The Birth of Islam

The Arabian Peninsula Mostly desert Towns/cities/trade routes on outside

Bedouins

Nomadic Arabs Lived in the desert

A desert-dwelling Arabian ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes, or clans, known in Arabic as ʿašāʾir (ر% (عََشاِئ

Pre-Mohammed Kaaba – Sacred Allah – Supreme God

Muhammad Born about 570 C.E. Successful Merchant Married Khadijah (former

boss) Traveled and interacted

with Jews + Christians Prayed in caves a lot

610 C.E. Angel appears to him

Revelations… or messages from the Angel

Angel Gabriel gives Muhammad messages for humans from god

Allah – only true/all powerful god

Spreading the Revelations

Begins to preach in public

Many in Mecca fearful of him

Flees Mecca 619 C.E.

A Growing Following Settles in Medina 622 C.E. Mecca and Medina fight, by 630

Mohammad controls Mecca

The Qur’an (or Koran) Mohammad couldn’t read or write Teachings were written down, became the

Qur’an

The 5 Pillars1.Profess faith – “There is no god but

Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of god”

2.5 daily prayers facing Mecca3.Charity (Alms) to the poor4.Fasting during Ramadan5.Hajj – if physically/financially able,

must travel to Mecca

632 C.E. Muhammad Died

Abu Bakr – becomes first caliph (or successor)

Keeps strong military Expands Muslim rule to the North

Caliphate – area ruled by caliph

DivisionAli

Cousin of Muhammad

Uthman From Umayyad

converted clan Umayyads only

went to Islam when they had no choice

Muhammad’s enemies

ConflictUthman made caliph

Killed

Ali becomes caliph

civil war – Ali killed

Umayyad Dynasty

Two Groups of Muslims

Sunnis way of the

prophet Majority of

Muslims accepted the Umayyad

Shia Party of Ali

Refused to accept Umayyads

Believed Allah had blessed Ali’s family

Umayyads Unpopular

Shia continue to Oppose

Abbasid family lead revolts – 740s C.E.

Abbasid Dynasty

The Abbasids Made Islam more universal Spread Islam from Southeast Asia to West Africa “Golden Age of Islam”

“The Translation” – gathering of as much knowledge as possible, and preservation of ancient writings

The Abbasids spread Islam to Western Africa

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And to India and Southeast Asia

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By the 800s Abbasids begin losing control

The Abbasids lost their empire bit by bit:

Poor management of empire led to revolts

Constant struggle of succession Over-use of resources By ~950 C.E. Egypt + Syria broke

away …and invaders sack Baghdad

The 1st Crusade 1096-1099

Christians from Europe invade and Capture Jerusalem

Islamic Armies retake all lost territory by 1291

So, massive mounted armies could not overthrow Muslim rule.

Unless they were…

Wait for it…

…The Mongols! uuu

Baghdad is sacked in 1258 This marks the end of

the Abbasid Golden Age period

The end of a single Islamic Empire

Egypt and other small parts of the empire survive

;ll