Muslim Civilization
The Spread of Islam
Preview
• Main Idea/ Essential Questions
• Islam after Muhammad’s Death
• Map: Spread of Islam
• The Umayyad Dynasty
• The Abbasid Dynasty
• The End of Unity
• Quick Facts: The End of Unity
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
The Spread of Islam
Main Idea
Section 2
After Muhammad’s death, Islam spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula, shaping
a major empire within 100 years. While the empire eventually broke into smaller
parts, Islam continued to spread.
Essential Questions:
• How did Islam evolve after Muhammad’s death?
• What were key events of the Umayyad dynasty?
• What changes occurred under the Abbasid dynasty?
• What led to the end of the caliphate’s unity?
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Islam after Muhammad’s Death
The death of Muhammad in 632CE presented a challenge for the Muslim
community. Who would lead the group and keep it unified? The answer affected
the faith’s spread and its future.
Priorities
Muhammad’s
Expansion of Territory
• Abu Bakr’s successor
Successors
• Muhammad had not named
successor
• No clear candidate
• Abu Bakr, close
companion, early convert,
chosen leader, called
caliph, “successor”
• Abu Bakr focused on
bringing back Bedouin
tribes
• Built strong Arab fighting
forces to keep tribes
under control
• Reunified Arabia, led
forces north
Umar, expanded Muslim
rule rapidly
• 637CE early victory against
Persian forces in Iraq
• 642CE victory over Persian
Empire complete
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
More Expansion
More Expansion
• After Iraq and Persia the Arab army faced the wealthy Byzantine Empire to west
• Byzantines first lost Damascus, Syria and Jerusalem
• 639CE, The Byzantine province of Egypt fell; 642CE, rest of Nile Valley under Arab rule
Empire
• Only 10 years after Muhammad’s death, followers had created empire
• Conquests continued under later caliphs
• 661CE, The caliphate stretched from northern Africa in the west to Persia in the East
Internal Conflict and Division
• Deep conflict within Muslim leadership – began with choice of Abu Bakr as caliph
• Some had supported Muhammad’s cousin, Ali
• 644CE, Ali lost again, to Uthman, supported by powerful Mecca clan Umayyad
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Civil War
Ali’s Troubles
• Umayyads had been
Muhammad’s enemies,
converted reluctantly, were
unpopular
• Uthman was killed by rebels
Sunnis and Shias
• Most Muslims accepted
Umayyad caliph, Mu’awiya
• Called Sunnis, “followers of the
Sunna,” or “way of the Prophet”
• Ali became caliph, but troubles
had just begun
• Ali’s supporters refused to go
along with Umayyads.
• Civil war broke out between
Ali’s forces and Umayyad
• Became known as the Shi’a,
“party of Ali”
• Ali killed, Umayyad retook
control
Muslim Civilization
The Shi’a and Imams
Section 2
Shi’a believed God had specially blessed Ali’s descendants
• Ali’s descendants = Muhammad’s true heirs
• Shi’a called each of Ali’s successors imam
–
Imam means “leader”
–
For the Shi’a, only imams can interpret the Qur’an.
Muslim Civilization
Conflict
Section 2
• Conflict deepened between Sunni and Shi’a after deaths of Mu’awiya & Ali.
• Many thought Yazid, Mu’awiya’s son and successor was not a good Muslim.
• Muhammad’s grandson, Husayn, led rebellion against Yazid.
• Husayn’s forces were defeated in battle at Karbala in Iraq.
Further Division
• Husayn was killed while holding his infant son – battle became known as the
martyrdom of Husayn; The split between Sunni, Shi’a has remained bitter.
• Third group developed within Islam—the Sufis
• Sufis seek mystical, personal connection with God, using range of practices
including breath control and meditation in rituals
Whirling Dervish
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
What was the result of the succession conflict?
Answer: Two different Muslim groups emerged—the
Sunni and the Shi’a
Muslim Civilization
The Umayyad Dynasty Section 2
Under the Umayyad caliphs, Muslim rule spread.
However, internal problems weakened the Umayyads, and led to their fall.
