EXPANSION OF ISLAM & ISLAMIC
CULTURE
ISLAM
The word Islam means “Submission to the
one God (Allah).”
The world’s fastest-growing and secondlargest religion
Central teachings are derived from the
Quran, the primary sacred text and Islam’s
earthly center.
MUHAMMAD
Muhammad was born about 570 c.e. into
the leading tribe of Mecca..
He was a hard-working child who began his
life as a shepherd and later went into the
trading business.
He was a caravan manager for a wealthy
widow, Khadija, whom he eventually
married.
MUHAMMAD AS A PROPHET
Citizens of Mecca were hostile to the message of
one god
Muhammad fled north to Yathrib (Medina)
This was known as the Hijra, an event on which
the Muslims base their calendar.
Most of Arabia were converted to Islam by the
time of Muhammad’s death in 632.
ALLAH
Abraham is the father of the Arab
people.
Moses and Jesus are also revered.
Muhammad is the last and the “seal” of
the prophets.
Muslims consider human nature as
essentially good, sin occurs when people
forget their natural goodness.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
 Confession of faith in one God and acknowledgment of
Muhammad as a unique prophet.
Prayer 5 times a day.
Fasting during Ramadan
Wealth sharing - 2.5 percent of their gross income.
Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a person’s life.
EXPANSION AND VARIETIES OF ISLAM
Within one century after Muhammad’s death, Islamic
civilization spread throughout the Middle East, Persia,
North Africa, and almost all of Spain.
Currently, the greatest concentration of Muslims is
across the northern half of Africa, all of the Middle East,
southwestern and South Asia, and the islands of Malaysia
and Indonesia.
SUNNI AND SHI’ISM
The majority of Muslims are Sunni.
They follow the established custom, or sunnah,
meaning the Sunnah of the prophet, Muhammad.
Shi’ism believes in Imams. They are religious
leaders who are direct descendants of Muhammad.
Iran and Iraq are Shi’ites.
SUFIS
The term comes from the Islamic word suf -the coarse wool garment that
is worn by Sufis.
Sufism strives to experience Allah as immanent - dwelling within each
worshipper.
The Sufi experiences oneness with Allah and gains spiritual fortitude.
Sufis are not necessarily popular among Muslims.
Sufis live monastic lives with a shaykh as their head.
ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION
Arab empire was generally prosperous
 Based on extensive trade by ship & camel
 Camel caravans went to Morocco in far west to
countries beyond Caspian Sea
 Trade began to prosper during Abassid dynasty
 Large magnificent cities began to prosper, such as
Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Cordoba
 Islamic cities had their own physical appearance
 Palace & mosques = most impressive buildings
 Fountains, public baths, bazaars

ISLAMIC SOCIETY
 Muslims
live their lives in accordance with
Allah’s teachings revealed in the Quran
 Islam states that all people are equal in the
eyes of Allah; was not always the case in the
Arab empire. There was a well defined upper
class of ruling families & wealthy merchants
 Slaves were not considered equal - Muslims
could not be slaves
CREATION OF ARAB EMPIRE
Difficult finding leadership after Muhammad’s
death
 Abu Bakr = Muhammad’s father-in-law was chosen
to be successor/ called caliph = successor to
Muhammad
 Bakr & Muhammad used Jihad to spread movement
of Islam
 Jihad = “struggle in way of God”

ARAB EMPIRE
First 2 caliphs after Abu Bakr were killed
 In 656 Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, became caliph
but was assassinated 5 years later

Shrine of Imam Ali
Najaf, Iraq; third
holiest site in Islam
UMAYYAD DYNASTY
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In 661, general Mu’awiyah
became caliph
Was known for only using
force if necessary
Made the office of caliph
hereditary
8th century Arabs
conquered & converted
the Berbers = lived on
coast of North Africa
By 725 Spain was Muslim
state
Arabs were defeated at
Battle of Tours ending
European expansion
Mosque in Cordoba, Spain
UMAYYAD DYNASTY
In 717, Muslims attacked Constantinople, but their
navy was defeated by Byzantines
 Internal struggles led to revolts
 The struggles caused Islam to split into two groups,
the Shiite & Sunni
 Split continues today….Most Muslims are Sunnis,
but much of Iraq & Iran consider themselves Shiites
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GREATEST EXTENT OF THE UMAYYAD
ABBASID DYNASTY
In 750, Abu al-Abbas overthrew the Umayyad
dynasty & founded Abbasid which lasted until 1258
 In 762, Abbasid built new capital of Baghdad on the
Tigris river/ location took advantage of river &
caravan traffic
 Baghdad became center of a huge trade empire

ABBASID DYNASTY FALLS
Abbasid experienced problems; fighting
over succession of caliph
 Vast wealth led to financial corruption
 Shortage of qualified Arabs to fill
government positions allowed non-Arabs to
become a dominant force in the military &
bureaucracy which led to disintegration
 Rulers of provinces began to break away
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GREATEST EXTENT OF THE ABBISIDS