The Muslim World
622-1629
Early Expansion: Arab conquests of the first Islamic century brought vast
territory under Muslim rule, but conversion to Islam proceeded slowly. In most
areas outside the Arabian peninsula, the only region where Arabic was then
spoken, conversion did not accelerate until the third century after the conquest.
Rise of Islam
600-1200 AD
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How did Muhammad
become the prophet
of Islam?
What are the
teachings of Islam?
How did Islam help
shape the way of life
of its believers?
How did Arab
conquests grow out
of the career of
Muhammad?
Why did the
caliphate break up?
How did Muslim
societies differ from
region to region?
What was the
relationship between
urbanizations and
the development of
Islamic culture?
Geography
Geographic Context
• Islam emerged from the
Arabian Peninsula
• Mostly desert but farming
was possible in many
areas
• Trading on the coasts
• Bedouins dominated the
desert
• Traded with others
• Frequent wars over water
Arabia (The Empty Quarter) Before
Muhammad
• nomadic herders, raided/fought
over water & pasture for
camels & goats
• Valued camels & swords
• Enjoyed poetry & music
• No single religion
• Each tribe had their own gods
• Animistic, polytheists
• Some worshipped sprites
called jinn or demons - lived in
trees, streams, stones.
• Offered no guidance or moral
support
Mecca:
Religious & Trade Center
• Market town at crossroads of two
main caravan routes
• Safety zone-no killing allowed
• Pilgrimage traffic brought good
profits to local merchants
• Arabs came to the Kaaba, an
ancient shrine
• Believed to have been built by
Abraham
• Nearby site thought to be the
place where God asked
Abraham to sacrifice his son -not
Isaac but Ishmael
• housed statues of many local
gods & goddesses
The Kaaba
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black stone
embedded in its
corner was gift from
angel Gabriel to
prophet Abraham
Inside were stones,
statues, & even some
Christian pictures
The Quraysh-ruling
tribe- encouraged
tribes to place their
idols for protection
By 500 AD 360 idols
were within the Kaaba
Population of Mecca
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Heterogeneous, diverse
Arab tribes
Syrians-caravan leaders
Merchants
Traveling monks
Christians
Jews
No social unity
Muhammad’s Early Life
• Born in Mecca in 570
• orphan
• Became shepherd in his
uncle’s Bedouin tribe
• Became a trader
• Married older, rich widow,
Khadija
• His son died
• Devoted husband & father
to his daughters
Muhammad’s Vision
• Troubled by idol worship & moral
decline in society
• Went to a cave to meditate
• He heard a voice saying,
• “Recite in the name of your God,
the Creator, who created man from
clots of blood”
• Angel Gabriel, calling him to be the
messenger of God
• Khadija, Ali,his uncle’s son & Abu
Bakr, his BFF, believed in himbecame first converts
• Received revelations until death
• The revelations became the Qu’ran
• Islam means submission or
surrender
The Hijra: A Turning Point
• Muhammad’s
message angered
Mecca merchants
• Feared loss of
pilgrimage profits
• In 622, faced w/
murder, Muhammad &
followers left Mecca
for Yathrib
• Renamed Medina, or
“city of the Prophet”
• 1st year of Muslim
calendar
Turning Point
• welcomed in
Medina as
religious &
political leader
• Becomes model
for the caliphate
• thousands
converted
• Muhammad &
followers attacked
& defeated
Meccans
Destruction of Idols
• In 630, returned
to Meccadestroyed idols
in the Kaaba
• United Arabs
under Islam
• Died in 632
Teachings of Islam
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Monotheistic
Quran is sacred
God is all powerful
People are responsible for
their actions
• Final judgment before God
• No official priests to
mediate between people &
God
The Five Pillars
People of the Book
• Same God as
Jews & Christians
• Recognize same
prophets
• Quran is God’s
final & complete
revelation
• Torah & Bible are
incomplete
• All are honored,
respected as
“People of the
Book”
Muhammad’s Teachings
• Message of equality
& God’s sovereignty
based on JudeoChristian tradition
but w/ major
differences
Muhammad’s Teachings
• Allah was one & only God-all should submit, be
thankful
• All believers equal under Allah
• Rich should share wealth w/ poor
• Allah knows every person’s destiny
• People should strive to live righteously-avoid
impiety
• All subject to Judgment Day
Prophet Muhammad & Battle of Uhud
illustrated manuscript 1594
The Caliphate
• Muhammad died 632 CE
• Crisis-no heir or instructions
• Abu Bakr–Muhammad’s
father-in-law & loyal follower
became 1st Caliph
• “If you worship Muhammad,
Muhammad is dead. If you
worship God, God is alive.”
