Islam: Empire of Faith Ch 10 : Sections 1-3

Life on the Arabian Peninsula Bedouins: traditional nomadic warring tribes of the Arabian peninsula Muhammad: Bedouin merchant & Prophet of God Mecca: town of Muhammad’s birth & youth Kaaba (Ka’bah): traditional shrine of the Bedouin tribes, started by Abraham

Early Days of the Prophet Khadijah: wealthy, merchant widow who marries Muhammad Angel Gabriel: angel who embraced Muhammad & prodded him to ‘Recite!’ the word of God Islam: “to submit to God” Allah: Arabic word for God

A.D. 619-622 : War for Survival Yathrib/Medina: ‘City of the Prophet’, locale of Muhammad’s shelter prior to the War Hijra: trip by the faithful from Mecca to Medina, beginning of Islam Rededication of the Kaaba: after conquering Mecca, Muhammad rededicates the shrine in the name of the first prophet Abraham Umma: any community of Muslims

Practice of the Islam (Pt 1) Quran (Koran): sacred text of Islam, direct unchangeable word of God Mediate: priests are not needed to facilitate between a Muslim and God Mosques (masjids): houses of worship w/i Islam Minarets: towers attached to Mosques, balcony for Muezzins

Practice of Islam (Pt 2) Muezzin: person who calls Muslims to prayer, often from a superior position like a minaret or rooftop Jihad: to struggle in God’s service; justification for ‘Holy War’ People of the Book: Jews and Christians; spiritually superior to polytheistic worshippers

Practice of Islam (Pt 3) 5 Pillars of Islam: 1) Declaration of Faith 2) Daily Prayer (5x) –face Mecca 3) Giving Alms to the Poor 4) The Fast of Ramadan 5) Hajj – pilgrimage once in your lifetime to Mecca

Practice of Islam (Pt 4) Sharia: Islamic law, defines moral conduct, family life, public/business life, and rules of government Impact on Women: extended rights and protections thru spiritual equality shared by all faithful Muslims 114 suras: chapters of the Quran in the order God commanded

Search for new leadership A.D. 632: year the Prophet Muhammad died Abu Bakr: Muhammad’s father-in-law who was the agreed upon successor of Muhammad (caliph) Unification of the tribes was tenuous, but successful during the next 100 yrs

Schism w/i Islam Stressor? Since Muhammad’s death there was debate over who should lead Islam Shi’at Ali (Shiites): followers of Ali, believed all leaders should be descendants (imams) of Ali & Fatima (Muhammad’s daughter)

Schism w/i Islam (Pt 2) Sunnis: believe leaders should be elected and any “good, pious” Muslim could lead since there wasn’t another prophet Sunna: custom of the community

Appeal of Islam Equality in faith before God and in treatment of each other w/i the community of Islam Belonging/acceptance of the downtrodden & traditional “cast offs”

Early Dynasties Umayyad: emerged after the death of Ali, dynasty of Sunni Caliphs who ruled from the capital in Damascus (Syria) through A.D. 750 Responsible for much of the expansive period of conquest from 632 thru A.D. 750

The Umayyad Dynasty falls Muslims upset by the disparity in wealth under the Umayyads placed support behind Abu al- Abbas (descendant of Muhammad’s uncle) al-Abbas unified the Shiites and other discontented factions to capture Damascus in A.D. 750

Early Islamic Dynasties Abassids: flourished after conquering the Ummayyads and moved the capital of the Muslim world to Baghdad (‘City of Peace’ & cradle of civilization thru to the Renaissance) Seat of Muslim power through the period of the Crusades until A.D.1250

Seljuk Turk mischief A.D. 900’s: Seljuk Turks (from the Asian steppe) conquered the “declining” Abassid dynasty and cut-off Christian travelers hoping to visit the Holy Lands Pope Urban II then called for the First Crusade….duh, duh, DUH!