CHAPTER 6: THE FIRST GLOBAL CIVILIZATION:
THE SPREAD OF ISLAM
Page 116 – 143
I.
SUMMARY
A. Desert and Town: The Arabian World and the Birth of Islam
Islam appeared first on the Arabian Peninsula, an area occupied by pastoral
nomads and on the periphery of the civilized zones. Much of the peninsula is
desert, which supported both goat and camel nomadism among peoples called
Bedouin. Sedentary agricultural communities were limited to the far south of the
peninsula, and trading towns developed along the coasts. The tribal culture of the
Bedouin provided a critical backdrop for the emergence of Islam.
B. The Life of Muhammad and the Genesis of Islam
In the 7th century C.E., a new religion arose in the Arabian Peninsula. Built on the
revelations received by the prophet Muhammad, a trader from the town of Mecca,
the new faith won over many camel-herding tribes of the peninsula within decades.
Though initially an Arab religion, Islam in both beliefs and practices contained a
powerful appeal that eventually made it one of the great world religions.
C. The Arab Empire of the Umayyads
Although some Bedouin tribes renounced their allegiance to Islam following
Muhammad's death in 632, the Prophet's followers were able to conduct military
campaigns restoring the unity of the Islamic community. Once the rebellious
tribesmen were brought back into the umma, Muslim armies began to launch
attacks on neighboring civilizations outside of Arabia. Within a short period of
time, Arab armies captured Mesopotamia, northern Africa, and Persia. A new
dynasty, the Umayyads, ruled this Arabic empire.
D. From Arab to Islamic Empire: The Early Abbasid Era
The change of dynasties reflected fundamental transformations within the Islamic
civilization. As Islamic civilization spread, regional interests and religious divisions
made it difficult to hold together the vast areas the Arabs had conquered. They also
gave rise to new divisions within the Islamic community that have divided Islam to
the present day. The Abbasids’ victory led to bureaucratic expansion, absolutism,
and luxury. The Abbasids also championed a policy of conversion. As a result,
Islam was transformed from an ethnic religion to a cosmopolitan faith with
hundreds of millions of adherents.
E. Conclusion: The Measure of Islamic Achievement
By the 9th century, Abbasid power had waned. Increasingly Turkish military
commanders carved out independent territories within the empire. Loss of
centralization did not diminish the scope of the earlier Muslim achievements: the
creation of a global empire, the emergence of one of the universal religions, the
preservation of the cultures of Hellenistic Greece and Persia, and the construction
of a Eurasian trade system that would survive until the sixteenth century.
II.
CHAPTER REVIEW
A. What conditions influenced the rise of Islam in Arabia?
B. Describe the development of the Muslim community and the teachings of Islam.
C. What factors contributed to the rise and success of the Arabic Empire?
D. How did Islam unite and effectively rule diverse peoples and cultures?
E. How did Islam and the Arabic empire change during the Abbasid rule?
F. Describe Islamic society including social classes, gender, and inequalities.
III.
VOCABULARY
A. Islam, Muslim
B. Quran, Hadith
C. Bedouin
D. Umma
E. Caliph
F. Sunni, Shia
G. Mawali
H. Dhimmi (-s) , Jizya
I. Harem
J. Ayan
IV.
PHOTO ESSAY: The Five Pillars (Pages 116, 125, 127, 129, 131, 136, 137, 140, 141)
A. Islam has Five Pillars of Faith. How do the photos reflect the pillars?
1. Confession of Faith?
2. Prayer Five Times Daily?
3. Fast during the Month of Ramadan?
4. Zakat – tithe and charity?
5. Pilgrimage?
B. Additionally, Muslims have to tolerate the Peoples of the Books – Christians and
Jews – and protect the community against attack and the body against impure
thoughts. These last two are part of jihad, the Holy War. How do these pictures
represent at least one of the acts of faith? Explain.
V.
MAP EXERCISES
A. Map 6.1: The Expansion of Islam in the 7th and 8th Centuries (Page 160)
1. What states and empires did the Muslims overrun (pages 98-99)?
2. Which areas of the Arab Empire are modern Muslim states today (Use map
on page 264 and the map at the end of the book)?
3. What parts of Europe did the Muslims overrun? If these regions are not
Muslim today, what do you think happened?
4. Locate Damascus and Mecca, the first Muslim capitals. What advantages
and disadvantages did these locations present when running the empire?
5. Locate Karbala and Ctesiphon. Between the two cities the Arabs built
Baghdad. Why build a capital here? To what cultural influences would this
location be exposed?
6. Look at the borders of the Arab Empire. What geographic areas would have
contact with non-Muslims?
B. Map 6.2: Arabia During the Time of Muhammad (Page 122)
1. Describe the physical environment of the peninsula?
2. Byzantium, the Sassanid Empire, and Aksum are trading states. Why are the
locations of Mecca and Medina important?
VI.
DOCUMENT ANALYSIS: 1001 Arabian Nights (Pages 138 – 139)
A. Document Analysis
1. What is the document’s subject?
2. What was the occasion?
3. Who was the audienc3?
4. What was the document’s purpose?
5. What is the document’s point of view?
6. Who is the speaker?
B. The Lifestyle of the Elites
1. What symbols of wealth appear in the stories?
2. Describe the lifestyles in Baghdad.
3. Describe the lifestyles of men.
4. What high status occupations are mentioned in the stories?
5. If literature focuses on the lifestyles of the elites, what problems does this
create for historians?
VII.
ESSAY QUESTIONS
A. How did gender relations change from early Bedouin and Islamic societies to
later Islam? (Change over time)
B. How did Islam change as it aged? (Change over time)
C. Compare and contrast Bedouin lifestyles, gender relations, and government with
Bantu society.
