HIST 296 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Quraysh, Fustat, Arab Christians
Document Summary
Starts to emerge because monopoly on long- distance trade and through control of important sanctuary safe space for trade, enrich the quraysh as a tribe. Elders, leaders, become wealthier than other members and this disparity and high- social position they attain, work against the values of egalitarian tribal solidarity. Lack of hierarchical society is starting to break down in urban mecca, people at the top starting to have more. People don"t see themselves as bound to responsibilities to other. Values of collectivist and generosity, those who tended to be better off had responsibility to help poor, increasingly that value, undermined by pursuit of wealth and materialistic independence. Tribal values undermined by materialism and individualism: break down of tribal system. Outlets for social criticism-critique of the religious system: hanifs, poets, the prophet muhammad. Weren"t many ways, no public body/government to. Tribal solidarity vs. socio-economic disparity make complaints.
