KNOCK, KNOCKWHO’S THERE?

ISLAM.

Muhammad had not named a successor or instructed his followers how to choose one.

The Muslim community elected Abu-Bakr as the new leader and Muhammad’s first successor (first caliph). He had been a loyal friend of Muhammad, a man respected for his devotion to Islam.

Under Abu-Bakr,

the collection of Mohammad's revelations

were recorded in the Qur’an.

Death of Muhammad, ca. 632 C.E.

Illuminated Qur'an PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

“Rightly Guided” Caliphs

Abu-Bakr and the next three elected caliphs—Umar, Uthman, and Ali—all had known Muhammad and supported his mission.

For this, they are known as the “rightly guided” caliphs.

By 750, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River, the Muslim Empire stretched 6,000 miles—about two times the distance across the continental United States.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

Treatment of Conquered Peoples Many conquered peoples chose to accept

Islam. They were attracted by the appeal of the

message of Islam, as well as by the economic benefit for Muslims of not having to pay a poll tax.

Christians and Jews, as “people of the book,” were allowed to practice their faiths freely and even received special consideration.

In practice, tolerance like this was extended to other groups as well.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

Sunni–Shi’a Split

In the interest of peace, the majority of Muslims accepted the Umayyads’ rule. A minority did continue to resist, and around

some of these groups an alternate view of the office of caliph developed.

In this view, the caliph—the person most responsible for spreading Muhammad’s message—needed to be a relative of the Prophet.

Sunni–Shi’a SplitThis group was called Shi’a, meaning the

“party” of Ali. Those who did not outwardly resist the rule

of the Umayyads became known as Sunni, meaning followers of Muhammad’s example.

Another group, the Sufi (SOO•fee), reacted to the luxurious life of the Umayyads by pursuing a life of poverty and devotion to a spiritual path. They tried to achieve direct personal

contact with God through mystical means, such as meditation andchanting.

The Umayyads and the Abbassids

Set up dynasty that ruled until 750

Moved capital to Damascus

Conquered lands from Atlantic to the Indus Valley

Relied on local officials to govern the empire, while the Umayyads themselves lived in great luxury.

Faced economic tensions between wealthy and poor Arabs

Split in Islam occurs during their reign – between Sunni, Shi’a, Sufi.

Overthrew the Umayyads in 750

Moved capital to Baghdad Ended Arab dominance and helped

make Islam a universal religion

Empire of the caliphs reached its greatest wealth and power through strong trade network.

Muslim civilization enjoyed a Golden Age

Difficulty controlling vast empire.

These powerful caliphates ruled the Islamic world, expanded the Arab empire, and brought about a golden age in Muslim civilization.

UMAYYADS ABBASSIDS

2

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

Muslim Trade Network The two major sea-trading zones

—those of the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean—linked the Muslim Empire into a world system of trade by sea.

The land network connected the Silk Roads of China and India with Europe and Africa.

Muslim merchants needed only a single language, Arabic, and a single currency, the Abbasid dinar, to travel from Córdoba, in Spain, to Baghdad and on to China.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

Muslim Trade Network To encourage the flow of trade,

Muslim moneychangers set up banks in cities throughout the empire.

Banks offered letters of credit, called sakks, to merchants.

A merchant with a sakk from a bank in Baghdad could exchange it for cash at a bank in any other major city in the empire.

In Europe, the word sakk was pronounced, “check.” Thus, the practice of using checks dates back to the Muslim Empire.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

ALBEGRA (al-jabr)

The ASTROLABE

ARABIC NUMERALS

IBN KHALDUNGreat Arab Historian

Arabian

Nights

Art & Literature

Achievements in Islam

2. Medicine, math, and science• Arabic numerals, the importance of zero (10 digits)• Developed algebra, trigonometry in astronomy• Charted stars, comets, and planets / constellation charts• The astrolabe

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

The Astrolabe played a pivotal role in history.The astrolabe was highly developed in the Islamic world by 800 and was introduced to Europe from Islamic Spain (Andalusia) in the early 12th century. It was the most popular astronomical instrument until about 1650, when it was replaced by more specialized and accurate instruments.

It is doubtful the European explorers could have ever launched the great Age of Discovery without this device.

Astrolabes are still appreciated for their unique capabilities and their value for astronomy education.

2. Medicine, math, and science• Arabic numerals, the importance of zero (10 digits)• Developed algebra, trigonometry in astronomy• Charted stars, comets, and planets / constellation charts• The astrolabe• Wrote medical reference books – Rhazes (al-Razi) and Ibn Sina

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

Avicenna write The Book of Healing and The Canon of Medicine.

The first is a scientific encyclopedia covering logic, natural sciences, psychology, geometry, astronomy, arithmetic and music.

The second is the most famous single book in the history of medicine.

2. Medicine, math, and science•Arabic numerals, the importance of zero (10 digits)• Developed algebra, trigonometry in astronomy• Charted stars, comets, and planets / constellation charts• The astrolabe•Wrote medical reference books•Muslim scholars were re-introducing the Greek (Aristotle’s) understanding of the importance of proper scientific observation and experimentation.

How did the Arabs, who had no direct contact with the science and learning of Classical Greece, come to be the inheritors of the classical tradition? The answer appears to be the Umayyad dynasty located in Damascus. They had an interest in things Greek, employed educated Greek-speaking civil servants extensively, and sought to preserve Greek science.

3. Literature and the Arts• The Qur’an – a great work of literature.• Poetry• the Arabian Nights• Arabesque art

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

In the visual arts and architectural design, Arabesque art is a linear decoration based on plant forms. Arabesque motifs are complicated, intertwined, flowing designs first found in ancient Arabic art – hence the term. They are a feature of ancient Greek and Roman art, and are particularly common in Islamic art.

Check out more examples

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

map

The Islamic world begins its calendar Year 1 with this event.

In other words, our year 622 A.D. is their year 1 A.H.

This year, 2013 A.D., is year 1434 A.H. in the Islamic world.

To learn the formula for figuring the Islamic year, visit www.islam.com

• Medina• Mecca

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