The World of Islam

1. The World of Islam Chapter 3

2. The Rise of Islam The Arabs Arose in the Arabian Peninsula and influenced Western Asia and beyond. They were a nomadic, Semitic-speaking people who lived in the arid climate of the Arabian Peninsula. The environment was harsh, they were organized into tribes and were led by a sheikh who was chosen from a council of elders. The tribes were independent, but worked together

3. During certain holy months, caravans stopped in Mecca, a city 
in western Arabia.

4. Early Religion -Most Early Arabs were polytheistic, many recognized a chief, or supreme god who they called Allah which is Arabic for “God.” -Allah was symbolized by a sacred stone, each tribe had their own stone, but there was one central stone called the Black stone which was placed in the shrine called the Kaaba. -This shrine was located in the city of Makkah (Mecca) in what is now Saudi Arabia.

5. They brought religious pilgrims who came to worship 
at an ancient shrine in the city called the Ka'aba.

6. The Arabs associate the Ka'aba with the Hebrew 
prophet, Abraham and his son, Ishmael. According to 
the tradition, it was built by Abraham and Ishmael as a 
shrine to worship the monotheistic God.

7. Trade The Arabian Peninsula became an important center for trade. The city of Mecca became rich from the caravan trade traffic which passed through the area. The domestication of the camel enabled traffic to cross the deserts and as empires grew up in the region trade increased greatly. As the merchants became rich from the Caravan traffic the life of the poor people of the area suffered.

8. The Life of Muhammad Muhammad was born in Makkah in present-day Saudi Arabia to a merchant family. His parents died when he was young and he ended up living with his uncle who was a merchant and he became a caravan manager. Muhammad in Arabic Calligraphy

9. Muhammad married an older widow named Khadija. Over time, he found the richness and corruption of the merchants and townspeople to be troubling. He decided to visit the hills to meditate. Muslims believe that while he was meditating in the hills he received revelations from God through the Angel Gabriel.

10. Muhammad’s Revelation Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel told Muhammad to recite what he heard, it was believed that Allah had already revealed himself through Moses and Jesus, but now had a final revelation for man. This final revelation became the religion of Islam. Which means submission to the will of God.

11. The Quran (Koran) The revelations to Muhammad were written down by scribes and became known as TheQuran, which is the holy book of Islam. The Quran contains ethical guidelines and laws by which Muslims (followers of Islam) should live their lives.

12. The Nature of The Quran The Quran is written in Arabic, which was the language of Muhammad. The Quran is considered to only be true when it is written in its original language. Translations are thought to lose the true meaning of the original words which are believed to be a direct revelation from God. The Muslim observance of Ramadan is to commemorate the recording of the holy text.

13. After the Revelation After Muhammad received his revelation he went to his wife Khadija, she was his first convert to the new religion. He began to try to convert the people of Makkah to his message, but he was unsuccessful. After three years he was forced to go to the city of Yathrib, which later became Medina. This flight, or migration, is known as the Hijrah and marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. This was in the year 622 CE.

14. Acceptance in the city of the Prophet In Yathrib, renamed Medina (which means the city of the prophet) Muhammad was accepted and gained followers. One of the groups which converted to the new religion of Islam were the Bedouins who were desert Arabs. This new community became the first to practice the religion. After several years, Muhammad became both a spiritual and political leader, there was not an idea of the separation of church and state. He raised an army and conquered the city of Makkah.

15. In 630, Muhammad and 10,000 of his followers marched to the outskirts of Mecca. Facing sure defeat, Mecca's leaders 
surrendered. Muhammad entered the city in triumph. He 
destroyed the idols in the Ka'aba and had the call to prayer 
made from its roof. Most Meccan's pledged their loyalty to Muhammad, and 
many converted to Islam. Muhammad died two years later at about the age of 62.

16. The Kaaba After Muhammad took the city of Makkah he cleansed the Kaaba of idols and dedicated it to Allah, who he taught was the one true God. All Muslims are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to Makkah known as the Hajj at least once in their life if they are physically and financially able.

17. The Teachings of Muhammad Islam teaches a belief in an afterlife, those who hope to achieve this afterlife must submit to the will of Allah. Muslims do not believe the Muhammad was divine, they believe that he was a man. Islam is seen not just as a religion, but as a way of life.

