The Abbasid Era

OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to obtain a general understanding of the Arab Conquest and the effect that it had on Coptic Orthodoxy. This week we will cover the Abbasid Era (750-1258 AD).

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 10 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson. (5 minutes)

Read this statement out to the students:

"Though unkind circumstances are from the evil one, to get angry at circumstances is to get angry at God, who permits them."

Do you agree? Do you disagree?

After they discuss, you could introduce this next era by saying that we will start taking a look at unfavorable situations that have occurred in the Coptic church.

Last week, we touched on the early Arab Conquest and the Umayyad era. The Copts experienced a shift from being a large majority to a minority after years of discrimination and forced Arabization. At first, the Arab ruler was seen to be fair, but more regulations and prejudice against Copts made it intolerable. The first mass persecution of Copts took place in the 720s after the Copts became sensitive to the rules. Forceful actions were set in place by rulers to push Arabization and Islamization on Egypt. They believed that the end of the Umayyad Period, ruled by Marwan II, would be the last of intolerable acts, but were surprised to see that the Abbasid rulers were even harsher than the previous caliphs. (5 minutes)

Here are some questions to ask to test their knowledge, but to also see if they are able to come up with the major turning points that occurred in the Coptic Church during this time period:

What from the Umayyad period could have been exaggerated causing massive turmoil in Egypt?

What do you believe happened during the Abbasid Era that caused terror and a majority Arab country?

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse - "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 25 Minutes

If they were able to extrapolate some possibilities on the turmoil that occurred during the Abbasid period, such as higher taxation, mass persecution, and less religious freedom, then continue saying that the Abbasid period was a time that tested the faith of Coptic Christians.

After executing Marwan II, the Abbasid rule was able to revolt and take over the Umayyads. Pope Michael found himself entangled with this conflict and was kept hostage. It is to be noted that Pope Michael was unable to understand his prison guard as the only language he spoke was Arabic. This signified the movement of the Arabic speaking majority, beginning the loss of the Coptic language. Egypt would no longer be a bilingual country.

As the Abbasid ruled, they ushered in more equitable policies toward converts. Although the converts still needed to pay the jizya tax, it was not as harsh as the tax and policies the Copts had to follow. However, this period started the intellectual challenge to Christianity. Many of the Arabs argued with Christians about their beliefs, but Copts continued to defend their own faith. At this time, Coptic Christians began writing defenses against the challenge in the Arabic language, drafting more Arabic texts than almost all other Christian groups.

The use of the Coptic language began to decline, and the 9th century started the demolition of churches. Harun al Rashid, the caliph at the time, proclaimed that only churches and synagogues built before the Arab conquest could remain. Many churches were destroyed in this brief time but were later rebuilt. During this time there were many Coptic revolts against the oppressive taxation and the unjust treatment by Arab governors later recognized as the Bashmurite revolts. There were tides of conversion to avoid financial hardships, social restrictions, legal inferiority, insecurity, and popular Muslim hostility. For the first time since the fourth century, Copts became a minority and the focus was on the "mawali" (those who converted).

Around 847. Caliph al-Mutawakkil instigated the first major persecution; churches were destroyed, Christians in the government were purged, and high ranking officials were forced to convert. They forbade crosses and having Christian prayers audible to Muslims. Ahmed ibn Tulun succeeded him and did not have great relations with Patriarch Michael III. However, he did allow for Copts to hold important bureaucratic positions. In about 884, Ahmed ibn Tulun's son, Khumarawayh, took power. He was more lenient towards the Copts than the past two rulers.

In the 10th century, political turmoil caused the Abbasids to lose power and the Fatimids then conquered Egypt in 969.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

• What is the difference between evil and tragedy?
• How do we respond to tribulations?
• Do we blame God or should we be angry that God permits these tribulations to occur?

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

As St. James mentions, we should see tribulation and tragedy as a blessing. Although this can be very difficult, it's important to recognize the way we respond to the world's oppression. In the Orthodox Study Bible, they comment and say "Trials, the world's oppression, take place by God's permission. The issue is not trials but our response to them. Properly received, trials reveal where our hearts are. They are food for faith, which must grow or die. The godly reaction to trials is joy and perseverance."

During this time of persecution and oppression, many Copts lost faith in God and His will. However, we should focus on those that continued to fight and did not give in to the unjust treatment they experienced. Every day we should ask ourselves: are we giving into tragedy and evil by giving up on even the simplest things? Are we exhibiting strength to our peers and family through faith? If we were living during this time, would we have converted to avoid persecution? These questions will provide an insight into how weak our faith actually is. In addition, we should not blame God for the tragedy and evil that occurs in our world. We have to remember that we have free will, and it is our own responsibility to confide in God to give us the strength to continuously grow from any trouble we may come across.

SERVANT RESOURCES

The students will need a pen and paper. This activity will not be shared with the class, so encourage them to be as honest as possible. Servants are also welcome to participate as this will be a great way to reflect on our own faith.

• Think of a time where you felt that the odds were against you, that God was not by your side, or you went through an event that was extremely difficult.
  • This could include losing a loved one, going through a sickness, failing a class, arguing with loved ones, etc.
• Write whatever you are thinking about on the paper.
• How did you react to this situation?
  • This could include how you felt during this time (angry at God, impatient, vengeful, alone, etc.) or even how you interacted with those around you (anxious, irritated, etc).
• How could you have dealt with this situation better? Relied on God, prayer, loved ones, sharing my thoughts to others, seeking help, etc.

Now, we have to ask ourselves, what did we learn from this situation? In hindsight, was there one positive aspect that we may have gained from this situation? If so, how can we make an active effort to respond positively to tribulation and hardship in the future?

Whenever we deal with a difficult situation, we should take the time to change our outlook and see what positive things we are able to gain from it. In addition, when we feel discouraged or angry at God we should take a moment and read James 1:2-4 to remind us of the benefit of trials.

SERVANT RESOURCES

• Brief History of Arab Conquest

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

To understand the struggles that others go through and the strength that they may exhibit, the students could choose one person to talk to during the week about any tribulation that person experienced. It could be their siblings, parents, teachers, friends. Hearing others' struggles and how they handled different situations could demonstrate the strength and faith that we lack in our everyday lives.