Chapter 6 A New Threat: The Muslim Conquerors

The Muslim Conquerors Key Terminology Prophet Muhammad Allah Muslim Islam Koran or Qu’ran Infidels Arabic Moors

The Five Pillars of Islam 1. Faith (Shahadah) – There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet 2. Prayer (Salah) – Must pray 5 times a day facing Mecca 3. Almsgiving (Zakah)– Giving to the needy 4. Fasting (Sawm) – Purification of the body; Ramadan 5. Hajj – Must make one pilgrimage to Mecca if you are able

In the Name of Allah The Prophet Muhammad ( ) was an Arab caravan merchant who in the year 610 CE received his first visions from Allah, in a cave near the city of Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia. Muhammad had learned about God (Allah) from both the Jewish and Christian Scriptures and he recognized these writings to be inspired by Allah. He continued to receive visions from Allah, and messages from the angel Gabriel, for the next 11 years and it was through these visions that he recognized that he was the Final Prophet of Allah. He taught his followers that there is only one God, and Allah is his name. Eventually, Muhammad wrote down all of his teachings, which became the Koran, the Holy Scriptures of Islam.

A Quick Recap Muhammad: According to Islam, the final and ultimate Prophet of Allah. However, he was not a Messianic figure; simply, the final messenger of Allah. Allah: The Arabic name for God Islam: Monotheistic religion founded by the Prophet Muhammad in the year 610 CE. Islam means “submission to the will of Allah.” Koran: The Holy Scripture of Islam, written by the Prophet Muhammad, over an 11 year period. The Koran contains the teachings of Muhammad, and also divine messages and revelations from Allah through the angel Gabriel. Muslim: A follower of Islam; one who believes in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and follows the revelations contained in the Koran.

The Spread of Islam: C.E. Muhammad taught and preached that the name and message of Allah was to be spread everywhere throughout the world. Therefore, in a very, very short period of time, Islam spread throughout the Middle East, across North Africa, into Spain, and also east to Persia. Generally speaking, the Muslim conquerors who spread Islam didn’t force anyone to accept or convert to their religion. However, they did collect annual taxes from the Infidels, those men and women who refused to convert to Islam. As a result, in order to avoid paying taxes, many Christians in the East converted to Islam. By the year 710, there was a real fear amongst European Christians that the Muslims would conquer Europe and the continent would become Islamic.

Islam Stopped In Gaul By the mid-700s, almost all of Spain came under the rule of the Muslims. In Spain, the Jewish minority had been harassed and persecuted for centuries by Christian kings who wanted the Jews’ trade profits. Under the Christian kings, Jews were often forced to choose between being baptized Christian and losing their homes and businesses. As a result, the Jews decided to cooperate with the Muslims and this was a major reason why Islam spread as quickly as it did in Spain. Unfortunately, this led to even more anti-Semitism in Spain, and by the 1500s, would eventually lead to the Inquisition and the persecution, expulsion and death of thousands of Jews.

Islam Stopped in Gaul As the Muslim army crossed Spain and headed northward into Gaul (modern-day France), they were met by a large Christian army led by Charles Martel. These Muslim forces were called the “Moors” by the Spanish. Charles Martel defeated the Muslim forces in Tours in the year 732 C.E. As a result, the Muslim forces retreated back into Spain and never conquered the rest of Europe. They stayed in Spain until the year 1492, when they were defeated by the combined forces of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Islam’s Legacy Where there any lasting positives to the spread of Islam across the Mediterranean and into Spain? Absolutely! Muslim scholars created great universities and centers of learning, introducing the Western world to the writings and teachings of the great Greek philosophers Socrates, Aristotle and Plato. Also, Islam created, introduced or advanced the progress in the following areas: AgricultureCalculusArt AstronomyTime KeepingGeography PhysicsNavigationPhilosophy Ship BuildingAnatomyPolitics AlgebraHygieneBotany BiologyMedicineBanking