Book contents
- Animal Sacrifice and the Origins of Islam
- Animal Sacrifice and the Origins of Islam
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 Animal Sacrifices in the Life of the Prophet Muhammad
- 2 Burials of Camels at the Tombs of Warriors
- 3 Pagan Origins of Muslim Ḥajj Sacrifice
- 4 Abraham as the Originator of the Ḥajj Sacrifice
- 5 Distribution of the Body of the Prophet Muhammad
- 6 Martyred Bodies and the Demarcation of Territory
- Conclusions
- Bibliography
- Index
6 - Martyred Bodies and the Demarcation of Territory
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 June 2022
- Animal Sacrifice and the Origins of Islam
- Animal Sacrifice and the Origins of Islam
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 Animal Sacrifices in the Life of the Prophet Muhammad
- 2 Burials of Camels at the Tombs of Warriors
- 3 Pagan Origins of Muslim Ḥajj Sacrifice
- 4 Abraham as the Originator of the Ḥajj Sacrifice
- 5 Distribution of the Body of the Prophet Muhammad
- 6 Martyred Bodies and the Demarcation of Territory
- Conclusions
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Is there a link between the prophet Muhammad’s camel sacrifice and the Muslim conception of martyrs using their corpses and body parts to demarcate territory? Muslim martyrs sought to integrate their bodies into the territorial boundaries of protected spaces, including the borders of Islam spreading outward from Mecca. The prophet Muhammad distributed pieces of his body, and the proceeds of the sacrificed camels to his followers, who were then responsible for expanding and nurturing the Muslim community. At many locations throughout the Arabian peninsula and the ancient world more broadly human and animal burials were associated with places of sacrifice and sanctuaries. Mecca, not unlike Jerusalem and Medina but also Kūfah and other early centers of Muslim worship, was considered to be the burial place of prophets and other prominent leaders. The prophet Muhammad's camel sacrifice served as the original model, both symbolic and real, for the Dār al-Islām.
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- Animal Sacrifice and the Origins of Islam , pp. 282 - 329Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022