The World of Islam
Chapter 6
STANDARD WHI.8a
The student will demonstrate knowledge of Islamic civilization from about 600 to 1000
A.D. (C.E.) by
a) describing the origin, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Islam;
Origins of Islam
• Muhammad, the Prophet
• Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula: Early Muslim cities
Spread of Islam
• Across Asia and Africa, and into Spain
• Geographic extent of first Muslim empire
Beliefs, traditions, and customs of Islam
• Monotheism (Allah, Arabic word for “God”)
• Qur’an (Koran): The word of God
• Five pillars of Islam
• Acceptance of Judeo-Christian prophets, including Moses and Jesus
b) assessing the influence of geography on Islamic economic, social, and political
development, including the impact of conquest and trade;
Geographic influences on the origin and spread of Islam
• Diffusion along trade routes from Mecca and Medina
• Expansion despite great distances, desert environments, and mountain barriers
• Spread into the Fertile Crescent, Iran, and Central Asia, facilitated by weak Byzantine and
Persian empires
Geographic influences on economic, social, and political development
• Political unity of the first Muslim empire was short-lived.
• Arabic language spread with Islam and facilitated trade across Islamic lands.
• Slavery was not based on race.
c) identifying historical turning points that affected the spread and influence of Islamic
civilization, with emphasis on the Sunni-Shi’a division, and the Battle of Tours;
Historical turning points
• Death of Ali - Sunni-Shi’a division
• Muslim conquest of Jerusalem and Damascus
• Islamic capital moved to Baghdad
• Muslim defeat at the Battle of Tours
• Fall of Baghdad to the Mongols
d) citing cultural and scientific contributions and achievements of Islamic civilization.
Cultural contributions and achievements
• Architecture (Dome of the Rock)
• Mosaics
• Arabic alphabet
• Universities
• Translation of ancient texts into Arabic
Scientific contributions and achievements
• Arabic numerals (adapted from India, including zero)
• Algebra
• Medicine
• Expansion of geographic knowledge
The Rise of Islam
The Arabs
Arose in the Arabian Peninsula and influenced Western
Asia and beyond.
They were a nomadic, Semitic-speaking people who
lived in the arid climate of the Arabian Peninsula.
The environment was harsh, they were organized into
tribes and were led by a sheikh who was chosen from
a council of elders. The tribes were independent, but
worked together
Early Religion
-Most Early Arabs were polytheistic,
many recognized a chief, or supreme
god who they called Allah which is
Arabic for “God.”
-Allah was symbolized by a sacred stone, each tribe
had their own stone, but there was one central stone
called the Black stone which was placed in the shrine
called the Kaaba.
-This shrine was located in the city of Makkah
(Mecca) in what is now Saudi Arabia.
Trade
The Arabian Peninsula became an important
center for trade. The city of Mecca became
rich from the caravan trade traffic which
passed through the area.
The domestication of the camel enabled
traffic to cross the deserts and as empires
grew up in the region trade increased
greatly.
As the merchants became rich from the
Caravan traffic the life of the poor people of
the area suffered.
The Life of Muhammad
Muhammad was born in
Makkah in present-day Saudi
Arabia to a merchant family.
His parents died when he
was young and he ended up
living with his uncle who was
a merchant and he became a
caravan manager.
Muhammad in
Arabic Calligraphy
Muhammad married an older widow named
Khadija.
Over time, he found the richness and corruption
of the merchants and townspeople to be
troubling.
He decided to visit the hills to meditate.
Muslims believe that while he was meditating
in the hills he received revelations from God
through the Angel Gabriel.
Muhammad’s Revelation
Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel told
Muhammad to recite what he heard, it was
believed that Allah had already revealed
himself through Moses and Jesus, but now
had a final revelation for man.
This final revelation became the religion of
Islam. Which means submission to the will of
God.
The Quran (Koran)
The revelations to Muhammad were written
down by scribes and became known as The
Quran, which is the holy book of Islam.
The Quran contains ethical
guidelines and laws by which
Muslims (followers of Islam)
should live their lives.
The Nature of The Quran
The Quran is written in Arabic, which was the language
of Muhammad.
The Quran is considered to only be true when it is
written in its original language. Translations are
thought to lose the true meaning of the original
words which are believed to be a direct revelation
from God.
The Muslim observance of Ramadan is to commemorate
the recording of the holy text.
