ISLAMBeginnings

Arabia

I. Pre-Islamic Arabia (before 600 AD)

Arabia was polytheistic.– Allah may have been the high god or the creator-god

People lived in clans and tribes (often nomadic)

Loyalty to one’s clan was supreme– Blood Retaliation: the responsibility to avenge any attack

on one’s tribe/clan No protection for murderer if he kills one in his clan

Personal honor was very important– Courage: displayed through raiding– Generosity: displayed through hospitality

Poetry was very important– Poets were seen as having mystic power and were

historians Camels were very important

– It’s been said that there are over 1000 Arabic words for “camel”

Influence of monotheism in the region:– Judaism and Christianity were practiced in Arabia

II. Mecca

City of Mecca was a center of religion

In the center of town was the Kaaba– Tall black box believed to

be built by Abraham– Inside it were 360 statues

to deities Mecca held annual pagan

religious festivals– Made Mecca wealthy

Grand Mosqu

e in Mecca

Kaaba

Kaaba

III. Muhammad Born around 570 AD in Mecca Many legends about his early life:

– Shadow or cloud followed Muhammad– Monk in Syria foretold his future as a prophet– God kept him from sinning

He was employed by Khadija, a rich widow, who was a merchant and trader– Khadija admired Muhammad’s honesty and

character and desired to marry him– Khadija eventually proposed to him– Muhammad was 25, Khadija was 40 when they

married– She bore Muhammad 4 daughters and 2 sons

(sons died in infancy)

610 AD – Muhammad (age 40) had first revelations. – Had been meditating on Mt. Hira near

Mecca– Angel Gabriel visited Muhammad and

told him to recite what was said– Would become the Qur’an

He was afraid of the message at first– 1st believer was Khadija

Muhammad had more revelations – But most of them were auditory

More converted to Islam– Muhammad’s ideas began to disrupt

Mecca’s polytheistic trade– A Meccan named Umar was strong and

opposed Muhammad with others He was trying to kill Muhammad, but

converted after hearing words from the Qu’ran

Mt. Hira where Muhammad received his first revelations

Muhammad’s miracle was his Night Journey– He was taken to “the farthest mosque” and

then to heaven Traditionally identified as the Al-Aqsa Mosque on

the Temple Mount in Jerusalem– In the morning he returned to the Kaaba

This showed Muhammad’s equality to earlier prophets

Muhammad said he was restoring the original Islam – Introduced by Abraham, but Jews and

Christians distorted pure Islam

Night Journey

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Dome of the Rock

IV. The Hijra: Move to Medina Muhammad encouraged Muslims to

escape persecution and move to Medina Muhammad escaped an assassination

attempt– He too moved to Medina

His camel chose where he would stay Ummah: community of Muslim believers.

First established in Medina In Medina, Islam became more organized

– First mosque built– Ummah grew in Medina

Muslims prayed toward Jerusalem (as did the Jews) until new revelation to pray toward Mecca

Muhammad and Muslims raided caravans from Mecca to make up for damages and to pressure Mecca

Battle of Badr – Muslims defeat Mecca soldiers in a caravan raid– Muslims had 300 soldiers, Mecca had 900– Was an important victory for Muslims and built

their confidence in Muhammad and Islam– Resulted in all out war between Medina and

Mecca Battle of the Trench

– Mecca sent an army of 10,000 against Medina and an army of 2,000

– Muslims dug defensive trench; Mecca had no siege weaponry

– Mecca army was forced to retreat Muslims now viewed as the main power

– Jews were executed for their treason of Medina

Treaty was made with Mecca– Muslims allowed annual pilgrimage

During a pilgrimage a Muslim was killed in Mecca (circa 630 AD)– 10,000+ ordered to attack Mecca– Mecca surrendered before much blood was shed

Many converted to Islam– Muhammad immediately went to the Kaaba and purged it of

300+ idols Islam spread to nearly all Arabia Muhammad would take 10 wives in the years after

Khadija’s death– His favorite wife was young A’isha (was around 9 when they

married)

Expansion

Legend ██  Expansion under the Prophet Mohammad, 612-632 ██  Expansion during the Unified Caliphate, 632-661 █ Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661-750

V. Death of the Prophet Muhammad died in June 632 AD in the arms

of A’isha at age 63 He was the “Seal of the Prophets” – had

received the final revelation for all mankind and for all time

Who would become leader of the Islamic faith?– Should the next leader be a friend or a

relative?– Muslims divide over who should lead

Shiite (wanted family member) and Sunni (wanted close companion)

– Muhammad had four close companions (but no sons)

Al-Masjid al-Nabawī - "Mosque of the Prophet"

VI. Unified Caliphate Caliph: Political and spiritual leader of

ummah 1. Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s close friend,

became first Caliph 2. Umar, radical convert to Islam, became

2nd Caliph– Led conquest of Iran, Syria, and Jerusalem. Killed

by a slave 3. Uthman, friend of Muhammad, became 3rd

Caliph in his old age– Weak Caliph from Mecca aristocracy, finally

assassinated 4. Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, became 4th

and final Caliph– Civil war broke out among Muslims. A’isha led

movement against Ali. He too was assassinated. – This ended the unified Caliphate (632-661)

Expansion

Legend ██  Expansion under the Prophet Mohammad, 612-632 ██  Expansion during the Unified Caliphate, 632-661 █ Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661-750

Mosque in Iraq: resting place of Ali

VII. Shia and Sunni Islam Ummah split into two denominations after

Muhammad’s death They share most aspects of faith Sunni Islam: largest denomination

– Follow the Sunnah: “the way and manners of the Prophet” (how he lived his life)

Hadith is also very important! (sayings and deeds of Muhammad; often part of Sunnah)

Shia Islam: second largest denomination– Believe descendents of Muhammad should be Imams

Imam: leaders chosen by God to perfectly lead ummah

– Last Imam disappeared around 870 AD and believed to reappear with Jesus to bring peace and justice

– Shi’ite don’t follow Sunni Hadith – have a different Hadith based on Muhammad and Ali

– Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bahrain have majority Shi’ites 85% of Muslims are Sunni