18. Muslims believe that Islam was God’s final revelation for mankind. Muslims feel that in order to achieve salvation that they must obey the will of Allah, or God. In order to do this they must follow the five major principles of Islam known as the Five Pillars of Islam.

19. The Five Pillars of Islam • 1-Declaration of Faith • Muslims must state that there is not God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet. • 2. Daily Prayer • Muslims must pray five times a day facing the Kaaba in Mecca. • Pre Dawn • Noon • Afternoon • Sunset • Evening

20. Five Pillars Continued . . . 3. Charity • Muslims are supposed to help others and donate part of their income to charity. 4. Fasting-Ramadan Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan which celebrates the recording of the Quran.

21. Hajj • 5. Pilgrimage: Hajj • The fifth pillar of Islam is the Hajj. • Once in a lifetime, if they are physically and financially able , Muslims are to journey to Mecca (Makkah) in Saudi Arabia and perform the rituals of the Hajj.

22. According to Islamic belief, Allah expressed his will through the angel Gabriel, who revealed it to Muhammad. While Muhammad lived, his followers memorized and recited the revelations he received from Gabriel. Soon after Muhammad's death, it was 
suggested that the revelations be collected in a book. The book is the Qur'an, the holy book of the Muslims.

23. Islamic Law • After the death of Muhammad there were further interpretations of his teachings. These are known as the Hadith. There are different versions of the Hadith for different branches of Islam. • These teachings were further interpreted in the Shari’ah. This is a set of laws which regulate many aspects of Muslim life. It does not separate between church and state and covers family life, business, government, and moral conduct. • Muslims are expected to practice honesty and justice in dealing with others and are forbidden to gamble, eat pork, drink alcohol, or engage in dishonest behavior.

24. Facts about Islam Minaret • Quran (Koran)-Holy book of Islam • Muslim- A follower of Islam • Mosque- A Muslim House of Worship • Minarets- The towers located on a Mosque from which the Muezzin calls the faithful to prayer.

25. Section 2 The Arab Empire and its Successors

26. Creation of An Arab Empire • After the death of Muhammad, unity was difficult to maintain. • The friend and father-in-law of Muhammad, Abu Bakr, was chosen to be the first Caliph, or successor to Muhammad. • Abu Bakr helped to unify the Muslim world and expanded in Arabia and beyond. • Under the idea of jihad, or “struggle in the way of God” the early Muslims expanded their territory. The believed that defensive warfare was permitted by the Quran.

27. Arab Rule • The Arabs were now united and expanded their territory instead of fighting each other. • They defeated the Byzantine army in 636 taking the province of Syria. By 642 they took Egypt and by 650 they controlled the Persian Empire

28. After Abu Bakr died there was conflict over who would be the next Caliph. The next two Caliphs were both assassinated. After that Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali was appointed Caliph, but five years later he too was assassinated.

29. Administration • Muslims administrators were fairly tolerant of the people they defeated. • Initially, both Christians and Jews were allowed to practice their religions, with some restrictions, because they were “People of the Book” who had written scriptures revealed to them by God before the time of Muhammad. Those who chose not to convert had to be loyal to the Muslim state and pay a special tax.

30. The Umayyad Dynasty • At the beginning of the eighth century Islam had expanded across northern Africa and had converted the Berbers (a pastoral people along the Mediterranean coast) to the faith. • By 710 combined Berber and Arab forces crossed the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain and had taken most of the country by 725. In 732, however, the Muslim advance into Europe was halted at the Battle of Tours.

31. By 750 the Muslim advance came to an end. The southern and eastern Mediterranean and parts of the old Roman Empire were now Muslim territory. • The Umayyad Dynasty was centered in Damascus, in modern-day Syria and was wealthy. This was also a very diverse empire as many different peoples had been conquered in new territory. • The diversity helped lead to a split within the Islamic faith

32. The Umayyad Empire

33. A Split in Islam • Many non-Arab Muslims resent the favoritism which the Umayyad Empire showed toward Arabs. • The large empire was difficult to rule efficiently and there were financial problems as well.

34. The Revolt of Hussein • The grandson of Muhammad, Hussein, led a revolt against the Umayyad Empire in 680. • His solders defected and he was killed by an overwhelming Umayyad force. • This struggle led to a split within the faith of Islam between Sunni and Shi’a (Shiite) Muslims.

