Islam: Theory, Expansion, and the Mosque of Cordoba

Posted on Oct 25, 2024 in History

I. Islam: Its Theory and Expansion

General Principles

The Muslim religion was founded in the seventh century AD by Muhammad. His new religion encompassed beliefs from different religions. The fundamental doctrine is stated in the Koran, given by Muhammad. The year 622 is key for Muslims, marking Muhammad’s move from Mecca to Medina (AH, the year of the Hijra, the year 0 for Muslims). After Muhammad, the political and religious leader became known as a caliph.

Fundamental Precepts

  • Profession of faith: “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
  • Special consideration to the “People of the Book.”
  • Praying five times a day toward Mecca.
  • Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
  • Alms-giving.
  • Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in life.

Expansion of Islam

Following Muhammad

Abu Bakr and Omar served as caliphs. In the seventh century, expansion occurred:

  1. Toward the Persian Empire. Muslim rule ended the Persian Empire, occupying ancient Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau (present-day Iraq and Iran).
  2. Against the Byzantine Empire. Muslims seized Byzantine territories of Egypt, Syria, and Jerusalem, including important Christian holy places.

These achievements were accomplished quickly due to several factors:

  1. The ideological and moral drive of jihad, uniting the Arabs, along with the powerful Arab cavalry.
  2. The policy of pacts and tolerance, allowing “People of the Book” (Jews and Christians) to practice their religion in conquered territories.
  3. The weakness of the Persian and Byzantine empires, weakened by centuries of warfare.

Umayyad Caliphate

Late seventh century AD: The caliphate was ruled by the Umayyad family (hereditary caliphate). Expansion extended east to Samarkand, Tunisia, and the Iberian Peninsula (711 AD). The capital was Damascus.

Abbasid Caliphate

In 750 AD, Muslim revolts led to the Umayyads being replaced by the Abbasids, who established their capital in Baghdad.

Decline and Later Expansions

Ninth century: Early decline, which allowed the Almoravids (12th century) and the Almohads (12th-13th centuries) to occupy Al-Andalus (Iberian Peninsula). Fifteenth century: Conquest of Constantinople (1453), capital of the Byzantine Empire.

Analysis and Commentary of the Mosque of Cordoba

Material Analysis

The mosque is constructed of stone and marble. Other materials appear in the decoration, such as geometric and stylized plant patterns (atauriques), epigraphy, and golden mosaics in the mihrab. The most notable ornamentation is the two-color striping formed by white stone and red bricks.

Formal Analysis

The structure features longitudinal naves with columns. Double arches rest on the columns, of two basic types:

  • Horseshoe arches, overlapping other semicircular arches, inspired by the Roman Aqueduct of the Miracles.
  • Multifoil arches, composed of several lobes, located closest to the qibla wall.

This arrangement of longitudinal naves characterizes the prayer hall (haram), where Muslims direct their prayers toward Mecca.

Meaningful Analysis

The mosque is the Muslim temple, a place of prayer. Islam, founded by Muhammad in the seventh century, is based on monotheism and avoids representations of sacred figures (no sculptures or paintings). The mosque’s design is inspired by Muhammad’s house and includes:

  • The qibla wall, facing Mecca, with the mihrab (niche symbolizing the presence of divinity).
  • The haram (prayer hall).
  • The maqsura (in some mosques, like Cordoba, an area reserved for the caliph).
  • The sahn (courtyard for ablutions).
  • The minaret (tower for the call to prayer).

Commentary

of the Mosque of Cordoba material analysis: It is an architectural construction of stone and marble. Only in the decoration of the mosque are other materials such as geometric patterns or stylized plant’s atauriques, epigraphy or golden mosaics that decorate the most sacred mosque, the mihrab. Except this decoration, ornamentation Most notable is the two-color strip forming the white stone and red bricks.Formal analysis: The whole structure presents a longitudinal ships with C OLUMN as support, that are classic or derived from this tradition. On the columns appear double arches that fall into two basic types of bows: – The horseshoe, which overlap other half point. This structure is inspired by the Roman Aqueduct of the Miracles. – Multifoil, composed of several lobes, intertwined. These are arranged in the area closest to the qibla wall of the m ezquita. This provision of longitudinal vessels characterized the prayer hall of the mosque, the Haram, where faithful Muslims direct their prayers toward Mecca. Meaningful analysis: The mosque is the Muslim temple, the place of prayers. The Muslim religion was founded by Muhammad in the seventh century, under the principle of monotheism, the belief in one God, Allah, and the refusal to make representations of sacred figures, Why are not sculptures or paintings. The model for building the mosque seems to be inspired by the house of Muhammad and has several key parts: – The qibla wall, facing Mecca area, which opens the gap suggests the presence of divinity, the mihrab. This is usually the most rich and ornate mosque. – The prayer rooms, the haram, where the faithful direct their prayers toward Mecca. In some mosques, such as Cordoba, maqsura appears, the area reserved for the caliph, the area closest to the qibla wall. – El Sahn, or courtyard where ablutions are performed, the ablution before prayer purifiers. – The minaret, the tower from which the muezzin or muezzin calls the faithful to carry out the five ritual prayers of the day. Comment: The Mosque of Cordoba is one of the best examples of the splendor of the culture of Al-Andalus, the territory controlled by Muslims in the peninsula Iberica, since the eighth century AD -711 C. – -1492 AD to the fifteenth. Witness the flowering of urban culture and interest in erecting buildings that reflected the great political power of its leaders. In the mosque of Cordoba we noted several stages of construction in the Muslim period, although the great success it is that they all are made with a certain consistency, so do not distort the original balance. These changes arise from the need to expand as the population grew and the city of Cordoba, especially after becoming the capital of the caliphate of Al-A ndalus, when politics and religion becomes independent Muslim Empire. These extensions are to overthrow the qibla wall, add new ships to the existing ones to accommodate a larger number of people, and re-erect a new wall and a new mihrab, except the last enlargement, which was lateral. Originally, the mosque was built in the eighth century AD C., having destroyed the former building for llo, A mosque dedicated to San Vicente Visigoth. This book was sent to the Emir Abd-al-Rahman I. After some modifications in the ninth century by Abd al-Rahman II, the major refurbishment will make the caliph Abd al-Rahman III and his son Al-Hakan II. It adds new ships are constructed of poly-lobed arches arches in maqsura and built the dome of this and the mihrab with golden mosaics. This move to Cordova Byzantine artists sending the Byzantine emperor, following the request of the Caliph of Córdoba. The latest enlargement of the mosque up to the late tenth century, when Mansur adds eight new ships. This extension is perpendicular to the qibla wall. This is due to the proximity of the Guadalquivir River, which prevented further extend longitudinally mosque, and the rich ornamentation of the previous enlargement, which would have been shot down if it had opted for extensions as they had done before. The consequence is that the m ihrabAfter the last enlargement, not in the middle of the wall, as would be usual, but unfocused. During the long historical process of Al-Andalus, were erected other buildings, which include: – Of the Caliphate, the tenth century: the palatial city of Medina to Zahara, in Cordoba. – From the Arab epoch: The minaret of the mosque of Seville, La Giralda, the twelfth century, and the Torre del Oro, the thirteenth century, in the same city. – From the Nazari period: the Alhambra and the Generalife, the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, in Granada.