Rise of Islam & Arab Empires

550 CE – 900 CE

GeographyThe Arabian Peninsula was a desert land that lacked water sources. The people who lived in the peninsula were nomads, people who moved constantly to find water and food for their animals because of the hostile surroundings.

As a result of the harsh surroundings, Arabs organized themselves into tribes to help one another. Each tribe was ruled by a sheikh, who was chosen from one of the leading families by a council of elders. The tribes were independent, but still connected to one another.

BackgroundThe Arabs lived as farmers and sheepherders on the oases and rain-fed areas of the Arabian Peninsula. After the camel was domesticated (around 100 BCE) the Arabs were able to populate more of the desert. They developed and expanded caravan trades during this time period. They moved goods from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Ocean, where the Silk Road ended. Most Arabs were polytheistic, although they traced their ancestors to Abraham and his son Ishmael, who they believed built Makkah (Mecca), a house of worship whose cornerstone was a sacred stone called the Black Stone.

The Arabs recognized a supreme god named Allah, but also believed in tribal gods.

The Arabian Peninsula took on new importance when political disorder in Mesopotamia and Egypt disrupted trade and travel. The Arabian trade route through Makkah to Yemen was a safer route, and the Arabians prospered.

Muhammad

• Muhammad was born to a merchant family in Makkah in 570 CE. His parents died when he was 5 years old.

• When he grew up he became a caravan manager and married Khadija, a rich widow.

• Muhammad was troubled by the gap between the greedy and rich trading elites in the city and the honesty and generosity of most Makkans.

• Like Buddha, he went into the mountains to meditate on the good and bad in people.

• During his meditations, Muslims believe Muhammad received revelations from God. According to Islamic teachings, the angel Gabriel visited Muhammad

• Muhammad believed God had revealed himself to Moses and Jesus, validating Jewish and Christian traditions

• Muhammad believed he was receiving Allah’s final revelations

Muhammad• After receiving the revelations from the Angel, Muhammad

returned home and reflected on his experience. • His wife became the first convert to Islam, after encouraging

Muhammad to follow Gabriel’s message.• Muhammad set out to convince the people of Makkah of the

truth of the revelations.• Makkans did not accept his teachings or his belief that he

was a prophet; after three years he had only 30 followers• He left Makkah and moved north to Madina (Medina). The

journey of Muhammad and his followers to Medina is known as the Hijrah. The journey happened in 622 CE, which became year 1 of the official calendar of Islam

• Muhammad won support from followers in Medina and from Arabs in the desert, especially the Bedouins.

Teachings of Muhammad

• Muslims saw NO separation between political and religious authority.

• Submission to the will of god meant submission to the prophet Muhammad

• Muhammad became both a religious and political leader; he was a good military leader

• In 630 CE, Muhammad returned to Makkah with a force of 10,000 men. The city surrendered and most of the townspeople converted to Islam

• After a visit to Kabba (the house of worship), Muhammad declared it a sacred shrine of Islam

• Muhammad died two years after conquering Makkah• All Muslims are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to Makkah at

least once in their lifetimes. This pilgrimage is called the Hajj.

Teachings of Muhammad

After receiving Allah’s revelations, the Muslims developed the Quran (Koran) which is the holy book Islam.

The Quran contains the ethical guidelines and laws by which the followers of Allah are to live. Those who practice the religion of Islam are called Muslims.

The Teachings of Muhammad:

• Islam is monotheistic• Allah is all-powerful• Islam emphasizes salvation and

hope for an afterlife (those who wish for life after death must submit themselves to the will of Allah

• Muhammad is considered a prophet, similar to Moses; a man like other men

• They do not believe that Jesus was divine (from god), instead they see him as a prophet

• Islam stresses the need to obey the will of Allah

• Muslims must practice acts of worship known as the Five Pillars of Islam

• Islam is not just a religion, it is a way of life

Five Pillars of Islam

After Muhammad’s death, Muslim scholars developed a law code known as Shari’ah. It provides believers with a set of laws to regulate their daily lives.

