History and the Role of IslamWorld History

Chapter 26• Muhammad

– Prophet of God– Born approximately 570 A.D.– Lives with Grandfather and later an Uncle– Worked for wealthy widow named Khadija

• Lead caravans on trade routes

– Age 40• Muhammad has vision• Hears the voice of Gabriel (Archangel) commanding

him to proclaim or preach to all people.

Ch 26 section 1

• The vision frightens Muhammad

• Khadija encourages him to follow God’s will.

• Only a few converts at first.– Muhammad’s message angered the

people of Mecca because it threatened the economics of the area.

– Mecca was home to many idols and people made a pilgrimage (journey to a holy place)

– 622 (after Khadija’s death) Muhammad leaves Mecca and travels to Yathrib (later become known as Medina, “city of the prophet”)

The Kabah (Cube)

The Hejira• The Migration from Mecca to

Medina is known as the Hejira.– Turning point in Islam

– Beginning of the expansion of Islam

– This is the 1st year of the Muslim calendar (622 A.D.)

– 630 A.D. Muhammad captures Mecca with a large army

– Destroys Idol’s of the pagan god’s and dedicates the Black Stone to Allah

Kabah of Mecca

Teachings of Islam• Five Pillars of the Faith

– 1. Allah is the one true God and Muhammad is his prophet

– 2. Muslims must face the Holy city of Mecca and pray 5 times per day.

– 3. Muslims must give alms (charity) to the poor and aged.

– 4. Muslims must fast during the month of Ramadan (Sunrise to Sunset)

– 5. Hajj – Muslims must go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime

The Koran• Sacred book of Islam

– Muslims believe it contains the exact words of God as given to Muhammad from Gabriel.

– Authority on all subjects• Religion, politics, law and

social life

– For years the Koran was not allowed to be translated from Arabic

• Arabic becomes the universal language for all Muslims

People of the Book• Muhammad believed that

Christians and Jews worshipped the same God as Muslims– He accepted Jewish and

Christian scriptures as God’s word

– Muhammad called Jews and Christians “people of the book” and gave them special status and protection.

Ethical Conduct• Islamic Ethics• Muslims must

– Honor parents

– Be honest and kind

– Protect the weak

• Islam teaches– All muslims are equal

• “Know that every Muslim is a brother to every other Muslim, and that you are now one brotherhood”

Expansion of Islam

• 732– Muslim Arabs have

conquered an empire from the Indus Valley to the Atlantic Ocean

• Empire Include– Persia

– Arabia

– Palestine

– Egypt

– North Africa

– Spain

Why did Islam Spread So Quickly?

• Reasons for Success– Armies were unified by beliefs– Islamic warriors were guaranteed a

place in paradise– Jihad (The Struggle)– Lure of Riches in conquered lands– Some lands welcomed the Muslims

• Persian and Byzantine ruled diverse peoples.

– People resented the rule from afar and welcomed Muslims and liberators

– Muslims were tolerant conquerors• Did not force people of the book to

convert. (Jews and Christians)• Forced to pay a “non-believer” tax.

(Jizya)• Some converted to avoid the tax

Divisions Within Islam• Dispute

– 30 years after Muhammad’s death Islam splits into 2 branches

• Sunni• Shiite

– Dispute was over who should become the Caliph (Successor to the Prophet)

– In 661 Caliph Ali (Muhammad’s son-in-law) was murdered.

– Rival leader takes over and establishes the Umayyad dynasty.

– Ali’s son challenges their authority and is killed.

• Shiites– Followers of the murdered

Ali break away and become known as the Shiites

– They believed only descendents of Ali could become Caliph

• Sunni– Majority of Muslims

– Believe any devout Muslim can be Caliph

• This division among Muslims still causes problems in the modern Islamic community

The Arab Empire

• Umayyad Dynasty– 661-750

– Capital – Damascus, Syria

– Adapted ideas from Byzantines and Persians

– Arab culture was most important

• Language and customs

• Best jobs went to Arabs

– Non-Arab Muslims resented the discrimination and overthrew the Umayyads

– Beginning of the Abbassid Dynasty

The shaded portion indicates the greatest extent of the Umayyad caliphate.

The Abbassids• Abbassids (750-1258)

– Build a new capital on the banks of the Tigris River

– Baghdad (“God-Given”)

– At the peak of prosperity, Baghdad was the home of more than 1 million people.

– Supported many building projects

• Mosques, irrigation systems, libraries, hospitals, public baths and school

Golden Age of Islam• Trade and Conquest helped create a huge Islamic

Empire– Blending of Greek, Persian, and Indian influences– Muslims controlled much of the Med sea and Indian

Ocean trading– Caravans carried textiles, steel and glazed tile from

Baghdad to China.– They returned with silk, paper and porcelain.– From India and SE Asia they brought spices– In the markets of Cairo, Baghdad and Cordoba one

could buy rubies from Central Asia, honey and furs from Scandinavia and Russia and Ivory and Gold from East Africa

Advances in Learning• Islamic Scholars

– Translated ancient works from Persian, Sanskrit and Greek into Arabic

– Set up House of Wisdom in Baghdad• Library, University and translation center

• Important People– Astronomer Al-Khwarizimi

• Advances in Algebra

– Astronomer Omar Khayyam• Develops an accurate Calendar

– Physician Ibn Sina• Wrote more than 100 books on subjects such astronomy,

music, philosophy, medicine.• His medical book influence European medicine for hundreds

of years.

Peace or the SwordStudent Discussion/Debate

• Qur'an's "verses of peace" and "verses of the sword." In the eighth chapter, for example, is the following verse: "If they incline toward peace, incline you toward it, and trust in God: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing" (8:61). In the ninth chapter, however, we encounter the following commands: "And so, when the sacred months are over, slay the polytheists wherever you find them, and take them captive, and besiege them and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place" (9:5); and fight against those who-despite having been given revelation before-do not believe in God nor in the last day, and do not consider forbidden that which God and His Messenger have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth, until they pay the jizya with willing-hand, having been subdued. (9:29)