Chapter 9Muslim Civilization

Section 1The Origins of Islam

Muhammad, a merchant whom Muslims believe was the last prophet reported that he received messages from God. The religion he taught—Islam—drew many followers.

The Arabian Peninsula & MeccaArabian Peninsula• Mostly Desert• Intersection of Europe,

Asia & Africa• Dependent on tradeBedouins—nomadic Arab

peoples• Mecca—near the Red

Sea—was the most important trade city

The Arabian Peninsula & MeccaMecca• Kaaba—ancient building

that was considered sacred

• Drew religious pilgrims• Worshipped many gods

and goddesses, but the supreme God was Allah

Muhammad the MessengerMuhammad ibn Abd Allah• Was a merchant in Mecca• At 25 he married an older widow named Khadijah (ka-DEE-jah)• Some influence from Christianity and Judaism• Would leave his home and go to a cave to pray and reflenct• About 610 received a visit from an angel that commanded him to speak

revelations from Allah• Believed God had chosen him to be his prophet• Became a political leader as well

Muhammad the MessengerThe Revelations• Allah was the one and only true all-powerful God• Instructions on how to live a life to please Allah• Would live in paradise after death• Worship of idols; beliefs in many gods was sinful

Muhammad the MessengerSharing the Revelations• Local Meccans did not accept his teaching and feared he would disrupt

the pilgrimage business• Muhammad was protected by his uncle Abu Talib, but when he died in

619, Muhammad fled Mecca and found a new home in Yathrib

(Medina—”the Prophet’s city”)Hegira—Muhammad’s journey from

Mecca to MedinaIslam—faith started by Muhammad

means “ achieveing peace through submission to God”

Muslims—followers of Islam

Basic of IslamQur’an—the sacred text of Islam• Followers wrote down Muhammad’s spoken revelations since he could not read

or write• Muslims believe that only in its original Arabic language can you know the full

meaning and beauty of the text• Muslims do not consider translations in other languages to be true

representations of the Qur’an

The Five Pillars of Islam1. Profession of Faith—”There is no god but God [Allah], and Muhammad is the

messenger of God”2. Five Daily Prayers—must always face Mecca to pray3. Alms or Charity—must give a certain percentage of their income to the poor or

needy4. Fasting during Ramadan—fasting is a way to show that God is more important

than one’s own body5. Hajj—Muslims who are physically and financially able are required at some

point during their lives to go to Mecca

Basic of IslamMosque—name of the building where Muslims worship

Guidelines for Behavior• Forbidden to ear pork or drink alcoholic beverages• Must wash themselves before praying• Prohibited from murder, lying and stealingJihad—”struggle for the faith” struggle to defend the Muslim community,

convert people to Islam, “holy war”

The Sunna and Sharia• Other texts written over many years that provide models of behavior for

Muslims to follow• Sunna “tradition” includes hundreds of individual lessons or reports on

Muhammad’s actions that are used as guidance in areas like personal relationships, business dealings, and religious practice

• Sharia a developed legal system that reflects the various rules by which all Muslims should live

Basic of IslamPeople of the Book• Qur’an teaches that Allah is same God of Jewish and Christian traditions• Consider Abraham, Moses, and Jesus to also be messengers from God• Muhammad saw himself as the last of God’s prophets• Scared texts of Judaism and Christianity also came from Allah• Qur’an carries the most importance since it was the final message• Muslims should respect Jews and Christians as fellow “people of the

book”

Section 2The Spread of Islam

After Muhammad’s death, Islam spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula, shaping a major empire within 100 years. While the empire eventually broke into smaller parts, Islam continued to spread

Islam After Muhammad’s DeathMuhammad’s Successors• Muhammad died in 632; without naming a successorAbu Bakr—Muhammad’s successor; closest companion earliest convertsCaliph—”successor” Abu Bakr and those who came after him• Abu Bakr built up strong Arab fighting forces

