Life of the Bedouin

No Center A Bedouin is a nomad who lives in the desert. He belongs to a family, a clan, and a tribe. He lives in a tent and migrates from place to place. There is logic to his movement: He moves from one oasis to another. An oasis is land that lies atop an underground river or lake. An oasis has grass. Grass feeds his livestock. His is, after all, a herder of livestock. Above all, he prizes his camels. Below that, he values his sheep and goats.

The Center Muhammad provided the center – Mecca. The people of the Arabian Peninsula were scattered in the desert. There was nothing to unify the Arabian tribes. There was no center. Muhammad appreciated the fact that the Jews and Christians both had a book – another unifying factor. Muhammad provided the center – Mecca. Muhammad provided the book – Qur’an From then on, people recited its verses. Every day, five times a day, the Bedouin faced Mecca to pray. Once in his lifetime, he made a religious pilgrimage to Mecca.

Spreading Outward from the Center: From then on the religion of Islam spread outward in all directions; Muslim armies conquered land – and carried Islam with them. Muslim merchants sold goods – and carried Islam with them. Muslim merchants were the center of the Silk Road. They were the “middle men” between Europe and China. (middle-men in the middle-east) Overland: Camel caravans traveled in all directions. To china. To Europe. To North Africa. By Sea: Arab merchants became a seafaring people. They sailed down the coast of East Africa.