ISLAM

1. ISLAM

2. Did you know? • At least 42 nations are almost completely Islamic.

3. There are 1 billion Muslims in the world.

4. Only 20% of the world’s Muslims are Arabs.

5. Arabia before Muhammad (born 570 AD) Madinah(Medina) Makkah (Mecca)

6. Deserts • Only a small strip of fertile land in south of SaudiArabia • Few oases • The rest is Desert

8. Bedouins • Nomads who live in the desert • Organized into tribes and clans • Clans give security and support since they live in extreme conditions • Defended themselves from other clans who wanted water, grazing territory, livestock or food supplies

9. Arabia was occupied by warring clans of nomads. Madinah(Medina) Makkah (Mecca)

12. Bedouin valued Courage Loyalty to family Warrior skills This would lead to Islamic way of life Islamic Way of Life

13. Trade Routes • Many trade routes connected Arabia to major ocean and land trade routes • Extreme south of the peninsula • To the Byzantine in the north • Caravanroutes went to the SilkRoads in the east • Transported spices to the west

15. Mecca • Located in SaudiArabia • Importantstop on trade routes • During holy months, caravans stopped in Mecca and this brought religious pilgrims who came to worship at the Kaaba

18. Kaaba * Over the years many different gods and spirits were introduced here • Had over 360 idols brought by many tribes

19. Most worshiped idols, especially in Mecca at the Ka’aba, the large stone shrine to a “goddess from heaven,” though a few still believed in one God.

20. There were Jews and Christians in Arabia, too, but Christians didn’t translate the Bible into Arabic until after 700 AD. • There was a political and religious void that Islam was about to fill.

21. Muhammad • Born in Mecca in 570 BCE, orphaned at age 6, taken in by grandfather and uncle, both in the caravan business.

22. Muhmmad was born in about 570 CE. At that time Justinian II (565-595), was the Byzantine Emperor Rome had fallen 476 CE and Europe was in the “Dark Ages”

23. Muhammad met Jews and Christians on his travels, learned stories from the Old and New Testaments.

24. Married Khadijah, a wealthy widow, in 595 AD, and was freed from the life of a traveling merchant.

25. In 610 AD, Muhammad claims that the archangel Gabriel appeared to him and told him to “recite” (qur’an in Arabic) everything he said. These were the first alleged revelations from Allah.

26. Muhammad hurried home and wrapped Himself in cloak. He told Khadijih what had happened and she became the first to embrace Islam through its Messenger, Muhammad. The 74th Sura of the Quran is titled ‘the cloaked One’

27. His messages attacked idolatry. By 622 he had gathered enough followers that they were forced to leave Mecca for Medina. Muslims refer to this event as the Hijra; it is the year “0” on the Muslim calendar; A.H. = “year of Hijra.” Madinah(Medina) Makkah (Mecca)

28. The first Muslims • Early followers of the Prophet pondering his words at Yathrib • aka Medina • Muhammad gave daily recitations of the messages he believed came from Allah • which his followers faithfully recorded

29. Muhammad & followers construct first Mosque in the world in Medina

30. 623 CE Battle of Badr (see Qur’an 3:123) Muhammad routs a numerically superior Meccan army

31. Swords of Muhammad Topkapi Museum - Istanbul

32. 630 CE Muhammad marches on Mecca with 10,000 men Battle of Hunayn 31 January

33. By 630 the believing community was large enough to return to Mecca in triumph and establish Islam as the official religion.

34. Holy city • Right: Mecca • as it would have appeared around the time of his birth (below)

35. Mecca (cont.) • Note the ka’aba in the background • at the center of the city

36. Crisis • Muhammad dies in 632 • Muslims now had to find a new leader • Muhammad did notname a successor

37. Solution • Muslims chose Abu-Bakr who was a loyal friend of Muhammad • He became the first Caliph • Caliph – (kay-lif) means successor or deputy

38. Abu-Bakr • After Muhammad died some Muslims • Refused to pay taxes • Tried to say they were prophets themselves • Some tribes abandoned Islam • In order to get things under control, Abu-Bakr used the military to get authority.

39. Muslim State • By the time Abu died, the Muslim state controlled all of Arabia • Under the next 2 caliphs they took: • Syria • Lower Egypt • Parts of Persia • By 750 they controlled from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River (2x the width of the USA!!)

41. Muslim Troops • They were successful because they were • Willing to struggle till the end for Islam • Well disciplined • Expertly commanded • Enemies were not used to their style of warfare

42. Byzantine and Persia • The Byzantine and Persia were already weak from long time conflicts • The people welcomed Islam

43. Treatment of Conquered People • Muslims were tolerant of conquered people • The Quran forbids forceful conversion • They let others keep their religion if they paid a polltax • People who did not convert were not allowed to spread their own religions

44. Internal Conflict • The 2 Caliphs after Abu Bakr were assassinated • After their assassinations, the elective system of choosing caliphs ended

45. Umayyads • A family that came to power in 661 • They set up a hereditarysystem of getting new leaders. • They moved the Muslimcapital to Damascus

47. Umayyads • Surrounded themselves with riches • Some Muslims did not agree with the Umayyads and split.

48. The Split • Muslims split into two groups: Muslims SUNNI SHI'A

49. SHI’A • Believe the leader should be a relative of Muhammad

50. Shi’as (word means “division”) believe Muhammad appointed Ali, his son-in-law, before he died, even included the choice in the Qur’an, but others secretly burned those copies. They maintain that the true Caliph must be a direct descendant of Muhammad.