After the Revelation
After Muhammad received his revelation he went to
his wife Khadija, she was his first convert to the
new religion.
He began to try to convert the people of Makkah to
his message, but he was unsuccessful. After three
years he was forced to go to the city of Yathrib,
which later became Medina. This flight, or
migration, is known as the Hijrah and marks the
beginning of the Muslim calendar. This was in the
year 622 CE.
Acceptance in the city of the Prophet
In Yathrib, renamed Medina (which means the city of
the prophet) Muhammad was accepted and gained
followers.
One of the groups which converted to the new
religion of Islam were the Bedouins who were
desert Arabs. This new community became the first
to practice the religion.
After several years, Muhammad became both a
spiritual and political leader, there was not an idea
of the separation of church and state. He raised an
army and conquered the city of Makkah.
The Kaaba
After Muhammad took the city
of Makkah he cleansed the
Kaaba of idols and dedicated it
to Allah, who he taught was
the one true God.
All Muslims are encouraged to
make a pilgrimage to Makkah
known as the Hajj at least once
in their life if they are
physically and financially able.
The Teachings of Muhammad
Islam is Monotheistic, like Judaism and Christianity.
Islam teaches a belief in an afterlife, those who hope
to achieve this afterlife must submit to the will of
Allah.
Muslims do not believe the Muhammad was divine,
they believe that he was a man.
Islam is seen not just as a religion, but as a way of life.
Muslims believe that Islam was God’s final
revelation for mankind. Muslims feel that in
order to achieve salvation that they must obey
the will of Allah, or God.
In order to do this they must follow the five
major principles of Islam known as the Five
Pillars of Islam.
The Five Pillars of Islam
• 1-Declaration of Faith
– Muslims must state that there is not God but Allah
and Muhammad is his prophet.
• 2. Daily Prayer
– Muslims must pray five times a day facing the
Kaaba in Mecca.
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•
•
•
•
Pre Dawn
Noon
Afternoon
Sunset
Evening
Five Pillars Continued . . .
3. Charity
– Muslims are supposed to help others and donate
part of their income to charity.
4. Fasting-Ramadan
Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset
during the holy month of Ramadan which
celebrates the recording of the Quran.
Hajj
• 5. Pilgrimage: Hajj
– The fifth pillar of Islam is the Hajj.
– Once in a lifetime, if they are physically and
financially able , Muslims are to journey to Mecca
(Makkah) in Saudi Arabia and perform the rituals
of the Hajj.
Islamic Law
• After the death of Muhammad there were further
interpretations of his teachings. These are known as the
Hadith. There are different versions of the Hadith for
different branches of Islam.
• These teachings were further interpreted in the Shari’ah.
This is a set of laws which regulate many aspects of
Muslim life. It does not separate between church and
state and covers family life, business, government, and
moral conduct.
• Muslims are expected to practice honesty and justice in
dealing with others and are forbidden to gamble, eat pork,
drink alcohol, or engage in dishonest behavior.
Facts about Islam
• Quran (Koran)-Holy book
of Islam
• Muslim- A follower of
Islam
• Mosque- A Muslim House
of Worship
• Minarets- The towers
located on a Mosque from
which the Muezzin calls
the faithful to prayer.
Minaret
Section 2
The Arab Empire and its Successors
Creation of An Arab Empire
• After the death of Muhammad, unity was difficult to
maintain.
• The friend and father-in-law of Muhammad, Abu
Bakr, was chosen to be the first Caliph, or successor
to Muhammad.
• Abu Bakr helped to unify the Muslim world and
expanded in Arabia and beyond.
• Under the idea of jihad, or “struggle in the way of
God” the early Muslims expanded their territory.
The believed that defensive warfare was permitted
by the Quran.
Arab Rule
• The Arabs were now united and expanded their
territory instead of fighting each other.
• They defeated the Byzantine army in 636 taking the
province of Syria. By 642 they took Egypt and by 650
they controlled the Persian Empire
After Abu Bakr died there was conflict over who
would be the next Caliph.
The next two Caliphs were both assassinated.
After that Muhammad’s son-in-law
Ali was
appointed Caliph,
but five years later
he too was assassinated.
Administration
• Muslims administrators were fairly tolerant of
the people they defeated.
• Initially, both Christians and Jews were allowed
to practice their religions, with some
restrictions, because they were “People of the
Book” who had written scriptures revealed to
them by God before the time of Muhammad.
