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Issue of Muhammad’s Successor
• After Muhammad died, there was a question on who should be the leader.
• Abu-Bakr was elected the first Caliph in 632 CE: “Successor”.
• Abu-Bakr and the next three Caliphs (Umar, Uthman, Ali) became known as the “Four Rightly Guided Caliphs”.
• Some people start abandoning Islam after Muhammad’s death.
• Abu-Bakr uses military force to reassert authority of Muhammad’s successors in the Muslim community. Control of Arabia!
• Umar: Conquer’s Syria and Egypt!• Uthman and Ali: Expand to as far as Atlantic
ocean in West and Indus River in the East!
Reasons for Success
Inspiration from Faith: Saw victories as sign of Allah’s support.
Well disciplined army and expertly commanded.
Success: Due to other’s empires’ (Byzantine and Persian) weakness.
Unpopularity of Byzantium and Persia: Persecuted people welcomed invaders.
• The Fourth Caliph, Ali is assassinated. Right to rule is challenged by Muawiya, governor of Syria.
• Umayyad family comes to power. Capital moves from Mecca to Damascus.
• Umayyad live life of wealth and ceremony and abandon simple life.
Division within Islam:I. Shi’a: Caliph needs to be relative of
Muhammad (Against Umayyad)II. Sunni: means “Followers of
Muhammad’s example” (Do not actively resist Umayyad)
III. Sufi: Life of poverty, meditation, and devotion to spiritual life.