The Muslim World
SOL Standards Essential
Questions
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Where did the Islamic religion
originate? Where did it spread?
What are the beliefs, traditions, and
customs of Islam?
How did geography influence the
rapid expansion of territory under
Muslim rule?
How did political and cultural
geography facilitate trade and
cultural activity in the early Islamic
lands?
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What were some major historical
turning points that marked the
spread and influence of Islamic
civilization?
How did Islamic civilization
preserve and extend ancient Greek,
Persian, and Indian learning?
What were some contributions of
Islamic civilization?
Origins of Islam
• Arabian Peninsula
(present-day Saudi
Arabia)
• The cities of
Mecca and Medina
• Based on the
monotheism of
Abraham.
The Founder of Islam
Muhammad
•Muhammad had a vision
that an angel came to him
and told him that there was
only one god “Allah”.
•He spread his monotheistic
message in Mecca (at first).
•He is known as “The (last
and greatest) Prophet”
Artist depiction
Mecca
•Birthplace of Islam • Pilgrimage center
•Muhammad was driven from Mecca, and fled
to Medina. After years of fighting, he returned
to Mecca and destroyed the idols at the Kaaba.
Kaaba
• Muslims believe that this shrine was built
by the prophet Abraham.
Medina
• Muhammad migrated to Medina and attracted
a large devoted following.
• He became a religious, political and military
leader.
Beliefs of Islam
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One God: “Allah”
Five pillars
Quran
Judeo-Christian
prophets: Abraham,
Moses and Jesus
Allah in Arabic
Five
Pillars
of
Islam
• Declaration of Faith:
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One God
Daily Prayer
Alms (charity) to the
Poor
Fasting during
Ramadan
Pilgrimage (holy
journey) to Mecca to
visit the Kaaba (Hajj)
Daily Prayer
• five times a day- facing Mecca
Alms for the Poor
• Charity
Fasting
• During the month of Ramadan no food or
drink is taken from sunrise to sunset.
Hajj
• Pilgrimage to Mecca (if able) at least once
during a person’s lifetime.
Quran
• The Quran (Koran) is the holy book of Islam:
• Muslims believe it perfects the earlier
revelations from God (in the Bible)
Islam Spreads
• At first, Islam
spread along trade
routes from Mecca
and Medina
• Muslims believed
they had a duty to
spread their religion
and began to build
an empire.
Islam Spreads
• As the Muslim Empire grew, Islam spread into
Fertile Crescent, Iran and Egypt, including the
cities of Jerusalem and Damascus.
• The Byzantine and Persian Empires were weak.
Islam Spreads
• Finally it spread into Central Asia, across Northern
Africa and into Spain (Green areas)
• The Muslim empire grew quickly despite great
distances, deserts, and mountain barriers.
Damascus
• Under the Umayadd dynasty the capital of the
Muslim Empire was moved far from Mecca to
Damascus (in Syria) in order to better control
distant territories.
Sunni – Shi’a Division
• This split in Islamic religion was caused by
disagreement over succession (choosing the
next caliph)
• The two sects (branches)of Islam have a long
history of tension and rivalry .
Sunni Muslims
• The Sunni believed that all of the first four
caliphs (religious and political leaders), were
the rightful successors of the Prophet
Muhammed.
• The vast majority of Muslims belong to the
Sunni sect.
Shi’a Muslims
• Shi’a believed the caliph should be a relative
of Muhammad (descendant of Ali –the 4th
Caliph).
• Shi’a Islam is the state religion of present-day
Iran and the majority religion in Iraq and
Lebanon.
Battle of Tours
• A battle between the
Muslims and the Franks (a
Germanic tribe) which took
place in Tours (in presentday France)
• The Franks won and
stopped the Muslims from
advancing beyond (presentday) Spain and further into
Western Europe.
Baghdad
• Under the Abassid’s, the capital of the Islamic
Empire was moved to Baghdad (present-day
Iraq), due to its location at the point where the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers almost meet.
Baghdad
• This location provided access to key trade
routes which gave the caliph access to trade
goods, gold, and information about the
Empire.
Muslim Empire
• The Muslim Empire did not stay politically
united.
• The empire began to split up into independent
Muslim states – but Muslims remained unified
by a common religion, language, and trade.
Crusades
• In 1096 Western Europeans launched a
crusade (holy war) to reclaim Jerusalem and
the holy lands.
Crusades
• In 1099, Crusaders captured Jerusalem and
massacred its Muslim and Jewish inhabitants.
