Mecca Trade And Trade Dbq

“O ye who believe! Do not squander one another’s wealth in vanities, but let there be amongst you traffic and trade by mutual good will.” The Holy Quran, 4:29
This quotation from the Quran is not only a command from Allah (God) through prophet Mohamed, but an indication of culture that is based on trade. Mohamed personal history as caravan trader before he had the vision in the cave Mountain of Light (Jabal al Noor) in the desert of Arabia, shows that trade was one of the Meccas vital source of income and its inhabitant main function. The main tribe, the Quraysh and the location of Mecca on the trading rout of Hijaz between Byzantine and the Sassanid Empire, provide it as trading post and where trade is a traditional task of the

inhabitant. Historian have given differing hypothesis of what those trades compress and who the Quraysh traders trade with. According to Patricia Crone the main commodity the Quraysh engaged was in leather or animal byproducts that sold to Roman Army stationed in Syria; “By however this discrepancy to be resolved, (of the other authors) the fact remains that it is leather, hides, woolens and clarified butter rather than gold or silver are constantly identified as the star items exported from Mecca; the only other item that is regularly mentioned is perfume.” (64) This goods produced by Meccans then is sold in Syria and the Roman Army that was stationed there. Crone believes the main customer for the product from Mecca comes from Roman Army that need the hide for tents, shields sandals, boots, belts and ets. Although she gives different number for the Roman Army, what is clear is that the Meccans had customers for diverse products. Apart of the products that above mentioned, present scholarship have indicated that the Hejaz economy and trade included precious metals, such as Gold and silver. According to Gene Hick, Makkah merchants undeniable did carry substantial quantity of bullion on the international trading caravan, whether for export or transaction purposes”( 550) He also points to Ibn Ishaq mentioning that the raid by Muslims on the Hejaz caravan that were carrying precious metal was for use as coins which indicated that use of coins as currency. The gold and silver also are mined in local and the coins that were made of them “diner and dirham” (556) as they are called were used as an exchange for transaction in trade. The use of diner and dirham in some Arab counters in the present seem to have linkage to Makkah traders. “In Hejaz, Jewish, merchant were the main dealers in precious metal and other metals. According to Hicks, “Jewelry-making was the specialty of Jewish general- and of the Jewish banu Qaynqa in al-Medina in particular. This city was specially known for its craftsman of precious metal throughout early medieval times”. (566)`
The commercial trade of Mecca did not just function in vacuum nor was it was it flourishing due to its location and products, rather it is connected to trade that was going on throw-out the Mediterranean basin.

Heck points to five factors that gave the Qureshi of Mecca ascendency in trade; “(I) hostility between the Byzantine and Sassanid’s, (ii) tariff on import and export imposed by these twin combatants upon goods transiting their border; (iii) a series of trade alliance and counter-alliances between them and the Abyssinians and Yemenis; (iv) attempt to set up allied locale chiefs as “king” on the Arabian Peninsula; various skirmish between these twin superpowers and the Lakhmids respectively, and finally, (v) Abyssinian occupation of Yemen in A.D.525..”.(559)The opportunity this opened not only trade but also a military domination of the clans that were allied with their main competitor and in control the trade route, the al-Hirah, who were the dominate commercial power in the region which gave them control of the main rout of trade in the

Hijaz.
The main trade that was done by the Makkah was with Syrian and far; in the south to Yemen, Egypt and Abyssinian. Mecca becoming a center of trade was also helped of its religious significant, ideal worshiping, pilgrims coming from Syrian would Arabs bring their product for sell and also bye from other traders. The argument that the Hijaz Arabia’s were people with no per-Islamic trade culture is not only falls, but in fact they had a well-established commercial system that later become part of the Islamicte Empire.