Continued Expansion
• Umayyads strengthened
their rule after death of
Husayn
• Achievements:
Military Conquests
• Armies conquered
territory to borders of
China, Indus River Valley,
to east
– Established Arabic as
official language
• Took northern Africa, most
of Spain, to west
– Made coinage uniform
throughout empire
• Conquests spread Muslim
faith, while allowing
religious freedom for
People of the Book; some
restrictions, taxes for
Non-Muslims however
– Began first great work of
Islamic architecture,
Dome of the Rock in
Jerusalem
Muslim Civilization Ruling the Empire
Section 2
• Umayyads strengthened central government as the caliphate grew in size
• Arab Muslims became ruling class, with power, privilege unavailable to those they
conquered
• Creation of privileged class conflicted with strong Muslim ideal of equality
• Wars over succession were also upsetting to many faithful who were unhappy with
emphasis on political ambition
End of the Umayyads
• Displeasure with Umayyads widespread
• Shi’a continued opposition
• Also unrest among conquered people,
some Arab tribes
• Umayyads weakened by discontent –
time was ripe for rebellion
Rebellion
• Abbasids, led by descendant of
Muhammad’s uncle, united many
Umayyad opponents by appearing to
support their causes
• Abbasids wiped out Umayyads in series
of battles, late 740s
• Caliphate entered Abbasid dynasty
Muslim Civilization
Sequence
Section 2
What events brought about the end of the
Umayyad dynasty?
Answer: A family called the Abbasids took advantage of
discontent with the Umayyads and established a new
caliphate.
The Abbasid Dynasty
Muslim Civilization
Baghdad
• Abbasids relocated capital of
caliphate; rulers lived in splendor
• Chose Baghdad, on Tigris River, in
present-day Iraq
Government
Section 2
Persian Influence
• Move to Baghdad was the beginning
of end of Arab domination of the
Muslim world
• Abbasids adopted Persian style of
government
Change in Islam
• Rulers were cut off from people
• Nature of Islam changed
• Caliph hidden behind screen in
throne room, could not be seen
• Abbasids invited all to join in, turned
Islam into universal religion and
attracted people of many cultures
• Used Persian officials; vizier,
deputy, oversaw affairs of state
Section 2
Muslim CivilizationA Changing Culture
Funding for Change
Importance of Trade
• Islam spread through trade
• Muslim traders journeyed from end to
end of caliphate, exchanging goods
and information
• Exchange brought Islam to West
Africa, Southeast Asia
• Trade helped fund cultural
achievement
• Most prominent Abbasid caliph,
Harun al-Rashid, helped bring
culture to great heights, 786CE to
809CE
• Support of scholarship helped
produce lasting achievements of
Islamic arts and sciences
Father of Chemistry/ Father of Optics
Muslim Civilization
Contrast
Section 2
How did the Abbasids differ from the Umayyads?
Answer: The Abbasids focused more on prosperity and
cultural advancement than on empire expansion.
Muslim Civilization The End of Unity
Section 2
As early as the 800s, Abbasid political power weakened. By the 900s, a number of
small, independent states broke away from the caliphate.
Challenges from Europe
Problems from Egypt
• European Christians weakened Muslim
rule
• 969CE, serious threat from Fatimid
Dynasty established in Egypt
• Christian armies began to drive Muslims
out of Spain, 1000s
• Claimed descent from Muhammad’s
daughter Fatimah
• European Christians began Crusades
• From Egypt, they controlled
Mediterranean and Red Sea
– Wanted to make Holy Land Christian,
won at first
– Muslims eventually retook Jerusalem
• Disrupted Abbasid trade
• Fatamids were soon more rich and
more powerful than Abbasids.
Seljuk Turks and Others Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Seljuk Turks
• There were many non-Arabs among peoples of the caliphate, including Turks
• 1055CE, Turkish Seljuks rose to power and took control of Baghdad
• Seljuks were Sunni Muslims, supported Abbasid caliph
War Against Byzantine Empire
• Seljuks defended Abbasids against Fatimids and went to war against Byzantine Empire
– defeated Byzantines at Battle of Manzikert
• Seljuks would go on to create their own empire
Mamluks and Mongols
• 1200s, Mamluks took power in Egypt and Syria
• 1258CE, Mongols destroyed Baghdad, killed Abbasid caliph; caliphate finished
• Islam was still a vital force and spread to India, Central and Southeast Asia
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Summarize
Section 2
What forces ended the unity of the caliphate?
Answer: Abbasids lost political power when small
independent states broke away.