The Muslim World

Origins of Islam Arabian Peninsula (present-day Saudi Arabia) The cities of Mecca and Medina Based on the monotheism of Abraham.

Muhammad Muhammad is the founder of Islam. He is known as “The last and greatest Prophet” He had a vision that there was only one God, “Allah”.

At first, Muhammad spread his monotheistic message in Mecca (the birthplace and holiest city of Islam).

He was driven from Mecca and fled to the city of Medina. In Medina, he became a religious, political and military leader. City of Lights

Kaaba After 10 years, he returned to Mecca and destroyed the idols at the Kaaba (Muslims believe that this shrine was built by the prophet Abraham).

Muhammad Who was the founder of Islam? No real picture exists

Beliefs of Islam One God: “Allah” Quran (holy book) Judeo-Christian prophets: Abraham, Moses and Jesus Five pillars

Quran

Five Pillars of Islam Declaration of Faith: There is only One God and Muhammad is his messenger Daily Prayer (5 times a day – facing Mecca) Alms to the poor (charity) Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan Pilgrimage (holy journey) to Mecca to visit the Kaaba (Hajj) FAPPO

The Five Pillars

five times a day- facing Mecca Daily Prayer five times a day- facing Mecca

Alms for the Poor Charity

Fasting During the month of Ramadan no food or drink is taken from sunrise to sunset. fasting encourages self-control and discipline.

Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca (if able) at least once during a person’s lifetime. Believed to have been built by Abraham. .The small, cubed building may not rival skyscrapers in height or mansions in width, but its impact on history and human beings is unmatched. Since time immemorial world travelers have known this town and this stone built house. This is Baytullah, the House of Allah. Its sanctity and antiquity is older than history itself. The Baytullah\Kaaba is the building towards which Muslims face five times a day, everyday, in prayer. This has been the case since the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him & his family) over 1400 years ago. Literally, Kaaba in Arabic means a high place with respect and prestige. The word Kaaba may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube. The other names of the Kaaba, are Bait ul Ateeq - which means, according to one meaning, the earliest and ancient. According to the second meaning, it means independent and liberating. Both meanings could be taken. Bait ul Haram - the honorable house. Scholars and historians say that the Kaaba has been reconstructed between five to 12 times. Tradition goes that the Kaaba was ordained by Allah to be built in the shape of the House in Heaven called Baitul Ma'amoor. Allah in his infinite Mercy ordained a similar place on earth and Prophet Adam (p.b.u.h.) was the first to build this place. The Bible, in the chapter of Genesis describes its building when God ordained Abraham (p.b.u.h.) to erect a Shrine for worship when Abraham (p.b.u.h.) was ordered to go to the southern desert with his wife Hager (p.b.u.h.) and infant son Ishmael (p.b.u.h.). The Old Testament describes this building as the Shrine of God at several places, but the one built at Ma'amoor is very much similar to the one at Makkah. There is no doubt that it was referring to the stone built house at Makkah. Holy Qur'an brought this story into the full light of history. Say: "Allah spoken the Truth: follow the religion of Abraham, the sane in faith; he was not of the Pagans." The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings. (Holy Qur'an 3:95-96) From the above verses Holy Qur'an firmly establishes the fact that Abraham (p.b.u.h.) was the real founder of the Holy Shrine. When Prophet Abraham (p.b.u.h.) built the Holy Shrine in Makka, his prayers were that this place should remain a center of worship for all good and pious people; that Allah should keep his family the custodians of the Holy place. Ever since, Ishmael (p.b.u.h.) the son of Abraham (p.b.u.h.) who helped his father to build this place and his descendants remained the custodians of the Holy Shrine. History tells us that centuries passed and the guardianship of the Kaaba remained in the family of Ishmael (p.b.u.h.) until the name of Abde Manaf came into the limelight. He inherited this service and made it much more prominent. His son Hashim took this leadership and extended it to many other towns of Hijaz so much so that many pilgrims flocked annually to this place and enjoyed Hashim's hospitality. A feast was given in honor of the pilgrims, the family of Hashim served food and water to all guests. This prominence created jealousies and his brother Abdusham's adopted son Omayya tried to create trouble. There was a dispute in which Omayya failed and left Makka to settle down in the Northern provinces of Syria (Sham). After Hashim his brother Muttalib and after him Hashim's son Shyba who became known as Abdul Muttalib assumed the leadership of the family. He organized feasts and supplies of water to the pilgrims during the annual festival of pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine.

The Hajj

The Muslim Empire At first, Islam spread along trade routes from Mecca and Medina Muslims believed they had a duty to spread their religion and began to build a Muslim Empire.

Under the first four Caliphs (leaders), Muslims were able to take over the Fertile Crescent, Iran and Egypt, including the cities of Jerusalem and Damascus. This was due in part to the weakness of the Byzantine and Persian Empires

Finally it spread into Central Asia, across Northern Africa and into Spain (Green areas) The Muslim empire grew quickly despite great distances, deserts, and mountain barriers.

Early History of Islam

Damascus After the murder of the fourth caliph, Ali, the Umayadd dynasty took power and moved the capital of the Muslim Empire to Damascus (in Syria).

Baghdad The next dynasty, the Abassids, moved the capital to Baghdad (Iraq) due to its location on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

This location provided access to key trade routes which gave the caliph access to trade goods, gold, and information about the Empire.

The Muslim Empire did not stay politically united. The empire began to split up into independent Muslim states (caliphates); but Muslims remained unified by a common religion, language, and trade.

In the High Middle Ages Islam spread into West Africa , Central and Southeast Asia. Today Islam is the dominant religion in the Middle East, North Africa, and Indonesia

Spread of Islam

Sunni – Shi’a Division After the death of Ali (661 CE), the Islamic religion split due to a disagreement over succession (choosing the next caliph).

The Shi’a believe the caliph should be a relative of Ali (–the 4th Caliph). Shi’a Islam is the state religion of present-day Iran and the majority religion in Iraq and Lebanon.

Sunni Muslims The Sunni believed that the leader could be related to any of the first four caliphs. The vast majority of Muslims belong to the Sunni sect.

Major Sects of Islam

Other Historical Turning Points 732 CE: The the Franks stopped the Muslims from advancing from Spain into France at the Battle of Tours

1187 CE: Saladin, a Muslim ruler, retook Jerusalem and Damascus from Christian Crusaders.

1258 CE: Mongols captured and destroyed the city of Baghdad

1453 CE: Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks (Muslims), ending the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople (Istanbul) became capital of the Ottoman Empire

1492 CE: Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Muslim Moors from Spain

Ottoman Empire

Achievements Architecture: mosques (houses of worship) The Dome of the Rock was built on a site in Jerusalem holy to Muslims and Jews.

Mosaics: used geometric designs because they were not permitted to picture holy beings

Arabic alphabet: This language spread with Islam facilitating trade Ancient Greek and Roman texts were translated into Arabic at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad.

Arabic numerals: adapted from India - included zero )

Universities: Centers of learning for Christian Europeans as well as Muslims during the Middle Ages Al Azhar university mosque, Cairo

Algebra: (al Jabr) invented by Al-Khwarizmi

Medicine: Far more advanced than in Europe. First true hospitals. The works of al Razi became the standard medical textbooks at European schools for 500 years. First true hospitals. al Razi

Geographic knowledge: Arab traders crossed the Indian Ocean in ships with lateen sails. By the tenth century, this technology reached Europe from the Middle East.

Slavery Slavery was common, but not based on race.

Islamic Culture