Saladin
• In 1187, Saladin, a
Muslim ruler retook
Jerusalem and
Damascus from
Christian Crusaders.
Ottoman Turks
• The Ottoman Turks
were nomads who
converted to Islam and
conquered what
remained of the
Byzantine Empire in
1453.
• Constantinople
(present-day Istanbul)
became capital of the
Ottoman Empire.
Islam Today
•In the High Middle Ages Islam spread
further into Central Asia, Southeast Asia and
West Africa.
•Today Islam is the dominant religion in the
Middle East, North Africa, and Indonesia
Cultural Achievements
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Architecture
Mosaics
Arabic alphabet
Universities
Translation of
ancient texts into
Arabic
Dome
of
the
Rock
• The earliest surviving Muslim mosque (house
of worship)
• Built on a site in Jerusalem holy to Muslims
and Jews.
Mosaics
•Pictures made up of bits of stone and glass.
•Muslims used geometric designs because they
were not permitted to picture holy beings
Arabic Language
•The Arabic language spread with Islam and
facilitated trade across Islamic lands
•Ancient Greek and Roman texts were translated
into Arabic.
Muslim Universities
•Centers of learning for Christian Europeans
as well as Muslims during the middle ages
• Al Azhar university mosque, Cairo
Other Contributions
• Arabic numerals (adapted
from India)
• Algebra
• Medicine
• Letters of credit (checks)
• Geographic knowledge
Arabic Numerals
•Also called Hindu-Arabic numbers
•Improved trade
Muslim Medicine
• Far more
advanced than in
Europe.
• First true
hospitals.
al Razi
Lateen Sail
• Arab traders crossed the
Indian Ocean in ships
with lateen sails which
enabled them to sail
closer to the wind.
• By the tenth century, this
technology reached
Europe from the Middle
East.
Slavery
• Slavery was
commonplace in
many Muslim areas
until modern times.
• Slavery was not
based on race.
Reflection
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The hegira marks Mohammed’s flight from Mecca to
A. Damascus.
B. Baghdad.
C. Jerusalem.
D. Medina.
Which of the following is NOT one of the Pillars of Islam?
A. Giving charity
B. Fasting during Ramadan
C. Being baptized
D. Making a pilgrimage
What city is important not only to Muslims, but to Jews and Christians as well?
A. Mecca
B. Jerusalem
C. Constantinople
D. Cairo
Which of the following is true about the Koran?
A. It was written by Mohammed.
B. It has been changed over time.
C. It was recorded by Mohammed’s followers.
D. It includes the Old and New Testament.
Who of the following is NOT regarded as a prophet by Muslims?
A. Jesus
B. Paul
C. Abraham
D. Mohammed
Reflection
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An important cultural contribution of the Muslims would be the
A. development of gunpowder.
B. preservation of ancient Greek and Roman texts.
C. establishment of trade with Australia.
D. building of churches throughout the empire.
As trade expanded in the Islamic Empire, many people adopted the Arabic language. This event would be best
characterized by what term below?
A. Acculturation
B. Ethnocentrism
C. Diffusion
D. Xenophobia
When Muslims pray, they face
A. the east.
B. Mecca.
C. Jerusalem.
D. the nearest mosque.
Which of the following represents the correct order of the Islamic dynasties from the 7th to the 13th century?
A. Umayyad, Abbasid, Seljuk
B. Abbasid, Seljuk, Umayyad
C. Abbasid, Shi’ite, Sunni
D. Umayyad, Shi’ite, Abbasid
All of the following are scientific achievements of the Muslims EXCEPT:
A. invention of the compass.
B. Al Jabr or Algebra.
C. adaptation of Arabic numerals.
D. medicine.
Reflection
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Where did Islam begin?
A. Iberian Peninsula
B. Africa
C. Arabian Peninsula
D. Europe
Who is the founder of Islam?
A. Mohammed
B. Zoroaster
C. Gautama
D. Abraham
What famous battle halted the spread of Islam into western Europe?
A. Hastings
B. Tours
C. Salamis
D. Agincourt
At its height, the Islamic empire expanded from
A. east Asia to Europe.
B. the Indus River Valley to the Atlantic Ocean.
C. the Nile River Valley to the Pacific Ocean.
D. west Africa to Scandinavia.
Where did traders and merchants spread Islam?
A. Northern Europe
B. Southeast Asia
C. Australia
D. America