U N I T I I I

THE RISE OF ISLAM

MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET

• From Mecca in modern day Saudi Arabia

• Muhammad was a middle aged merchant who claimed the Angel Gabriel asked him to recite the word of God.

• As a Merchant, Muhammad had exposure to the ideas of Judaism and Christianity. • Maybe even Persians

MUHAMMAD TAKES POLITICAL POWER

• Mecca was already a popular pilgrimage site

• Muhammad was kicked out because Islam threatened the pilgrimage.

• Muhammad and his followers went to Medina• Prayer switches from

Jerusalem to Mecca

• Muhammad became a political and military leader.

• 630 CE Muhammad takes back Mecca

THE SPREAD OF ISLAM

• Abu Bakr, Muhammad's successor began attacking the Byzantine Empire and recording the Qur'an.

• A vast empire grew out of the principals of Islam in just 200 years.

• Muhammad's successors relentlessly spread the religion through military conquest.

THE RAPID SPREAD OF ISLAM

BASIC BELIEFS

• Conquered people do not have to convert, only pay a larger tax.• Followers of Judaism and Christianity are specifically

mentioned in the Qur’an as “people of the book”

Five Pillars of Islam 1. Shahadah- declaring there is no god except God (Allah), and Muhammad is God’s messenger 2. Salat- Prayer five times a day 3. Zekat- Giving 2.5% of one’s savings to the poor4. Sawm- Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan5. Hajj- Pilgrimage to Mecca

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

BASIC BELIEFS

Guiding text:• The Qur'an• Absolute Monotheism • Taking care of those less

fortunate than you • Hadiths; a collection of

sayings and stories about the prophet Muhammad

A believer in Islam is part of the Uma or community of believers

Islam becomes a restoration religion • Muslims believe the Monotheisms before Muhammad

had strayed from purity. • Muslims believe Mohamed was the last prophet sent by

God.

SHIA- SUNNI SPLIT

• Root of split goes back to Muhammad's first successor • Abu Bakr,

Muhammad's father-in-law became the first Caliph.

• Many wanted his son-in-law, Ali to take over.

• Shia Muslims believe the Caliph should be a descendent of Muhammad.

• Caliph means “successor”

• Meaning Abu Bakr was a “successor” to the prophet

MODERN SHIA- SUNNI DIVIDE

Today Shia Muslims make up 16% of the Islamic population

THE ISLAMIC SPLIT HAS SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS TODAY

BAGHDAD: THE CENTER OF LEARNING

• The Abbasid Caliphate (750- 1258 CE) became the center for learning.

• The Persian ruling class moved the capital to Baghdad.• Baghdad became the center of learning.

• Large library held the work of Greek philosophers, Greek scientist, and Buddhist and Hindu text

• Openness to foreigners and their ideas • Possibly largest blending of cultures since Hellenistic times • Brought to an end by the Mongols

IBN SINA (980- 1037 CE)

• Gained great advances in the field of medicine • Created the Canon of

Medicine • Became the standard

medical text book for centuries

HOW’S THIS FOR A VACATION?

IBN BATTUTA (1304-1368 CE)

• Moroccan explorer • Traveled the known

Muslim world • Recorded his travels

in the Rihla (translated to “Journey”)

• Helped link Africa to the Islamic World

• The most well traveled man to date

THE ABRAHAMIC TRADITIONS

Judaism est. around 1000 BCE Christianity est.

around 40 CEIslam est. around

600 CE

WHAT DO THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS ALL HAVE IN COMMON?

• All three use a religious text that provide guidelines for ethical and moral behaviors as well as how to govern believers.• Judaism- Torah • Christians- The Bible• Islam- The Qur'an

• All three recognize Abraham, Mosses and other figures from the Old Testament as important religious figures. • All three believe in fundamental monotheism. • All three originated in the same region, and claim

several of the same cities as religious holy sites.

JERUSALEM

FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES IN THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS

Judaism• Judaism does not actively seek converts and the

religion is associated with a group of people. Christianity • Christians believe Jesus was the son of God (or

Messiah) • Catholic leaders must remain unmarried. Islam • Islam is the newest and only Abrahamic tradition

to reference the other two in the holy text.

MODERN DISTRIBUTION

OVER HALF THE WORLD PRACTICES AN ABRAHAMIC RELIGION