35. Sunni vs. Shi’a (Shiite) • Sunni Muslims supported the Umayyad Dynasty. They believe the Caliph does not need to be a direct descendant of Muhammad. • Shi’a Muslims supported Hussein and believe that the Caliph should be a direct descendant of Muhammad through his son-in-law Ali and his grandson.

36. Umayyad Architecture Dome of the Rock

37. The Abbasid Dynasty • Amidst growing resentment toward the Umayyad Dynasty Abu al-Abbas, a descendent of Muhammad’s uncle, overthrew the Umayyad Dynasty in 750 and est. the Abbasid Dynasty. • The Dynasty lasted until 1258 A.D.

38. Abbasid Rule • The Abbasids moved the capital of their empire to Baghdad. • This move increased Persian influence and changed Abbasid culture. • Under this dynasty the new heroes were judges, merchants, and government officials. • This dynasty did not favor Arab rule and the empire became more culturally diverse.

39. Harun al-Rashid • The greatest of the caliphs of the dynasty. This is called the golden age of the Abbasid Dynasty (Caliphate) • He was known for his charity and was a great supporter of culture and the arts. • His son continued the tradition and supported the study of astronomy and began to translate classical Greek works into Arabic.

40. Trade • Baghdad became a major crossroads for trade. • This made the city very wealthy. • This also helped spread products and knowledge from the Middle East to parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe.

41. Government Administration • The government of the Abbasids became more like a monarchy. • The bureaucracy which assisted the Caliph became more complicated. • In order to assist him the Caliph appointed a Vizier who was like a prime minister. • This man was the chief advisor to the Caliph and would help him run the government.

42. The Abbasid Dynasty

43. Decline and Division • There was great difficulty in the Abbasid Dynasty with imperial succession. • There was also financial corruption. • Caliphs began to recruit from non-Arab groups for government administration such as the Turks and the Persians. • These groups came to dominate the political situation.

44. Rulers of provinces began to break away and establish independent kingdoms. • Spain had an independent Caliphate at Cordoba which had been established in 750 by Umayyad rulers who fled the Abbasid Dynasty. • Morocco became independent. • The Fatimid dynasty was established in Egypt with the capital at Cairo in 973.

45. SeljukTurks and the Crusades • As the Fatimid Dynasty in Egypt became more powerful they became the new center of the Muslim world. • One group which came to power in this region were the Seljuk Turks. • The Turks played a large role in the military and many rose through the ranks to gain a lot of political power.

46. The Turks were originally a nomadic people who converted to Islam and were great soldiers in the Abbasid caliphate. • As the Abbasids weakened, the Turks became stronger moving into the areas of Iran and Armenia. They eventually took over many Abbasid territories.

47. The Sultan • The Turks were ruled by a Sultan, meaning “holder of power.” • While the Abbasids were still a religious authority when the Turks captured Baghdad they were the military and political leaders of the state. • The Turks in the second half of the 11th century kept putting pressure on the Byzantine Empire. In 1071 they defeated the Byzantine army at Manzikert and gained control of Asia Minor (Anatolian Peninsula) • In desperation, the Byzantine Empire turned to the West for help. This led to a series of wars known as The Crusades.

48. The Crusades • The Byzantine Emperor Alexius I sent a letter to the Pope (Urban II) asking for help against the Turks. • This led to a series of wars in 1096 known as The Crusades. • At first the Crusaders were successful and took the city of Jerusalem. • In 1187 the Muslim leader Saladin retook the city, leaving the Christians with only a small collection of land holdings in the Middle East. • The Crusades had a lasting impact-breeding centuries of mistrust between the Muslim world and the Christian World.

49. The Mongol Threat • The Mongols were a pastoral, horse-riding people who swept out of the Gobi in the early 13th century to seize control over much of the known world. • The were not Muslims and find it difficult to adapt to city life. • The spread destruction across Asia into Muslim territory. • The Invasion began with Genghis Khan and was continued under the leadership Kublia Khan and Hulegu. • They seized Mesopotamia Persia and Mesopotamia destroying the city of Baghdad in 1258 • The Mongols made it as far as the Red Sea, but were unable to take Egypt. • Over time the Mongol rulers converted to Islam and rebuilt the Muslim world.

50. Mongol Map