Development of Islam

1. Development of Islam Chris Anderson Randolph-Henry High School

2. Development of Islam • The Islamic faith developed on the Arabian Peninsula • Most of the peninsula is remote desert—making the area safe from attack • The Arabs in the area were able to develop their own civilization and culture

3. Geography • The Arabian Peninsula lies between the Red Sea and Persian Gulf—about 1 million square miles • Most of the peninsula is arid plains and deserts • When it does rain, grasses grow very quickly • Many oases exist in the region

5. Early People • The early Arabs were bedouins—nomadic herders • They herded goats, camels, and sheep • Lived in tents made of camel or goat hair • The bedouin lived in tribes, mostly of related families • Family ties were valued because they ensured protection and survival

6. A sheikh—chief—led each tribe • The sheikh was advised by a council of elders • Survival in the desert depending on everyone obeying tribal rules • Warfare was very common among the different tribes • The stealing of the herds led to many disagreements

7. The bedouins believed in retaliation—”an eye for an eye” justice • Blood feuds existed between many tribes

8. AD 500s—many tribes began to settle around the oases or in fertile areas to form cities • Many market towns were established • Yathrib • Taif • Mecca (Makkah)—the most important trading city

9. Mecca • People from all over the Arabian Peninsula to Mecca (Makkah) to trade • Arabs also came to Mecca (Makkah) to worship at Arabia’s holiest shrine—Kaaba • The Kaaba contained statues of the many Arab gods

11. Signs of Change • Constant contact with the Byzantine Empire introduced the idea of monotheism (both Judaism and Christianity) to the Arabs • Many of the idol worshipping Arabs became dissatisfied with their own religion • These Arabs began searching for new religions

12. Hanifs (holy men) began to denounce the idol worship and advocate monotheism • The hanifs also rejected Judaism and Christianity • The hanifs wanted an Arab monotheistic religion • A new Arab monotheistic arose—Islam --“submission to the will of Allah (God)”

13. Muhammad • The prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca (Makkah) around AD 570 • He was orphaned early on and raised by an uncle • As a teen, he worked as a caravan leader • He was known as a honest man and able caravan leader

14. He married a wealthy widow named Khadija—she was much older than he • He was 25, she was 40 • His marriage to Khadija eliminated all of Muhammad’s financial worries • He devoted his time to reflecting on the meaning of life

15. Muhammad spent a lot of time alone praying, fasting, and meditating • He disliked the worship of idols • He disliked the immorality of city life • AD 610—Muhammad had a series of revalations • He heard a voice calling to him—the voice was of Allah (God)

16. Allah told Muhammad to “Recite!” • Allah also told Muhammad to rise and warn the people about divine judgement • Muhammad had his doubts, but accepted his mission

17. AD 613—Muhammad began sharing his ideas with his friends and family • He set out to preach his message to the people of Mecca (Makkah) • He told the people that Allah was the only true God • He warned the people of Mecca (Makkah) to live their lives in preparation for judgement

18. Most of the early converts came from Mecca’s (Makkah’s) poor • The majority of the people in Mecca (Makkah) rejected Muhammad’s message • The wealthy merchants feared monotheism would stop people from coming to Mecca (Makkah) and threaten the merchants’ profits • Mecca’s (Makkah’s) merchants began to persecute Muhammad and the Muslims

19. Muhammad continued to preach in Mecca (Makkah) until threats were made on his life • He found solace in the city of Yathrib • AD 622—Muhammad sent 60 Muslim families out of Mecca (Makkah) to Yathrib—called the Hijrah • 622 marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar

20. The people of Yathrib accepted Muhammad as the messenger of God and ruler of their city • The city’s name was changed to Madinah

22. AD 624—Muhammad created the Madinah Compact • The law decreed that all Muslims should place loyalty to the Islamic community over the tribe • This was an attempt to end the blood feuds • Jews and Christians were protected as long as they accepted the political authority of the Islamic community

23. The Madinah Compact showed that Muhammad was a political organizer and wise decision maker • The Madinah Compact created an Islamic state and culture

24. Mecca (Makkah) tried to invade Madinah, but failed to take the city • AD 630—Muhammad returned to Mecca (Makkah) with is message—actually, it was a military invasion • This time, he faced little opposition • Mecca’s (Makkah’s) people accepted Islam and acknowledged Muhammad as Allah’s prophet

25. Muhammad destroyed the idols in the Kaaba and turned the shrine into a place of worship for Muslim pilgrims • Muhammad’s preaching began reaching into other parts of Arabia • By 631—he had gained the following of the entire peninsula

26. AD 632—Muhammad died • He left behind 2 major achievements • A new monotheistic religion—Islam • A well organized political community

27. Muslim beliefs and practices • The Quran (Koran) is the Muslim holy book • The Quran was created after Muhammad’s death • The holy book houses the many conversations between Muhammad and the angel Gabriel • The word Quran means “recital”

