Islam: A New Religion Becomes an Empire

Muhammad Becomes a Prophet According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad was a man born in the town of Mecca around 570 AD Mecca was already a wealthy center of trade because the Kaaba was an ancient pagan temple By 40, Muhammad was a wealthy business man who was troubled by the immorality in Mecca. He was in the hills of Mecca meditating when he heard the voice of the angel Gabriel calling him to be the messenger of God He was scared and intimidated, but his wife, Khadija, encouraged him to follow the calling and submit to God (literal translation of Islam) and became the first convert

PBUH

The Hijra Many were opposed to Muhammad’s ideas because he told them to give up their polytheistic ways Muhammad and his followers left Mecca in 622 under the threat of murder. This journey is known as the Hijra. He went to what is now known as Medina, the second holiest city in Islam. Muhammad gained thousands of converts in Medina and, in 630, returned to Mecca to destroy the idols in the Kaaba Muhammad worked to united Arabs under Islam until his death in 632.

Early Challenges to Islam There was no clear successor to Muhammad after his death One group (later known as Sunnis) thought that the best and most capable person should become caliph, or leader, and they picked Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s father-in-law) One group (later known as Shia) thought that the leader had to be directly appointed by God or descended from Muhammad. They picked Ali (Muhammad’s son-in-law) to lead.

http://www.islamawareness.net/Deviant/Ibadis/difference.html

Arabs Unite Under Islam Many of the Arab tribal leaders did not feel loyal to Abu Bakr and there were many battles Abu Bakr was eventually successful in reuniting the tribes under their loyalty to Islam itself After, the Muslims went on a string of military campaigns in which they converted many and enlarged their area of control (including parts of the Persian and Byzantine Empires)

Two Empires The Umayyad Empire Ruled from the death of Ali until 750 Extended Arab rule from Spain to the Indus River Valley Did not try to convert but they did tax “People of the Book,” which helped keep the empire stable Muslims were encouraged to keep separate from the conquered people, which created a separate upper class; many converted to gain power or economic advantages

Two Empires The Abbasid Empire Muslims that were not happy with their place in the Umayyad Empire, along with Shia and non-Arab Muslims, rose up with Abu al-Abbas against the Umayyad family This founded the Abbasid dynasty, which lasted from 750-1258 AD They stopped the military conquests, which eliminated the power of the military class The capital was moved from Damascus to Baghdad, which became bigger and richer than Constantinople Learning and equality were encouraged

The Muslim Empire Declines Independent dynasties came to power at various places in the empire and it became fragmented Seljuk Turks migrated into the Middle East in the late 900s They adopted Islam They controlled much of the Middle East (including Baghdad) by 1055 They expanded their own land-holdings and blocked Christian pilgrims from reaching Jerusalem around 1095…leading to the Crusades. Genghis Khan led the Mongols out of Central Asia in 1216 in 1258, his grandson looted and burned Baghdad and killed the last Abbasid caliph The Mongols adopted Islam In the late 1300s, another Mongol leader invaded more of the Middle East and conquered Muslim areas