Those who chose not to convert had to be loyal
to the Muslim state and pay a special tax.
The Umayyad Dynasty
• At the beginning of the eighth century
Islam had expanded across northern
Africa and had converted the Berbers
(a pastoral people along the
Mediterranean coast) to the faith.
• By 710 combined Berber and Arab
forces crossed the Strait of Gibraltar
into Spain and had taken most of the
country by 725. In 732, however, the
Muslim advance into Europe was
halted at the Battle of Tours.
• By 750 the Muslim advance came to an end.
The southern and eastern Mediterranean and
parts of the old Roman Empire were now
Muslim territory.
• The Umayyad Dynasty was centered in
Damascus, in modern-day Syria and was
wealthy. This was also a very diverse empire as
many different peoples had been conquered in
new territory.
• The diversity helped lead to a split within the
Islamic faith
A Split in Islam
• Many non-Arab Muslims
resent the favoritism which
the Umayyad Empire
showed toward Arabs.
• The large empire was
difficult to rule efficiently
and there were financial
problems as well.
The Revolt of Hussein
• The grandson of Muhammad,
Hussein, led a revolt against the
Umayyad Empire in 680.
• His solders defected and he was
killed by an overwhelming
Umayyad force.
• This struggle led to a split within
the faith of Islam between Sunni
and Shi’a (Shiite) Muslims.
Sunni vs. Shi’a (Shiite)
• Sunni Muslims supported the Umayyad
Dynasty. They believe the Caliph does not
need to be a direct descendant of
Muhammad.
• Shi’a Muslims supported Hussein and believe
that the Caliph should be a direct descendant
of Muhammad through his son-in-law Ali and
his grandson.
Umayyad
Architecture
The Abbasid Dynasty
• Amidst growing resentment
toward the Umayyad Dynasty
Abu al-Abbas, a descendent of
Muhammad’s uncle, overthrew
the Umayyad Dynasty in 750
and est. the Abbasid Dynasty.
• The Dynasty lasted until 1258
A.D.
Abbasid Rule
• The Abbasids moved the capital of their
empire to Baghdad.
• This move increased Persian influence and
changed Abbasid culture.
• Under this dynasty the new heroes were
judges, merchants, and government
officials.
• This dynasty did not favor Arab rule and the
empire became more culturally diverse.
• Harun al-Rashid
– The greatest of the caliphs of the
dynasty. This is called the golden
age of the Abbasid Dynasty
(Caliphate)
– He was known for his charity and
was a great supporter of culture
and the arts.
– His son continued the tradition
and supported the study of
astronomy and began to translate
classical Greek works into Arabic.
Trade
• Baghdad became a major crossroads for trade.
– This made the city very wealthy.
– This also helped spread products and knowledge
from the Middle East to parts of Asia, Africa, and
Europe.
Government Administration
• The government of the Abbasids became
more like a monarchy.
• The bureaucracy which assisted the Caliph
became more complicated.
• In order to assist him the Caliph appointed
a Vizier who was like a prime minister.
– This man was the chief advisor to the
Caliph and would help him run the
government.
Decline and Division
• There was great difficulty in the Abbasid
Dynasty with imperial succession.
• There was also financial corruption.
• Caliphs began to recruit from non-Arab
groups for government administration
such as the Turks and the Persians.
–These groups came to dominate the
political situation.
• Rulers of provinces began to
break away and establish
independent kingdoms.
– Spain had an independent
Caliphate at Cordoba which
had been established in 750 by
Umayyad rulers who fled the
Abbasid Dynasty.
• Morocco became
independent.
• The Fatimid dynasty was
established in Egypt with the
capital at Cairo in 973.
Seljuk Turks and the Crusades
• As the Fatimid Dynasty in Egypt became more
powerful they became the new center of the
Muslim world.
• One group which came to power in this region
were the Seljuk Turks.
– The Turks played a large role in the military and
many rose through the ranks to gain a lot of
political power.
• The Turks were originally a
nomadic people who
converted to Islam and were
great soldiers in the Abbasid
caliphate.
• As the Abbasids weakened,
the Turks became stronger
moving into the areas of Iran
and Armenia. They eventually
took over many Abbasid
territories.
The Sultan
• The Turks were ruled by a Sultan, meaning “holder
of power.”
