral conduct and model behavior. They were appointed by the Imam’s permission.
What was rewarded to Tughril Beg by the Abbasid caliph in exchange of expelling the Shia Fatimids from Syria and Egypt and expanding the Abbasid Empire into other lands?
In exchange, the caliph rewarded Tughril Beg with the: title of sultan.
Coins were allowed to be minted and inscribed with his name, which was also included in the Friday khutba.
The caliph even granted him, reluctantly, the hand of his daughter in marriage.
What were some outcomes of the Crusades on European Christians? (Pick 1 incorrect response)
The pope offered his followers forgiveness of sins in its exchange.
Peasants could travel to new lands, as they had no other means of travel.
Peasants could further their studies in the sciences, philosophy, and astronomy.
Enhanced cuisine with increased export of spices like cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg, and pepper.
3. Peasants could further their studies in the sciences, philosophy, and astronomy.
What does the word Alamut mean?
Alamut means ‘Eagle’s Nest’,
Why Jerusalem was/is important to Muslims, Jews and Christians?
For Muslims, Prophet Muhammad’s Mir‘aj took place from Jerusalem. Muslims built the Dome of the Rock at this site, and the Masjid al-Aqsa close by.
For Christians, it is where Jesus Christ was brought occasionally as a child, preached to the poor in his adult life, crucified at the end of his life, and resurrected by God.
In Jewish tradition, it was the city where the Temple of Solomon had stood.
What is a Assassin legend?
Assassin legend is a exaggerated story on Nizari Ismailis who were labelled by their opponents as drug users, irreligious people and self-sacrificing murderers.
What is caravanserai built during the Saljuks rule?
State any three benefits of caravanserai?
These were resting places for merchants and other travelers, built along trade routes.
Allowed for interactions and exchanges
Secured trade routes
Comfort for tired and dusty caravans
During Saljuq rule in the 1000s to 1100s, Sunni Islam evolved in response to: Who actually has religio-political authority in Islam? At this time, what titles of authority existed? (Pick 1 correct response)
Caliph, Amir, Sultan, Wazir
Abbasid, Buyid, Ghaznavid, Saljuq
Ulama, Madrasa, Waqf, Madhhab
Fiqh, Qiyas, Ijma, Shari’a
Caliph, Amir, Sultan, Wazir
The Nizari Ismaili Da’wa in Syria
In the 1100s, Dai’ Rashid al-din Sinan promoted fidais to defend from local rulers, Saljuqs, Abbasids, & crusaders. What do we know about fidais? (Pick 1 incorrect response)
Fidais educated the dais to expand the dawa through the Nizar Ismaili doctrine.
Fidais secretly served the Imam by protecting Ismaili communities and Imam’s lineage.
Exaggerated legends were written of fidais as ‘assassins’ and an ‘Old Man of the Mountain’
What made European rulers want to begin these wars at the end of the eleventh century?
The Turkic Saljuqs had defeated the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. They then moved into Anatolia (modern Turkey) and areas around Constantinople (Istanbul), greatly decreasing the size and power of the Byzantine Empire.
Highlight three important changes that Hasan i- Sabah made to Alamut help improve the lives of local people?
Developed a large irrigation system for the valley to ensure a constant supply of water and food.
Built a system of underground canals to supply water collected from rain and snow-melt. These canals supplied water to cisterns large tanks carved out of the rock.
A pulley system was devised to transport water from the valley to the fortress at the top of the mountain.
Other cisterns were used as storage for food. They were lined with limestone, which was a well known preserver of food, and which allowed storage of several months worth of supplies.
A library for ensuring education and growth
What factors contributed to the rise of Saljuks Turks? (state any 2)
1) The caliphates of the Abbasids & Fatimids were weakened due to internal struggles.
2) The Saljuks cavalries possessed excellent skills in horsemanship
3) Their reliance on trade helped to build strong alliances
How did Sunni Islam become standardized during Saljuq and Abbasid rule in the 1000s to 1100s? (Pick 1 incorrect response)
Madrasas emerged for the study of fiqh (law), Quran, hadith, Arabic, etc.
The ulama created fiqh (law) on matters of faith and social interactions.
The Abbasid Caliph created laws using Qiyas (argument by analogy) and Ijma (consensus).
Sunni Madhhabs emerged and came to be recognized as valid expressions of Islam.
3. The Abbasid Caliph created laws using Qiyas (argument by analogy) and Ijma (consensus).
Why do we honor Dai Hasan-i Sabbah in Ismaili history from the 1100s? (Pick 1 incorrect response)
He transitioned the Fatimid Dawa to the Nizari Dawa after the Imam went into concealment.
He organized a military of fidais for battles against the Abbasids, Saljuqs, and crusaders.
He headed the dawa from Alamut to protect Ismailis in fortresses across Syria and Persia.
He maintained Shia Ismaili Nizari beliefs through the Doctrine of Talim.
2. He organized a military of fidais for battles against the Abbasids, Saljuqs, and crusaders.
Highlight any 3 positive outcomes of Crusades?
Increased demand in Europe for luxury goods such as spices and craftwork from Muslims lands
Increased power of the Pope and authority of the kings
The manners and customs of the peoples of eastern lands influenced the Crusaders.
Increased importance of certain ports in the Mediterranean region
Name any three sources who associated assassin legends with Nizari Ismailis.
&
Provide 2 evidences to justify the misperceptions against the Nizari Ismailis.
Must'ali Fatimids, William of Tyre, Burchard of Strasbourg, Marco polo
The details in Marco polo's account is inaccurate and often confuse events and people.
No evidences of drugs are found at the site of Alamut.
Juwayni, who was a historian wrote against the Ismailis and visited Alamut himself, never mentioned of such legends in his writings.