D. Compare and contrast the early Arab imperial institutions with any one of these
classical civilizations: (1) Qin China; (2) Rome: (3) Alexander the Great; or the
(4) Mauryan Empire.
E. Compare the spread, groups who joined, and universal appeal of Islam with
Buddhism or Christianity.
F. Compare and contrast religious ideas with any one of these universalizing
religions: (1) Buddhism or (2) Christianity.
G. Compare and contrast religious ideas with any one of these ethnic religions:
(1) Buddhism or (2) Christianity.
H. Compare and contrast the status of women in Islam with any one of these other
civilizations: (1) Indian; (2) China; (3) Christianity; (4) Rome; (5) Greece;
(6) Buddhism; (7) nomadic societies; or (8) Japan.
I. Compare and contrast attitudes about and accomplishments in Islamic sciences,
the arts, and learning with the classical Greeks.
J. Compare and contrast the creation of Arab empire with the rise of the Qin
empire or empire of Alexander the Great.
CHAPTER 6 MASTERY CHECK
1. Although Islam developed in Mecca and Medina from urban roots, all of these
influenced Islam’s origins EXCEPT:
A. the harsh environment of a desert.
B. clan identity and rivalries.
C. Greco-Roman culture.
D. Bedouin culture.
E. merchants and commerce.
2. In Pre-Islamic times, the status of Mecca was enhanced by
A. the presence in the city of a Christian bishop.
B. the Kaaba, a religious shrine which attracted pilgrims.
C. its merchants control of trade throughout the Middle East.
D. its alliance with the Sasanid Persian Empire.
E. the freedoms given its slaves and women.
3. The Prophet Muhammad had knowledge of life beyond Mecca because he was
A. a merchant and had traveled.
B. well-read and well-educated as an Arab scholar.
C. exiled to Persia before his conversion.
D. a judge who frequently arbitrated disputes.
E. a traveling scholar who moved between cities teaching.
4. Initially the Meccans did not accept Muhammad’s message because it
A. conflicted with the Jewish faith of most Meccans.
B. was polytheistic and challenged the city’s monolithic traditions.
C. condemned commerce and profit.
D. threatened to replace Kaaba’s gods and disrupt pilgrimages and commerce.
E. was supported by the Bedouins, enemies of the Meccans.
5. Muslims reenact Muhammad’s flight to Medina by which actions of the Five
Pillars?
a. profession of the Faith
b. charity
c. fasting during Ramadan
d. prayer five times daily
e. pilgrimage to Mecca
6. One of the strengths of Islam which made it a successful universalizing religion
similar to Christianity was its
A. use of a common language, Arabic, to unite all members.
B. insistence that there was only one God.
C. support for merchants and commercial values.
D. egalitarianism that transcended previous loyalties, ethnicities, or allegiances.
E. condemnation of violence as incompatible with faith.
7. The issue that confronted Muslims following Muhammad’s death, and the issue
which eventually split Muslims into Shia and Sunni sects involved
A. toleration or persecution of Christians and Jews.
B. who was Muhammad’s legitimate successor.
C. conversion of non-Arabs to Islam.
D. the morality of the holy war (jihad) against enemies of the faith.
E. the accuracy of different translations and versions of the Quran.
8. The Pillar of Islam which helped create the first global civilization was
A. profession of faith.
B. charity and alms giving to help the Muslim community.
C. the pilgrimage by the faithful to Mecca.
D. fasting during Ramadan.
E. the holy war (jihad) against unbelievers.
9. The reasons for the Arab’s (Muslim) successful conquest of the Middle East and
north Africa was most likely due to
A. the promise of booty to be won.
B. overpopulation in the Arabian Peninsula.
C. desire to convert others to Islam.
D. the weaknesses caused by their long wars of Islam’s two main adversaries,
Persia and Byzantine Empire.
E. the unity provided by their faith in Islam.
10. Initially, Islam with regard to women and gender roles
A. retained Bedouin matrilineal traditions and greatly strengthened the position
of women in society.
B. adopted Christian attitudes towards women.
C. secluded women and took away most of their property rights.
D. introduced a harsh patriarchal system.
E. greatly strengthened the position of women.
11. The decline of women’s position within Islamic civilization was due to
A. Islamic dogma.
B. contacts with older sedentary cultures and their highly stratified urban
systems.
C. the necessities of war and holy war.
D. the high death rates of males; the increased number of women in Islamic
society “decreased the value” of women.
E. Bedouin traditions.
12. As the Muslim empire grew and the Abbasid dynasty came to power
A. Muslim rulers were increasingly isolated because of advisors and harems.
B. civil wars destroyed the unity of the empires as provinces broke away.
C. the Shia doctrines were supported and spread by the Caliphs.
D. the caliphs increasing brought distant provinces under central control.
E. conversions to Islam declined.
13. Unlike merchants in classical civilizations, Muslim traders
A. had little influence within society.
B. often ran the governments of the Muslim states.
C. acquired great wealth and were protected and encouraged by Muslim states.
D. could not legally change their social status.
E. were ranked socially behind peasants and farmers.
14. As similarly compared to classical Rome, later Muslim society
A. granted women extensive rights.
B. denied merchants high social status.
C. discouraged toleration of foreigners and conversion to the official religion.
D. relied on the military to run the government.
E. used slave labor extensively and had an important landed elite.
15. The first flowering of Islamic civilization
A. was intolerant towards older civilizations and their learning because these
cultures were pagan.
B. grew largely out of indigenous Arabia and Bedouin traditions.
C. borrowed exclusively from the Chinese.
D. borrowed heavily from classical civilizations, but made significant
contributions in its own areas.
E. was mostly imitative rather than creative.