Expansion of TerritoryCaliphate—area ruled by a caliph• Under Abu Bakr and his successor Umar, territory under Muslim rule

expanded• 637 defeated Persians in Iraq• 642 defeated all Persian Empire• Damascus, Syria and Jerusalem (from Byzantine Empire)• 639 Egypt (also from Byzantines)• 642 All of the Nile Valley• 661 caliphate stretched from North Africa to Persia

Islam After Muhammad’s Death

• 637 defeated Persians in Iraq• 642 defeated all Persian Empire• Damascus, Syria and Jerusalem (from

Byzantine Empire)

• 639 Egypt (also from Byzantines)• 642 All of the Nile Valley• 661 caliphate stretched from North Africa

to Persia

Islam After Muhammad’s DeathInternal Conflict and Division• Some people supported Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, but Abu Bakr

was chosen caliph• 644 Ali again was not chosen caliph passed over for UthmanUmayyad—powerful clan from Mecca; reluctant converts to Islam; enemies of

Muhammad• When Ali did become caliph, civil war broke out between his supporters and

Umayyads; Ali was killed and Umayyads retook control• Most Muslims reluctantly accepted Umayyad rule, they were called Sunnis• Ali’s supporters who refused to go along became Shia—”party of Ali”• Ali’s successors are called imam—”leader” they believe only imams can

interpret the Qur’an• Battle of Karbala, Iraq—conflict between Sunnis and Shia where Husayn (Shia),

grandson of Muhammad, led a rebellion against Yazid (Sunni) ; Husayn was killed and his supporters were killed or taken prisoner; became known as the “martyrdom of Husayn”

Sufis—third group within Islam, seek a mystical, personal connection with God

Islam After Muhammad’s Death

The Umayyad DyanstyContinued Expansion• After Husayn’s death; Umayyads

strengthened their rule• Made Arabic official language• Made uniform coins• Began building Dome of the Rock in

Jerusalem• Expanded east to the borders of

China and Indus River Valley and west through Northern Africa and Spain• Failed to take Constantinople in 717; failed to move into France (Battle of

Tours; 732)• Many conquered people converted to Islam• “People of the Book” were allowed to practice their own religion but had

to pay a heavy tax

The Umayyad DyanstyRuling the Empire• Umayyads strengthened the central government• Arab Muslims became a ruling class; caused resentment among non Arab

Muslims

End of Umayyads• Shia opposition• Displeasure with emphasis on political ambition• Umayyad favoritismAbbasids—dynasty that overthrew the Umayyad dynasty to rule the Muslim

caliphate from 750 to 1258• Abbasids united opposition to Umayyads• Led by a direct descendant of Muhammad’s uncle• Devout Muslims thought Abbasids would lead a return to pure Islamic values• 740’s a series of battles in Iran and Iraq wiped out almost all Umayyads

The Abbasid DynastyPersian influence• Moved capital to Baghdad• Adopted Persian style of government; leaders cut off from the people• Vizier or “deputy” oversaw the affairs of state

A Change in Culture• Invited all people into Islam, no longer

just Arabs• Spread Islam to West Africa and

Southeast Asia through tradeHarun al-Rashid—most prominent Abbasid

caliph; helped bring Muslim culture to great heights; produced lasting achievements in arts and science

The End of UnityChallenges from Europe• 1000’s Christian armies began to drive Muslims out of Spain• Crusades began to challenge in the Holy Land

Problems from Egypt• Fatimids (claimed decent from Muhammad’s daughter) established a dynasty in Egypt

in 969• Controlled Mediterranean and Red Seas; disrupted Abbasid trade

Seljuk Turks• Turkish people who took control of Baghdad in 1055• Supported the Abbasids against the Fatimids• Went to war with Byzantines; won control of most of Anatolia and created their own

empire

Mamluks and Mongols• Mamlucks—enslaved solders took power in Egypt and Syria• In 1258 Mongols from Central Asia after conquering China arrived in Baghdad,

destroyed the city and killed the Abbasid caliph

Section 3Society and Culture

For the most part, Islam was more than a religion. It was a guide to political, social, and cultural life. The early Muslims responded with spectacular achievement in many fields.