The Caliphate & Spread of Islam
• Abu Bakr & next 3 “Rightly
Guided Caliphs” unified
Arabs & conquered through
jihads against neighboring
empires
• Attacked Syria-controlled by
Byzantine Empire
• Attacked Iraq-ruled by
Persian Sasanians
The Second “Rightly Guided” Caliph
• Abu Bakr died in 634
• Umar elected as
Second Caliph
• Ruled for 10 years
• Captured Damascus
& Jerusalem
• By 644, Muslims
controlled all of
Persian area of Iraq &
most of Iran
The Third “Rightly Guided” Caliph
• Uthman ibn Affan
• serious conflicts
within umma
• Uthman’s family
were Umayyadshad opposed
Muhammad &
some resented his
leadership
• Opposition to
Uthman grew
• 659, he was
assassinated
Fourth “Rightly Guided” Caliph
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Ali ibn Talib–son of
Muhammads’ uncle
Married Fatima
Second convert to Islamhad waited 46 years to
succeed
Ali’s followers believed only
blood relatives of
Muhammad should rule
Conflict between Ali &
Uthman’s clans
Ali assassinated in 661 by
own followers unhappy he
had negotiated
last caliph who knew
Muhammad personally
Shi’a & Sunni Sects
• Mu’awiyah - governor of Syria took over
leadership
• Moved capital to Damascus
• Began Umayyad Dynasty
• Conflict w/ descendants of Ali- called
Shi’a- over leadership
• Shi’a led many revolts against Umayyads
Sunni
• caliph should be chosen by leaders of
community
• Should be pious
• Political leader-not religious authority
• Inspiration came from Muhammad’s
example
Shiites
• True successor must
be descended from
Muhammad’s
daughter & son-in-law
Fatima & Ali
• Descendants divinely
inspired
• Admire martyrdomdemonstration of faith
Sufi
• Arabic for wool
• mystics sought
communion w/ God
through meditation,
fasting, prayer,
• Respected for piety
& miraculous powers
• Helped to spread
Islam through
missionary work
• Learned local
languages-didn’t
insist on Arabic
• Blended Muslim
beliefs & culture w/
local traditions
Sufis
Which of the following was not under Muslim control by 750?
Spain, Egypt, Syria, Ethiopia?
End of Umayyads (Mostly)
• Vigorous religious & political opposition led
to downfall of Umayyad caliphate
• Abbasids murdered all Umayyads
• Prince Abd al-Rahman escaped-fled to
Spain (al-Andalus) which was controlled
by Berbers-Muslims from N. Africa
• Set up rival Umayyad caliphate
Rise of Abbasids
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Moved capital to Baghdad in 762
Controlled key trade routes
Strong ties to Persia
Established bureaucracy
Treasury
Army
Diplomats
Taxed land, imports, exports & non-Muslims
More Rivalry
• Abbasids couldn’t maintain unity of caliphate
• Fatimid Caliphate formed in N. Africaspread across Red Sea into Arabia & Syria
• Still united under Islam; law, daily practice,
Arabic language, trade, pilgrimage
Muslim Trade Network
• Connected to all parts
of the Muslim world
• Single language
• Single currency
• Banks
• Sakks (checks)
Islam: A Way of Life
• religion & way of life
• Sharia-Islamic lawgoverned many
aspects of daily life
• Traditions determined
ethical behavior &
influence family
relations
Sharia Law
•Does not separate religious
from secular
•Applies Qu’ran to all legal
situations
•Regulates moral conduct
•Family life
•Business practices
•Government
•Helped unite Muslims
•Legal ruling called a fatwa
Reasons for Success?
• Weakness of Byzantine &
Persian empires
• Arabs welcomed as
liberators from harsh
Byzantine & Persian rulers
• Appealing message
– equality & paradise
• Capable military leaders
• Bold, efficient fighting
methods
– Camel & horse cavalry
Muslim Culture: Cities
• Symbolized strength
of caliphate
• Baghdad was capital
of Abbasid empire
• city plan included
circular design &
protective walls
Social Classes
• Muslims by birth
• Converts to Islam
• Christians, Jews,
Zoroastrians
• Slaves
Role of Women
“If the wives of a man, or the daughters of a
man go out into the street, their heads are to
be veiled. The prostitute is not to be veiled.
Maidservants are not to veil themselves.
Veiled harlots and maidservants shall have
their garments seized and 50 blows inflicted
on them and bitumen poured on their
heads.”
• All are equal
• Men are managers
of affairs of women
• Women should be
obedient
• Legal rights:
marriage, family,
divorce, property
• Shari’a allowed
men to have 4
wives
Role of Women
• Varied w/ income of
husband
• Poor women worked w/
husband
• Wealthy women managed
household
• Access to education
• Raised children
• During early period
women could participate
in public life & gain an
education
• Over time,
secluded/veiled
Muslim Science & Scholarship
• Muhammad promoted
learning-reading
Q’uran essential
• Astronomers &
Mathematicians were
necessary:
• Time of prayer
• Direction of Mecca
• “House of Wisdom” in
Baghdad
Art & Science Flourish
• “House of Wisdom”
• Translators of Ancient
Greek knowledge
• Research, editors,
linguists & technical
advisors
• Standards & techniques
for research
• Used Greek ideas
• Influenced later
European learning
Muslim Literature:
• The Qur’an
• Poetry
• Popular
Literature
One Thousand and One Nights
Muslim Art
• Calligraphy
Muslim Architecture
Muslim Contributions
• Medicine
– Cataract surgery
• Math
– algebra
• Science
– Scientific observation
– Experimentation