• While the Abbasids were still a religious authority
when the Turks captured Baghdad they were the
military and political leaders of the state.
• The Turks in the second half of the 11th century kept
putting pressure on the Byzantine Empire. In 1071
they defeated the Byzantine army at Manzikert and
gained control of Asia Minor (Anatolian Peninsula)
– In desperation, the Byzantine Empire turned to the West
for help. This led to a series of wars known as The
Crusades.
The Crusades
• The Byzantine Emperor Alexius I sent a letter
to the Pope (Urban II) asking for help against
the Turks.
• This led to a series of wars in 1096 known as
The Crusades.
• At first the Crusaders were successful and
took the city of Jerusalem.
• In 1187 the Muslim leader Saladin retook
the city, leaving the Christians with only a
small collection of land holdings in the
Middle East.
• The Crusades had a lasting impact-breeding
centuries of mistrust between the Muslim
world and the Christian World.
The Mongol Threat
• The Mongols were a pastoral, horse-riding people who
swept out of the Gobi in the early 13th century to seize
control over much of the known world.
• The were not Muslims and find it difficult to adapt to city
life.
• The spread destruction across Asia into Muslim territory.
• The Invasion began with Genghis Khan and was continued
under the leadership Kublia Khan and Hulegu.
– They seized Mesopotamia Persia and Mesopotamia
destroying the city of Baghdad in 1258
• The Mongols made it as far as the Red Sea, but were
unable to take Egypt.
• Over time the Mongol rulers converted to Islam and
rebuilt the Muslim world.
Section 3: Islamic Civilization
Prosperity in the Islamic World
• The Muslim empires carried on extensive trade with China, the
Byzantine Empire, India, and SE Asia.
• Trade was done by ship and by camel caravans which traveled
from Morocco in to West to the countries beyond the Caspian
Sea in Central Asia.
• Goods
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Sub Saharan Africa: Gold and Slaves
China: Silk and Porcelain
E. Africa: Gold and Ivory
SE Asia and India: Sandalwood and Spices.
Egypt: Grain
Iraq: Linen, Dates, and Precious Stones
W. India: Textiles
• The development of banking helped to facilitate trade and
eventually influenced European banking systems during the
European Renaissance.
The Role of Cities
• Flourishing trade led to wealthy and successful
cities.
• Baghdad-Was known as the city of peace and was
highly successful under the Abbasids
• Cairo: Was part of the Fatimid Dynasty
• Cordoba: Capital of Umayyad Spain
• Cities had Palaces for the Caliphs and mosques
for worship.
– There were also public buildings with fountains,
courtyards, public baths, and a bazaar.
The Bazaar
• The covered market
was a central part of
each Muslim city.
• There were high
standards for business
and sanitation.
• It was a place where
people could acquire
both goods and
services.
Agriculture
• While cities were expanding a vast majority of
the people still lived in the country and made
their living in agriculture.
• Originally the land was owned by peasants,
but was eventually bought by aristocrats and
was worked by slave labor.
Islamic Society
• Islam is considered more than just a religion, it is seen as
a way of life that encompasses politics, economics, and
social life.
• According to the Quran, all people were equal in the eyes
of Allah, but in reality, the Muslim Empires did not follow
this ideal. There was a well developed upper and lower
class.
• Non-Muslims were not considered equal to Muslims and
slavery was widespread (as in the rest of the ancient
world). Slaves were usually non-Muslims because Islamic
law made it illegal for one Muslim to enslave another.
– Slaves served in the military or served as domestic servants.
– Slaves could sometimes purchase their freedom and it was
considered a good act to free ones slaves.
The Role of Women
• Originally, the Quran granted women spiritual
and social equality with men. Both men and
women were to be friends and protectors of one
another.
• Women could earn a living and own and inherit
property. They played a prominent role in the
rise of Islam.
• Men and Women had assigned social duties, but
most societies in which Islam arose were male
dominated
• Women in these societies had to have a male
guardian and parents arranged marriages for
their children.
• Men could have up to four wives, but they had to
pay a dowry (gift of money or property) to their
wives’ families.
• Women did have the right to divorce and adultery
was forbidden for both men and women.
• After the spread of Islam local traditions began to
assert themselves and many of the rights that
were initially given to women in Islam were
replaced by older traditions which denied women
equal rights. A similar thing happened to the
rights of early Christian women once Christianity
became merged with Roman influence.
