The Rise of Islam

•Farming limited in Arabia

•Commerce lively

•Mecca, near Red Sea, most

important of coastal towns

The Arabian Peninsula

Middle East: Climate Regions

Fresh Groundwater Sources

Mountain Ranges

Atlas Mts. Zagros

Mts.

Caucasus

Mts.

Middle East: Population Density

People of the Arabian Peninsula

Semitic People like Jews, Egyptians,

Syrians

Tradition – Son of Abraham

Roman Times

Bedouin Tribes, live in desert, isolated,

tribal, polytheistic

Revered Black Meteorite

Early Religious Function

• The Kaaba, cube-shaped structure, at heart of Mecca

• 500s, already ancient, considered sacred

• Possible meteorite

• Idols of local gods inside

• Site drew religious pilgrims

Muhammad (570-632 AD)

Married wealthy widow, managed trade

in area

Received message from Angel Gabriel

Driven from Mecca in 622 (1st day of

Muslim calendar)

Muhammad’s Faith

• Had always been religious man

• Took frequent spiritual retreats

• Muhammad disturbed by visitation

• After more visits from angel, Muhammad

concluded God had chosen him to be prophet

Messages

• Allah = one and only true and all-powerful God

• Other messages, instructions on how to live to please

Allah, live in paradise

Public Preaching

• Muhammad originally told few about experiences

• Began to preach in public after about three years,

attracted many followers

Safety Jeopardized

• Many disliked Muhammad’s criticisms

• Only protection of uncle (Clan Leader) kept

him safe

• After uncle’s death Muhammad knew he and

followers not safe in Mecca

Hegira

• 622, Muhammad moved to Medina, “the Prophet’s City”;

• Journey known as hegira

• Muslims mark year of hegira as first year of Islamic calendar

Building Faith

• Muhammad built community of fellow believers

• Called faith Islam, meaning “achieving peace

through submission to God”

• Followers known as Muslims

Return to Mecca

• Conflict arose Muhammad vs. Tribal

Leaders

• Fighting erupted

• 630, Muhammad controlled Mecca,

influence unmatched

• He would die 2 years later in 632

Beliefs of Islam

Quran (Koran)

Five Pillars

Law Governs

The Quran:

Holy Book

Of Islam

Values: Honor parents

Be kind to neighbors

Protect widows and orphans

Give to the poor

Condemns: Murder

Stealing

Lying

Adultery

Forbids: Gambling

Pork

Alcohol

Regulates: Marriage

Divorce

Inheritance

Business

The Quran

Five Pillars of Islam

One God whose name is Allah,

Muhammad is his prophet

Prayer 5 times daily, facing Mecca

Fasting during month of Ramadan

Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

Give alms to the Poor

P

i

l

Pilgrims On

The Road to

And Camped

Outside of Mecca

Al-Haram Mosque Holds the Kaaba

Sunna and Sharia

•Sunna, “tradition,” provides guidance in

personal relationships, business

•Sharia, reflects various rules by which

Muslims should live, rule of law directly

from Qur’an

Creation of Arab Empire

Difficult finding leadership after Muhammad’s death

Abu Bakr = Muhammad’s father-in-law was chosen to be successor/ called caliph = successor to Muhammad

Bakr & Muhammad spread movement of Islam

Jihad = “struggle in way of god”

By 650 Egypt, Syria, & Persian empire were part of Arab empire

Arab Empire

Tribal Connection of Caliph

First 2 caliphs after Abu Bakr were killed

In 656 Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali,

became caliph but was assassinated 5 years later

Umayyad Dynasty

In 661, general Mu’awiyah became caliph/ was rival of Ali

Capital to Damascus

Caliph = hereditary

Arabs conquered North Africa and Spain

Battle of Tours ended European expansion – Charles Martel

Classes in the Islamic World Caliph and Ruling Arab Muslims

Converts

Dhimmis – “Protected Peoples”: Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians

Slaves

Umayyad Dynasty

In 717, Muslims attacked Constantinople

Revolt - Caliphate

Led by Hussein, son of Ali

Most of his followers defected

Islamic Split: Shia (Hussein) & Sunni

Split continues today….(Most Muslims are Sunnis)

Abbasid Dynasty

In 750, Abu al-Abbas overthrew the Umayyad

dynasty & founded Abbasid

In 762, New capital at Baghdad

Harun al-Rashid led dynasty through golden age

Baghdad became center of a huge trade empire

Seljuk Turks & Crusades

Fatimid Dynasty became center of Islamic

civilization = important because it was located on

Nile river = Cairo

Seljuk Turks 1100’s

Nomads from central Asia, converted to Islam

Took over much of Middle East

Turks took over Jerusalem, Byzantine empire turned

west for help

Crusades Byzantine emperor Alexius I Pope Urban II

Series of 9 Crusades 1096-1291

Crusaders put Muslims on defensive first

Saladin – Power in 1169

Took offensive @ Christians

1187, Saladin’s army Victorious

Crusaders at Constantinople - 1204

Main effect of Crusades = centuries of mistrust between

Muslims & Christians

Saladin

The Ottomans

Est. 1299

1453, Constantinople

conquered Istanbul.

Influence of Islam and

Mongols

Establish Ottoman

Empire until 1923

Taxes

Suleiman the Magnificent