Islam World History SOL WHI.8a,b,c,d. Essential Questions Where did the Islamic religion originate? Where did the Islamic religion spread? What are the.

Islam

World History

SOL WHI.8a,b,c,d

Essential Questions

Where did the Islamic religion originate? Where did the Islamic religion spread? What are the beliefs, traditions, and customs

of Islam? How did geography influence the rapid

expansion of area under Muslim control? What were some contributions of Islamic

civilization?

Essential Questions

How did political and cultural geography facilitate trade and cultural activity in the early Islamic lands?

What were some major historical turning points that marked the spread and influence of Islamic civilization?

How did Islamic civilization preserve and extend ancient Greek, Persian, and Indian learning?

Origins of Islam

Islam was founded by the prophet Muhammad, who was born in 570 c.e. and started preaching when he was 40 years old.

Muhammad lived in Mecca, a town on the Arabian Peninsula. He was a member of a bedouin tribe and married a wealthy merchant woman.

Origins of Islam

The Arabian Peninsula had few cities, and most people were nomadic herders who raised goats and sheep.

The people were organized in tribes and fought often in blood feuds.

The level of material culture in this area was low. There was little art or architecture.

Origins of Islam

When Muhammad started preaching he had a loyal but small band of followers. Other tribes in Mecca were afraid of his growing power and threatened to kill him.

Muhammad and his family moved to Medina. He united the tribes in Medina and converted most people to Islam.

When he returned to Mecca he was accepted as the leader and the Kaaba was converted into a sacred place of worship.

Origins of Islam

After Muhammad’s death the united bedouin tribes swept out of the Arabian Peninsula and conquered the Persian Empire and parts of the Byzantine Empire.

In less than 100 years they controlled all of North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Spain.

Beliefs of Islam

Followers of Islam believe that Muhammed was a prophet of God (Allah) like Abraham, Moses, and Noah. They also believe Jesus was a prophet of God, however, they do not believe that he was the son of God.

Islam is a monotheistic religion.

Beliefs of Islam

The five pillars or central teachings of Islam are:

A. A statement of faith (There is one God, Allah is his name, and Muhammad is his prophet)

B. Prayer (five times a day in the direction of Mecca)

C. Charity

D. Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your lifetime (called the Hajj)

E. Fasting (during the month of Ramadan)

Islam

The teachings of Muhammad were collected into a book called the Koran.

Muslims worship in buildings called mosques. It is forbidden to make pictures or statues of Allah or Muhammad so most mosques are decorated with ornate tile work or passages from the Koran in Arabic calligraphy.

The Kaaba, the holiest site in the religion of Islam.Once a year Muslims make a pilgrimage to the Kaabaknown as the Hajj.

Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, the third holiest site inthe religion of Islam.

Map showing the spread of Islam from the ArabianPeninsula. Notice the battle of Tours in France.

Another map showing spread of Islam. Notice theByzantine Empire in modern day Turkey. AlthoughMuslim armies took their North African possessionsthey managed to fight the Muslims off in Turkey.

Spread of Islam into Central Asia and Southeast Asia.Islam was spread into Southeast Asia by traders andwandering mystics known as sufis.

Spread of Islam

At first, Islam spread along trade routes from Mecca and Medina.

Conquering armies spread Islam when Muhammad died. They were able to conquer the Persian Empire and Byzantine Empire because the Byzantines and Persians were weak and had fought each other for many years.

Islam spread despite long distances, deserts, mountains, and even oceans.

Spread of Islam

When Muslim armies first conquered areas outside of the Arabian Peninsula they made no effort to convert people. In fact, they didn’t want to convert people because true believers split the loot taken in battle.

They allowed other religions such as Judaism and Christianity to peacefully coexist as long as they paid a higher tax.

Many people converted of their own free will.

Spread of Islam

Muslim armies did take slaves but slavery in the Muslim world was not based on race. Usually, only wealthy families owned slaves.

The Arabic language became a unifying factor, although later many court officials spoke Persian.

The political unity of the Muslim world lasted a short time. Sections of North Africa and Spain broke off into separate caliphates.

Important Events

632 - Muhammad dies and his close friend Abu Bakr is appointed Caliph.

634 - Muslim armies take Damascus. Later, Damascus becomes the capital of the Umayyad Dynasty until it is replaced by the Abbasid Dynasty in 750.

638 - Muslim armies take Jerusalem. 661 - Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law is

assassinated and the Muslim community splits into Sunni and Shia branches.

Important Events

732 - Muslim armies cross the Pyrenees in Europe but are defeated by Charles Martel at the battle of Tours. Christian Europe is saved.

750 - Umayyad Dynasty replaced by Abbasid Dynasty. Capital moved to Baghdad and the golden age of Islam begins.

1258 - Baghdad is looted and sacked by the Mongols.

Contributions of Islam

Architecture - Muslim architects adapted the domes and arches of Byzantine buildings to new uses. They converted Byzantine churches to mosques and built original mosques and minarets with domed roofs.

Mosaics - The Quran forbids depictions of Muhammad or Allah. Muslim artists decorated mosques with intricate colored tiles known as mosaics.

Mosaic on a mosque

Mosaic on a mosque

Contributions of Islam

Arabic alphabet - The Arabic alphabet is used to write Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. Although the script existed before the life of Muhammad there are very few pre-Islamic examples remaining. The bedouin tribes continued to memorize the Quran and important myths and stories.

Contributions of Islam

Universities - Boys and girls were provided with elementary education. Many large cities such as Baghdad, Cordoba, Cairo, and Timbuktu had universities with large libraries. These universities attracted well paid scholars.

Scholars in these libraries also translated ancient Greek and Roman texts into Arabic. Later, they added their own original ideas onto these scholarly traditions.

Contributions of Islam

Arabic numerals (adapted from India, including zero)

Algebra Medicine - Doctors and pharmacists had to

pass a government test before they could practice. Public hospitals and baths were common.

Expansion of geographic knowledge (new and revised maps)