The Rise of Islam, 600 - 1200 Chapter 8 (pp. 227 – 239)

Introduction Geography The Middle East The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Desert “Empty Quarter” Nomadic caravans Camels Camel saddles Cities of Mecca & Medina Along the Red Sea

The Middle East Before Islam Arabs were polytheistic farmers and merchants Traders had contact with Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians Mecca was a major center for trade and polytheistic religious activity The Ka’ba

Muhammad in Mecca Muhammad was born in 570 Married a successful trader named Khadija 610, while meditating, Muhammad believed he heard the voice of the Angel Gabriel Revelation called for the Arab people to submit to a single God (Allah) and accept Muhammad as his last messenger

The Formation of the Umma As Muhammad gained followers, Mecca’s leaders feared that his message might threaten the city’s power & prosperity Muhammad’s followers were persecuted In 622, they fled north to Medina and formed the Umma (community of Muslims) In 630, the Umma returned to Mecca and forced the surrender of its officials The Umma was then able to make the pilgrimage (hajj) to the Ka’ba unhindered

The Question of Succession In 632, Muhammad died His friends determined that Abu Bakr would be his successor Took the title of “Caliph” Powers weren’t clarified Ordered the compilation of the Quran The Five Pillars

Muhammad’s Successors spread Islam Abu Bakr expanded the Islamic Empire (Caliphate) to many parts of Afro-Eurasia using the military (jihad) Allowed conquered people to worship their own religion “People of the book” received special privileges

The Caliphates Expand Through Afro-Eurasia Shortly after its origin, Islamic Empires grew out of the Middle East 661 – 750, the Umayyad Caliphate spread from the Atlantic to the Indus River

The Caliphates Expand Through Afro-Eurasia In 750, a rebel group of Muslims known as the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyad During this time an Umayyad prince escaped to Spain and setup a large Muslim state called Al-Andalus The Muslims of Spain were known as Moors

The Abbasid Caliphate During the Abbasid Caliphate the Islamic capital was relocated to Baghdad “Golden Age” of mathematics, science & trade began Due strongly to the increased cross-cultural interactions that expanded Built on Greek and Indian mathematics Algebra + geometry + trigonometry Scientific developments Classification of plant/animal species Astronomy Medical advances of Ibn-Sina (Avicenna) Facilitated trans-Eurasian trade as new people were drawn into the empire