Arab Empire

• Muhammad left no male successor, so his followers chose Muhammad’s father-in-law, Abu Bakr, to be their leader. He was named a caliph, or a successor to Muhammad in 632 CE.

• Under Bakr’s leadership, the Islamic movement grew rapidly.

• The Muslims believed defensive warfare known as jihad could be used to expand Islam with the help of the military.

• By 636 CE, the Muslim army defeated the Byzantine army; four years later they took the Byzantine province of Syria.

• By 642 CE, Egypt and most of Northern Africa was controlled by the Arab empire.

• The Arabs defeated the entire Persian army by 650 CE.

Extent of Arab Empire & the Spread of Islam

Arab Rule & the Umayyads

The Arab empire was ruled by caliphs, who were considered the successors to Muhammad. After Abu Bakr’s death, there were no clear successors, and the first two caliph’s were assassinated. In 656 CE, Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law was chosen to be caliph, but he was assassinated in 661 CE.

The Arabs ruled their empire like the Romans. They allowed some territories to have local rule, and were tolerant of other religions. If a territory or the people in it chose not to convert, they were required to by loyal to Muslim rule and pay taxes.In 661, the general Mu’awiyah became caliph. He made the caliph hereditary and established the Umayyad dynasty. He moved the capital of the empire to Damascus, in Syria.

Muslim Expansion

The Umayyad’s armies conquered the Berbers of Northern Africa and then crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and conquered southern Spain around 710 CE. Cordoba became the Muslim center of Spain.

In 732, Arab forces were defeated at the Battle of Tours in France, which stopped the Arab expansion into Europe.

The Muslim army also tried to defeat the Byzantine empire in Constantinople, but their fleet was destroyed. This stopped Muslim expansion into eastern Europe.

Split in IslamInternal struggles threatened the Arab empire’s stability. Many non-Arab Muslims were upset over favoritism shown to Arabs.

A revolt occurred in present-day Iraq, led by Hussein, who was Muhammad’s grandson.

Hussein died fighting the Umayyad soldiers.

This led to a split of Islam into two groups, the Shiite and the Sunni.

The Shiite Muslims accept only descendants of Ali (Muhammad’s son-in-law) as the true rulers of Islam. The Sunni Muslims accepted Umayyads as rulers; the Sunnis are a majority in the Muslim world, but Iraq and Iran are generally led by Shiites.

Abbasid DynastyIn 750, Abu al-Abbas, a descendant of Muhammad’s uncle, overthrew the Umayyad dynasty and set up the Abbasid Dynasty.

In 762, the Abbasids built a new capital in Baghdad, on the Tigris River (modern day Iraq).

Persian influence was strong in Abbasid empire. Judges, Merchants and government officials were heroes instead of warriors.

All Muslims (regardless of ethnic background) were allowed to hold civil and military positions, and were allowed to intermarry with conquered peoples.

Gold age of Caliphate came under Harun al-Rashid, who was known for charity and his support of artists and writers. It was a period of growth and prosperity for Arab empire.

The Abbasids started a council headed by a prime minister, or vizier, who advised the caliph.

The dynasty declined when there were issues with succession to the caliphate and financial corruption.

Successors to Arab Empire

The Seljuk Turks: strong army created by the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt. They were from central Asia, successful under Abbasid caliphate.

1055 - Turks captured Baghdad, leader named himself Sultan.

1071 – Sultan conquered Byzantine empire.The Crusades:Byzantine emperor asked for help with Seljuk Turks.

1187 Saladin invaded Jerusalem. • Series of Holy Wars in which

European Christians tried to retake the Holy Land of Jerusalem (1099-1261)

• Pope offered salvation to any Christian fighting in Crusades

The Mongols:From China, Genghis Khan began in Northern China.

Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad brought to an end.

Kublai Kahn destroyed everything, even Mosques (Muslims place of worship)

Mongols converted to Islam.