The Islamic holy book the Quran is not only that guidance to how one worship Allah (God) and how to live in godly way, but it’s also a guide of how to conduct trade and commerce. Within Surah Al-Baqarah there several verses instruct believers, in trade, business and practice on loaning for profit and usury; “Those who eat Riba (usury) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitan (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say:
"Trading is only like Riba (usury)," whereas Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba (usury). So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Riba (usury) shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allah (to judge); but whoever returns [to Riba (usury)], such are the dwellers of the Fire - they will abide therein”. (Quran)

The inclusions of how to conduct business in the Quran is not surprising, since as above mentioned Mohamed and his tribe the Qureshi were a well-established tribe in traders and commerce. Mohamed’s well know bibliography tells of him being a caravan trader for Kadijah which he later married, his protector and uncle Abu-Talib being was a rich merchant of Makkah. With this back ground it’s not suppressing that trade and its conduct is given as part of how a true Muslim should behave in life.
With decline of the Roman Empire, Islam expanded and established it’s self as new sovereign over a people of different faith and culture. From the desert of Arabia, North Africa, previously Persian Empire and to Spain, become what is now termed as Islamicate Empire. Historians of this period and other have suggested Islam’s achievement and successes in concurring this much space and people is because its tolerance of other faith and its Abrahamic relationship to those faiths and also their military tactics. It But a deeper look at the Muslims, culture and background shows another main factor in the expansion of Islam- Trade.
Trade in Islamicate
The economy system of pre-Islam Arabia was one of capitalism and its development predates the Europeans. It was a system that is based regionally and international. Muslims were trading with Persians, Barbers, Jewish, Christians and religion for most part seem not factor. With rise of the Ottoman Empire and the Byzantine defeat, Islam and trade vastly expanded father than Hijaz to Syria, Egypt and proper Ottoman. How then Muslims, Jewish and Christians did were able to function in trade? The Muslim trade is based on the sharia law that guided Muslims in every sphere of their life. In addition, tradition and the Mohamed’s attributes are also are important factor how the trading class and their function within Islamicte society.
In sharia there are several laws that guide the merchants and traders. According to Halil Inalcik, the sharia are divided; “shirka (partnership), buyu (commercial transaction) and mudaraba (commend) a commercial partnership. It’s dealing with Jewish and Christians in most of this aria is not based on its”. (100) The benefits of mudaraba becomes clear, since whoever provide the capital also share without charging an interests. The rendering of interests do not mean that Islamic law do not allow interests, rather time to time some jurist have allowed they charge of interests on precious metals such as gold and slivers. Islam being founded by a merchant and traders tribe, it’s not surprising that it view the merchant class of the society to be the most important class: Mohamed Shaybani, of the Hanafite school of Law,” had to prove that vigorous striving of the new Muslim trading people for a decent living was not only not opposed by Islam, but actually regarded by it as a religious duty;” He did not regard luxury as contrary to religion; indeed he consider it praiseworthy.” 102 Tradition of Mohamed as trader also give those who followed on his foot step are viewed: “the merchant enjoys the felicity both of this world and the Next”; “He who makes money please God”. (102) Traders in Islamicate also provide the state with revenue through taxation, customs charges and they provide the goods and products that are essential for both the military and administration of the state. The Merchant class is also provide the state with news and information of what is happening in the far away provinces within the Empire, but also provide stability since trade becomes the main chain that ties the different ethnic and religious that exists within through the organization it provides.
One of the way the merchant class provided stability for Ottoman Islamicate state is through the organizational system of guild or ta’ifa .The early period that historian dated the beginning of the ta’ifa system in islamicate, specially in Anatolia goes back to 14th century and according Abdul-karim Rafeq, “The traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited Anatolia at that time, mentioned the existence in urban centers of craft organizations known as akhiyya (from akh, brother).

The akh was the head of the organization, and his followers, the majority of whom were craftsmen, were known as fiyan (Arabic for “youth)”. (496) The early observation by Ibn Battuta seem to indicated that the organization of ta’ifa were an essential part of the Ottoman state and it could even have been pre-Ottoman creation. No matter what the organs might have been, the ta’ifa system were established in Syrian, Egypt and other ottoman provinces by early 16th century. The early appearance of ṭā'ifa outside the Ottoman proper is in Syria at the conquest. The ta’ifa were not one that was organized by the state, but rather by skills of the member and they were guided by the Qadi who provided ruling and settle disputes that might arise. This not did not mean that the state did not play part in the early times of the ṭā'ifa; the state “used muhtasib who were charged in collection of the government due, the supervision of the quality of goods and the checking measurement, weights and price”.

