ARABIA Muhammed was born in Mecca

ARABIA BEFORE MUHAMMAD Mecca one of many busy commercial cities along Red Sea coast Mecca contained the Kaaba (square temple containing a sacred black rock that Arabs believed Allah threw down to earth. Kaaba also contained idols to other gods. Great Arabian Desert Bedouins– desert Arabs who herded flocks, fought among each other, and robbed caravans. Disliked city people

MUHAMMAD Born in Mecca, 570 AD Orphan Married wealthy widow Traveled to Syria and may have heard Christian monks Familiar with Judaism Had first vision in 610 Ordered by angel Gabriel to be a messenger for God

ISLAM Koran. Poetic account of Muhammad’s visions Moslems—”true believers” Muhammad’s vision constitute God’s final message to mankind and the Muhammad was God’s last and greatest prophet

ISLAMIC DOCTRINE Emphasizes absolute power of Allah Duty of human beings is to worship Allah Islamic prayers are prayers of praise, not petition Prayer five times a day Paradise for true believers, hellfire for the wicked Fasting from dusk until dawn during Ramadan Pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca Recognizes Abraham, Moses, and Jesus as earlier prophets but argues that Muhammad was Allah’s final prophet with his ultimate message for mankind

HEGIRA MUHAMMAD’S MESSAGE NOT WELL RECEIVED IN MECCA FORCED TO FLEE TO MEDINA (HEGIRA) WELL RECEIVED AT MEDINA CONVERTS ENTIRE CITY ORGANIZES CONVERTS INTO UMMA (A COMMUNITY OF TRUE BELIEVERS THAT TRANSCENDED OLD BONDS OF TRIBE, CLAN, OR CITY) A SUPERTRIBE OPEN TO ALL PEOPLE WHO ACCEPTED MUHAMMAD’S MESSAGE EVENTUALLY TAKES CONTROL OF MECCA THROUGH MILITARY CONQUEST (629) DURING NEXT THREE YEARS, ALL OF ARABIA CONVERTS TO ISLAM

SUCCESS OF ISLAM SIMPLE, STRAIGHT FORWARD, EASY TO UNDERSTAND PROMISED AFTERLIFE OF SENSUOUS DELIGHTS TO THE FAITHFUL AND ETERNAL TORMENT TO UNBELIEBERS MUHAMMAD PREACHED THAT HIS MESSAGE BE SPREAD BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY—EVEN WAR LED TO JIHADS (HOLY WARS) SPOILS OF JIHADS SPLIT AMONG THOSE WHO CONDUCTED THEM AND ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP IN MECCA CHRISTIANS AND JEWS ALLOWED TO RETAIN THEIR RELIGIONS—BUT THEY HAD TO PAY SPECIAL TAX REVENUE FROM TAX SPLIT AMONG ALL MEMBERS OF UMMA THE DESIRE TO CONTINUE THE OLD BEDOUIN CUSTOM OF WARFARE AND THE CHANCE TO ENRICH ONESELF THROUGH THE SPREAD OF ISLAM PLAYED A ROLE IN THE GROWING POPULARITY OF ISLAM IN ARABIA

CREATION OF THE ARAB EMPIRE Abu Bakr named as Muhammad’s successor or caliph Bedouin tribes believe Muhammad’s death freed them from all obligations and leave the Umma Abu Bakr launches war of reconversion Loyal Moslem forces attack and defeat all tribes that defected from the Umma Long term survival depended on continual military expansion Arabs led on new military expeditions against non-Moslems Leads to creation of empire

ARAB EMPIRE Under Umar: Arab armies conquer Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Egypt Arab armies even attacked Constantinople but were unable to take the city Reduced once huge Byzantine Empire to a small state

CALIPHS Abu Bakr—first caliph Umar—second caliph Ali (Muhammad’s nephew)—fourth caliph Ali murdered by Ummayad family Tradition later developed that leadership of Islamic world could only be held by descendant of Ali Shi’ites Murder of Ali

ARAB DYNASTIES I UMMAYAD DYNASTY (661-750 AD) Took over after murder of Ali Capital at Damascus Conquest of North Africa, Spain, and parts of India Overthrown in 750 AD

ARAB DYNASTIES II ABBASID DYNASTY (750-1258 AD) Descended from Muhammad’s uncle, Abbas Overthrew Ummayads Capital at Baghdad Lost chunks of empire after 1000 Egypt and Spain broke away Syria, North Africa, and Iran conquered by Seljuk Turks and Berbers Last caliph killed by Mongols during their conquest of Baghdad in 1258

ARAB LEGACY Collected and translated ancient Persian and Greek scientific and philosophical works Works of Hippocrates Introduced “Arabic numerals” to west and perfected the use of decimal fractions and algebra Concentrated on decorative arts (ceramics, tapestries, mosiacs) Literature— Arabian Nights and the Koran itself