The Veil
• The veil worn by Muslim women is traditionally
called the Hijab.
• The ideal of women wearing veils was common in
many Middle Eastern cultures before the advent of
Islam.
– In Ancient Mesopotamia a veil was a symbol of status,
purity, and moral character.
• There is some controversy over this use of these
veils today. There are different interpretations of
this tradition in different parts of the Muslim world.
In general, women and men are supposed to dress
modestly, the degree of that modesty varies from
region to region according to local custom and
tradition.
• In the Quran the Hijab has different meanings it can
mean a curtain or partition dividing rooms--in other
verses it is a sacred divide between the earth and holy,
god and human, light and dark, and men and women.
The Hijab covers the head and Neck
The covering that
women wear varies
from country to
country.
The Chador covers the full body with
a head scarf underneath.
The Burka (Burqa) is a veil that
completely covers the face and
body.
Section 4: Culture of Islam
Philosophy, Science, and History
• The Arab world was aware of Greek thought
and had been in the process of translating and
preserving these works for years. This
becomes very important later on when this
knowledge is rediscovered by Europe during
The Renaissance.
• The knowledge of the Muslim world was
preserved in Baghdad in a library known as
the House of Wisdom.
Preservation of Knowledge
• Muslim scholars helped to preserve the
knowledge of Greece and Rome by translating
works and making them available to other
scholars.
– It is because of this that European scholars were
able to rediscover the works of Aristotle and other
Greek philosophers.
– In the twelfth century these works were translated
into Latin .
– The discovery of paper-making technology from
China made this much easier.
Islamic Advancements
• Muslims scholars not only
preserved works of Greek
philosophy, they also
interpreted the works and
wrote extensive
commentary on them.
– The Muslim philosopher
Ibn-Rushd wrote on nearly
all of Aristotle’s works.
Math and Science
• Muslim scholars adopted and passed on the
numerical system of India, and the use of zero.
These numbers came to be known in the west
as Arabic numbers.
• A ninth-century Arab mathematician also
developed algebra.
Astrolabe
• Muslims also studied
astronomy which led to the
development of the
Astrolabe. This instrument
was used for naval
navigation by observing the
positions of the stars and
other heavenly bodies.
• This invention made it
possible for European
sailors to sail to the
Americas.
Medicine
• The Muslims philosopher
and scientist Ibn Sina wrote
a medical encyclopedia
which explained contagious
diseases.
• This became the foundation
for later European medical
advancements.
History
• The Muslims historian
Ibn-Khaldun lived in
the 14th century.
• This book, Introduction
to History proposed a
cyclical view of history
with the rise and fall of
civilizations.
Literature
• Many Muslims consider the Quran
to be the greatest work of Muslim
literature, but there was a strong
oral tradition prior to the Quran
which continued to have influence.
• The poet Omar Khayyam. He was a
twelfth century Persian poet,
mathematician, and astronomer.
– The wrote about many different
themes and his poems were recorded
by his friends after his death.
The 1001 Nights/Arabian Nights
• Probably the most famous piece of
Muslim literature is the 1001 Nights or
Arabian Nights.
• This is a collection of stories based
around a central theme.
– The Sultan king of Baghdad wishes to kill
his wife on their wedding night. The
princess Scheherazade tells him stories
each night to prevent her death,
eventually winning him over.
– The tales include the familiar stories of
Aladdin and Ali Baba and the forty thieves.
Art and Architecture
• Islamic art is a blend of Arab, Turkish, and
Persian traditions.
• Islamic art and architecture is guided by the
Quran which forbids of representation of
living beings. So mosques and palaces are
decorated with floral motifs and geometric
patterns (known as arabesque) and Arabic
script.
The Great Mosque at Samarra
In present-day Iraq, it was the
largest mosque at the time.
It covered 10 acres.
Most famous section is the
minaret, or tower, it is from this
tower that the Muezzin, or
crier calls the faithful to prayer
five times a day.
Great Mosque of Cordoba, Spain
• Ninthcentury
mosque in
southern
Spain. Its
hundreds
of columns
support
horseshoe
arches and
make it
seem like a
forest of
trees.
Arabesque and Calligraphy
• Since
depictions of
living things
are forbidden
many Mosques
are decorated
with Arabesque
and Arabic
Calligraphy.