(497)
The internal function of the ṭā'ifa is more democratic for its time and regardless of their religion, members are chosen for their skills. The ṭā'ifa are divided in two function, administration and professional. The administration function is undertaken by a sheikh who is seen to have a good standing within the community, the members and then approved by the Qadi. The task of the Sheiks included, “regulating the affairs of its members, disturbing raw material equitable among them and interceded on their behalves with authority”. (500) The Sheiks work is his on behalves of his member is compensated by the members. The members also can be disposed of him due to faller to uphold a professional standing and fails in his task. No every ṭā'ifa have or choice not to elect a Shaikh due to matter of cost; in 1608 the slaughter in Aleppo choice not to have a Shaikh and there argument was supported by the Qadi. Furthermore, like modern merger and takeover of company or trade union by large one, the largest ṭā'ifa are known to successfully merger of the smaller once where the trade interrelated, such as, “sward, knives, bows, daggers and shield” (499) merge in order to form a large ṭā'ifa. This merger or takeover helps in maintain the skill level, price and the distributions or production of product. The ṭā'ifa are not exclusively formed for Muslims and participating in them is not based on religion, but rather on the skill and trade one is employed.
Social function and the part that is played by the ṭā'ifa in islamicate society on that have allowed this empire and Islam not only expand but also prospered for long time. It is also what kept, for long time, the different religion faiths that encompasses the Islamicate Empire. Unlike other empires, Islamicate ruler, Muslims were minority who have to accommodate the Christians, Jewish other people of faith in the land the concurred. Trade and its organization in to ṭā’ifa not only provided cohesion within the empire, but allowed the Jewish and Christians to prosper under Islamic rule. In the main Commercial city in Syria, Aleppo, Jewish and Christians merchant were a member or had their own the ṭā’ifa. “Among the butchery of Aleppo, there existed a division group for the Jewish butchery, which had extra privileges, such as selling at higher than that of Muslim butchery so as to pay the extra earnings to support poor Jews”.(500)
Other ṭā’ifa were also created by Jewish druggist, installed a Jewish head and they included Muslims members. Jewish also maintained an exclusive hold on gold, silver ṭā’ifa due to their skills in this fields. Apart from Syrian, Jewish under the Ottomans rule were employed as customs collector, wine makers, medicine, financers , silk and spices. According to Daniel Goffman, Jewish achievements is based on their ability to hold “international trade and innovation in other fields”. (18), which increased their influence within the Ottoman ruling circle. The Jewish and Muslims relationship was historical from the time of Mohamed, any dispute that arise between them in business could be resolved in Muslims courts. According to Cohen; “To accommodate this reality, legal documents drawn up and witness in Muslim courts were routinely admitted as evidence in Jewish tribunals”. (94) The acceptance of ruling of Islamic court was not conducted in environment of fear, but rather on the understanding that any rulings the Qadi makes will be based on the Islamic Sharia law and the historical acceptance of Jewish as the people of the book. Another factor that contributed even strongly than Sharia law, I would argue is the early Muslims tradition in commerce and the Quran’s emphasis on it on how it should be conducted. As Masters rightly stated, “True, the sharia served as an anchor for those how would appeal to the Tradition of the Prophet (Sunna), But even that Tradition might be interpreted in seemingly contradictory ways, or even subverted, if the authority felt it necessary”. (66) If the Jews of Syrian were seen to have had a privilege and commercially successful, how did the Christians faired in Islamicate.
In Syria, the Christian participated in the larger ṭā’ifa with Jewish and Muslims and they also had their own exclusive once that is recognized by the Qadi. The Islamicate Christians provided their skills in sculptors, gold smiths, and builders, medical doctors which they were majority members and select their leader from their community other times a Muslim will be head. Christians also were also in the most technical skills such as mint; In the highly technical ṭā’ifa such as the ṭā’ifa in charge of t (dar al-drab), a Christian was mentioned in a court case in Aleppo on 2 Jumada1 1017 ( 14 August 1608) as administrator of the mint (dimin dar al-darb) in Aleppo and another Christian being in charge of weighing the coinage while craftsman (ustadh) and his apprentice ( ajir) in the same mint were Muslim”. (106) Unlike the Jewish, Muslims, the Christians were not wealthy, except the Armenian merchant who were dealing in export of silk in 17th century. Masters points out, the Armenians were expert in verity of fields such as artisan and architects in Aleppo: Large scale of trade, whether local or long distance , had been at the start of the seventeenth century in the hands of Muslims and Julfa Armenians”. (73) It was also the Christians that under take the long distance trade while the Muslim provide the finance.