The Rise of Islam

Arabia Prior to Muhammad Crossroads of three

continents Geography-desert with

little water People settled near an

oasis town or near the coast

Bedouins-nomads who migrated across Arabia

Coastal towns such as Mecca were popular for trade.

Several different tribes with different religions in Arabia

People would worship at the Ka’aba, a shrine.

Muhammad (570-632 C.E) Born into powerful

Meccan family Trader and merchant At age 40, Muhammad

meditated outside Mecca

He saw an angel named Gabriel.

Gabriel gave him messages from God, or Allah.

Islam- “Submission to the will of God.”

Muslims- “One who has submitted.”

Muhammad Spreads Islam

He preached in Mecca in 613

He met hostility from Meccan leaders

He and his followers migrated (Hijrah) to Yathrib, later renamed Medina.

In 630, he returned to Mecca with 10,000 followers

He converted most in Mecca to Islam.

The Religion of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam:◦ Faith (Claim Allah)◦ Prayer (5X a Day)◦ Alms (Giving to Poor)◦ Fasting (During

Ramadan)◦ Pilgrimage (Hajj) to

MeccaQur’an-holy book of

Islam (written in Arabic)

Shari’a-Islamic body of law.

Islam Spreads After Muhammad

Muhammad did not leave instructions for who was to take over Islam.

After he died in 632, the umma chose his close friend Abu-Bakr as caliph, or successor.

He enabled the word jihad, or struggle, to keep Islam afloat.

The Rightly Guided Caliphs-the first four successors of Islam after Muhammad.◦ (Abu-Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and

Ali)◦ By 750 C.E, Islam had spread

across the Middle East, North Africa, and into Spain; some 6,000 miles.

Islam Splits

Ali was assassinated in 661.

A family known as the Umayyads took power over Islam.

Leadership issues Moved the capital from

Mecca Ruled as non-Muslims Islam split into two

branches:◦ Sunni-followers of

Muhammad’s example; accepted the Umayyads

◦ Shi’a-leader must be descended from Muhammad; did not accept Umayyads.

The Abbasid Empire (750-1258 C.E)

Umayyad Empire fell to rebels in 750 C.E.

The Abbasids took control

Moved capital to new city in Iraq called Baghdad

Increased trade along land and sea

Developed banks and taxed goods.

Created a bureaucracy with regional governors to control the empire.

Legacy of the Islamic Empire

Advancements in Science and Math (algebra)-Al-Khwarizmi

Calligraphy-art of beautiful hand writing

Medical Encyclopedia Ibn Battuta-recorded

his travels around the world

Ibn Sina-philosopher and considered the “father of medicine.”

Architecture-built up cities (Jerusalem, Baghdad, Damascus)