The Expansion of Islam and Muslim Culture

Lesson 35

The Split

Part 1

From:http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm

When the Prophet Muhammad died, Muslims faced the question of who was going to take over the leadership of the Muslim nation. 

Sunni Muslims felt that the new leader should be elected from among those capable of the job.

From:http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm

The word "Sunni" in Arabic comes from a word meaning "one who follows the traditions of the Prophet."

From:http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm

This is what was done, and the Prophet Muhammad's close friend and advisor, Abu Bakr, became the first leader of the Muslim Empire. of the Islamic nation.

Abu Bakr was called the Caliph. A Caliph is both a supreme political and religious leader in a Muslim government.

Shi’a Muslims, split with the Sunni because they felt that following the Prophet Muhammad's death the leadership should have stayed within the Prophet's own bloodline beginning with his cousin, Ali. He became the 4th caliph.

Ali

Throughout history, Shia Muslims have not recognized the authority of elected Muslim leaders, choosing instead to follow a line of Imams which they believe have been appointed by the Prophet Muhammad or God Himself. 

The word "Shia" in Arabic means a group or supportive party of people. The commonly-known term is shortened from the historical "Shia-t-Ali," or "the Party of Ali."

The election of Abu Bakr would lead Islam to its first schism. Two groups arguing this matter would emerge. The Sunni and the Shia.

Explain the difference in beliefs between the Shia and Sunni?

Islam’s first Dynasties

Part 2

• Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph, fought a series of battles with the governor of Syria, Muawiyah.

• They decided to split the Islamic Empire.

• Ali was assassinated however, and Muawiyah took over, beginning the reign of the Umayyads.

The family known as the Umayyads took control of the Islamic empire after four caliphs. They set up a hereditary system of succession.

Umayyads also made another important change. The Muslim capital was moved to Damascus, a distant city in the recently conquered province of Syria. This location, away from Mecca, made controlling conquered territories easier.

By 750 CE, the rest of North Africa, southern Spain, and central Asia fell under Muslim rule.

In the year 750 C.E., The Umayyads were overthrown by the Abassids. The Abassids ruthlessly murdered the remaining members of the Umayyad family. Some of the Umayyads who escaped and moved their empire to Spain, while the Abassids moved the capital to Baghdad.

What happened to the Umayyad Empire?

Muslim Culture

Part 3

• Muslims believe Muhammad a prophet of God (Allah).

• A prophet is a person who believes that he or she is spoken to by God.

• A prophet tells others what God has said.

• Muhammad said that the name of God is Allah. He said that people must obey Allah by being kind and fair to each other.

He also said that all Muslims must perform five duties. These duties are called the Five Pillars of Islam.

The first duty is to make a statement about one’s belief in Islam. This statement should be “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”

The second duty is to pray five times a day while facing Mecca.

The third duty is to give money to help the poor.

The fourth duty is to not eat or drink anything during the daylight hours of one month. This month is the Islamic month called Ramadan.

The fifth duty is to make at least one pilgrimage, or journey, if you can afford to do so, called the hajj, to Mecca.

In your notes, draw the five pillars of Islam?

The teachings of Muhammad were written down by his followers in a book called the Koran (Qur’an). This was originally written in Arabic.

• Muslims in all parts of the world read and study the Koran.

• The Koran tells a person how to be a good Muslim.

The traditional law for the Muslims is the Sharia.

What is the Sharia?

The Muslim Empire also became a center of learning. The Abassid dynasty started many schools in cities such as Baghdad.

• Muslims learned much about science, math, and art from the people in the conquered lands.

• Muslims also spread new ideas across the empire.

• The Muslim scholar, Al-Khwarizmi, used Hindu numbers to create a new type of math called Algebra. The word Algebra derives from the Arabic word AlJabar. 

•

• The word AlJabar means "bringing together separate parts".

astrolabe

• They studied the stars, the sun, and the moon.

• The Muslim Empire became a center of culture during the Middle Ages.

• Many Muslims wrote poems and stories.

• They made beautiful works of art.

• The Muslims built great cities and beautiful buildings.

• Some of these great buildings were mosques.

• A mosque is a place where Muslims worship Allah.

One of the most famous mosques is the Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as the Dome of the Rock in the city of Jerusalem.

In your notes, do your best to draw a mosque?