28. The Quran is believed to contain God’s message as revealed to the prophet Muhammad • The Quran has many stories, similar to the Bible • Noah’s Ark • Jonah and the whale

30. The Quran present the basic moral values of Islam Muslims must honor their parents Show kindness to neighbors Protect orphans and widows Give generously to the poor Murder, stealing, and lying, and adultery are condemned Gambling, the eating of pork, and the drinking of alcohol are prohibited The Quran also has rules for divorce & marriage

31. The Quran also presents the Five PillarsofIslam—the five essential duties of all Muslims • Faith • Prayer • Fasting • The giving of alms • Pilgrimage

32. 1.) Faith • the belief in Allah—the one true, merciful God • 2.) Prayer • Muslims must pray 5 times a day facing Mecca—sunrise, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening

33. 3.) Fasting • Occurs during the month of Ramadan—the 9th month in the Muslim calendar • Muslims must not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset

34. 4.) Alms giving • Charity • Wealth should be used to assist the poor and weak • Practiced privately through contributions or through a state tax

35. 5.) Pilgrimage • Every Muslim is to make a trip to Mecca before they die • The trip is called a hajj

36. Spread of Islam • When Muhammad died, he left no instructions on who would succeed him as leader of Islam • The Muslims knew no one could replace Muhammad as a messenger to God • Muhammad’s replacement would be a political leader over the Islamic state

37. Muhammad’s successors would be known as caliphs (“successors”) • The caliphs were successors as political leaders, not as prophets • The 1st 4 caliphs were called the Rightly Guided Caliphs • The Rightly Guided Caliphs were friends or relatives of Muhammad

38. The 1st Rightly Guided Caliph—AbuBakr • Muhammad’s father-in-law and close friend • The last Rightly Guided Caliph—Ali • Muhammad’s son-in-law • The Rightly Guided Caliphs followed Muhammad’s example and kept in close contact with the people

39. The Rightly Guided Caliphs wanted to protect and spread Islam • They used military expeditions to spread Islam beyond the Arabian Peninsula • Arab armies swept forth against the weakened Byzantine and Persian empires • By 650—the Muslims had taken Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Persia, and Egypt

40. Division within Islam • Rival groups were fighting for control over the caliphate (seat of the caliph) • The struggle began under the reign of the 4th caliph—Ali—in 656 • One of Ali’s most powerful rivals was Mu’awiyah—the governor of Syria • Mu’awiyah was also the nephew of the 3rd Caliph who had been murdered

41. Mu’awiyah accused Ali’s followers of the killing of his uncle • Ali tried to depose Mu’awiyah, but Mu’awiyah refused to step down • Mu’awiyah quickly took over Egypt and parts of Iraq • 661—Ali was murdered • Ali’s oldest son turned down the caliphate

42. Mu’awiyah made himself caliph and established the Umayyad Dynasty • Ali’s followers—known as Shiites—never accepted Mu’awiyah as the new caliph • All of the violence led to a split in Islam • Shiites (Shi’a) • Sunni

43. Sunni Muslims The majority of the world’s Muslims The caliph can be any devout Muslim who is accepted by the people Shiite (Shi’a) Islam Live mostly in Iraq and Iran The caliph should be a descendant of Muhammad

44. Umayyad Dynasty • The Umayyad Dynasty ruled over the Islamic State from 661 to 750 • The Umayyads moved the capital from Madinah to Damscus, Syria • Umayyad warriors carried Islam into India and China, parts of North Africa, into Spain, and southern areas of Christian Europe

45. Umayyad Dynasty • By 716—the Muslims controlled nearly all of Spain • The Muslims pushed halfway into France before they were stopped at the Battle ofTours in 732 • The Battle of Tours halted the spread of Islam into Western Europe

46. Umayyad Dynasty • The Umayyads built a very powerful Islamic State • The Umayyad united the lands they ruled • Used a civil service system • They improved conditions for Jews and Christian under their rule • The Jews and Christians were tolerated as long as they paid a tax to the Umayyad leaders

47. Umayyad Dynasty • Non-Arab Muslims disliked Umayyad rule • The non-Arab Muslims paid higher taxes, received lower wages, and were discriminated against • 747—non-Arab Muslims joined with anti-Umayyad Arabs • They built an army and overthrew the Umayyad dynasty

48. Abbasid Dynasty • A new caliph was put in place—Abu’l-’Abbas • Abu’l-’Abbas established the Abbasid Dynasty • He built a new capital in Baghdad—along the Tigris River • The Abbasids ruled the Islamic state from 750 to 1258

49. Abbasid Dynasty • Under the Abbasids, the lands the Umayyads conquered slowly slipped away • By the 1000s, the Abbasids ruled little more than the city of Baghdad • 1055—Baghdad was captured by the Seljuk Turks • 1100s—Christian soldiers (crusaders) from western Europe were in a Holy War against Islam

50. Abbasid Dynasty • 1258—the Mongols from Asia invaded Baghdad • The Mongols ended the Abbasid Dynasty