The Muslim World, 622-1629 Chapter 11

I. Rise of Islam

A. Muhammad Became the Prophet of Islam said he heard the angel Gabriel calling him to be the messenger of God. devoted his life to spreading Islam. made a journey from Mecca to Medina. returned to Mecca and worked to unite Arabs under Islam.

B. The Teachings of Islam 1. Islam arose in the Arabian Peninsula and became one of the world’s major religions. 2. Islam is monotheistic, based on the belief in one God. 3. Muslims believe that the Quran contains the sacred word of God and is the final authority on all matters. 4. All Muslims accept five duties, known as the Five Pillars of Islam: a. faith b. daily prayer c. charity d. fasting during Ramadan e. hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca

C. Islam as a Way of Life The Islamic system of law, called Sharia, regulated moral conduct, family life, business practices, government, and other aspects of a Muslim community. Unlike the law codes that evolved in the West, the Sharia does not separate religious matters from criminal or civil law.

II. Islam Spreads

A. An Age of Conquests

Muhammad dies in 632. Arab armies under the first four caliphs conquer great chunks of the Persian and Byzantine empires.

B. Muslims Conquer Many Lands? The Byzantine and Persian empires were weak from years of fighting each other. People in the Fertile Crescent welcomed Arab conquerors as liberators. The Arabs used bold, efficient fighting methods, which overwhelmed traditional armies. The common faith of Islam united a patchwork of tribes into a determined, unified state.

C. Spread of Islam: Effects Immediate Effects: a. Islam spreads from the Atlantic coast to the Indus Valley b. Centers of learning flourish in Cairo, Córdoba, and elsewhere

2. Long-Term Effects: a. Muslim civilization emerges b. Linking of Europe, Asia, and Africa through Muslim trade network c. Arabic becomes shared language of Muslims d. Split between Sunni and Shiites

D. Movements Within Islam 1. SUNNI a. Believed caliph, or successor to Muhammad, should be chosen by leaders of the Muslim community. b. Viewed caliph as a leader, not as a religious authority.

D. Movements Within Islam 2. SHIITES a. Believed that only descendents of Muhammad could become caliph. b. Believed descendents of Muhammad to be divinely inspired. 3. SUFI a. Sought to communicate with God through meditation, fasting, and other rituals.

E. The Umayyads and the Abbassids a. Set up dynasty that ruled until 750 b. Conquered lands from Atlantic to the Indus Valley c. Relied on local officials to govern the empire d. Faced economic tensions between wealthy and poor Arabs

2. ABBASSIDS: a. Overthrew the Umayyads in 750 b. Ended Arab dominance and helped make Islam a universal religion c. Empire of the caliphs reached its greatest wealth and power d. Muslim civilization enjoyed a golden age

F. Decline of the Muslim Empire 1. Despite the decline of the empire, Islam continued to link diverse people across an enormous area. 2. Around 850, the caliphs became unable to maintain centralized control, and the empire fragmented. 3. In the 900s, Seljuk Turks invaded the Middle East and built a large empire in the Fertile Crescent. 4. In the 1200s and 1300s, Mongol invaders dominated the Middle East.

III. Golden Age of Muslim Civilization

A. Muslim Society Muslim rulers united people from diverse cultures. As a result, Muslim civilization absorbed and blended many traditions. The class distinction between Arabs and non-Arabs faded over time. People enjoyed a certain degree of social mobility, the ability to move up in social class. Slavery was a common institution.

B. The Muslim Economy Between 750 and 1360, merchants built a vast trading network across the Muslim world and beyond. New business practices were established, such as partnerships, credit, banks, and bank checks. Handicraft manufacturing in cities was organized by guilds. Outside the cities, agriculture flourished.

C. Influences on Art and Literature Muslim art and literature was influenced by all of the following: a. Islamic religion b. Skills and styles of Greeks, Romans, Persians, Indians, and other peoples with whom they came in contact c. Traditions of the many people living under Muslim rule

D. Muslim Advances in Learning 1. PHILOSOPHY a. Scholars tried to harmonize Greek ideas of reason with religious teachings of Islam. b. Ibn Khaldun set standards for scientific study of history. 2. MATHEMATICS a. Scholars studied Indian and Greek mathematics. b. Al-Khwarizmi pioneered the study of algebra and wrote mathematics textbook that became standard in Europe.

3. ASTRONOMY a. Al-Khwarizmi developed astronomical tables. b. Astronomers calculated circumference of the Earth. 4. MEDICINE a. Government set up hospitals with emergency rooms. b. Muhammad al-Razi studied measles and smallpox. c. Ibn Sina wrote a medical encyclopedia. d. Surgeons developed treatment for cataracts.

IV. Muslims in India

A. The Delhi Sultanate In the 1100s, Muslim invaders entered northern India and organized a sultanate, or land ruled by a sultan. a. Sultans introduced Muslim traditions of government to India. b. Many Turks, Persians, and Arabs migrated to India to serve as soldiers or officials. c. Trade between India and the Muslim world increased. d. During the Mongol raids, many scholars fled from Baghdad to India, bringing Persian and Greek learning.

B. Akbar the Great During his long reign, Akbar strengthened Mughal India. Akbar accomplished the following: a. Implemented policy of religious toleration b. Employed paid officials, instead of hereditary officeholders c. Modernized the army d. Encouraged international trade e. Standardized weights and measures f. Introduced land reforms

V. The Ottoman and Safavid Empires

A. “Gunpowder Empires” While the Mughals ruled India, the Ottomans and the Safavids dominated the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe. All three owed much of their success to new military technology, such as cannons and muskets. As a result, the period from about 1450 to 1650 is sometimes called “the age of gunpowder empires.”

B. The Ottoman Empire Under Suleiman 1. GOVERNMENT a. Suleiman had absolute power. b. Ottoman law was based on Sharia. c. The Ottomans recruited government and military officers from conquered people.

2. SOCIETY a. Society was divided into four classes, with “men of the pen” and “men of the sword” at the top. b. Non-Muslims were organized into millets, or religious communities. 3. ARTS a. Poets produced works in the Turkish language. b. Painters produced detailed miniatures and illuminated manuscripts. c. The royal architect Sinan designed magnificent mosques and palaces.

C. Abbas the Great The most outstanding Safavid shah, or king, Abbas the Great revived the glory of ancient Persia. During his reign, he: a. centralized government b. created a powerful military force c. strengthened the economy d. tolerated non-Muslims and valued their economic contributions e. used a mixture of force and diplomacy against the Ottomans f. forged alliances with European states g. built a magnificent new capital at Isfahan h. supported the growth of Persian culture