When Islam began, the Arabian Peninsula was a crossroad of trade.

Crossroads of Trade: > Camels, which can survive for days without water, made travel across the desert easier. >The people of Arabia carried on an active trade with people from Asia and Africa. > Arabian products such as incense and animal hides were exchanged for spices and gold at markets in Mecca.

 Bedouin Nomads >Many Arabs lived in Arabia, one group of nomadic herders were known as the Bedouin nomads. >They traveled great distances on camels in search of Pastures. >In the town of Mecca and into this cultural environment, Muhammad, who was to become the most important figure in all of Islam, was born.

 Muhammad founded Islam based on revelations from God, which were collected in the Quran.

Muhammad’s Vision: >Often Muhammad would go off by himself to think about life and how it should be lived. >He sometimes went to the cave in the mountains near Mecca where he would pray for guidance. >On one such occasion, around 610, Muhammad had a vision of the angel Gabriel-- the first of many dreams that would change his life.

 Teaching of Islam:  Muhammad preached a religion in which all people were equal before God.  The followers of the religion are called Muslims, meaning those who have surrendered.  To be a good Muslim, a person must follow Islamic daily rules of living.

 The Quran:  Muhammad’s followers collected his teachings into one book of rules and laws called the “Quran.”  Muslims believe that the Quran is the word of God revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.  There are many connections on the Quran to Jewish and Christian beliefs.

› Muhammad’s Last Years. › After conquering Mecca in 630, Muhammad lived for only two more years. › During that time, Islam spread throughout the regions surrounding Mecca and Medina, often through the efforts of Islamic warriors. › Muhammad taught that Muslims must spread Allah’s rule.

 Islam spread quickly in Asia, North Africa, and Spain.

 The Righty Guided Caliphs: › Muhammad did not name a successor, so four men led the Muslims.successor › They were considered to be guided by Muhammad because they had known him personally. › For this reason, they were called the rightly guided Caliphs. Which comes from the Arabic word Khalifat, which means “successor.”

Sunni and Shiites: After Muhammad died, conflicts arose about who would succeed him. After these conflicts arose, there were two Islamic groups– - the Sunni and Shiites. The difference between the Sunni and Shiites is that they were both religious and political. For example, the Sunni the larger group, supported the leadership in the early caliphs. But Shiites disagreed.

› The Umayyad’s:  The founder of the Umayyad Dynasty, Mu’awiyah became Caliph in 660.  He moved his capital Medina to Damascus in Syria.  The location made controlling conquered territories easier.

 Important Battles: › The Muslims attacked Egypt and then attacked Persia. › By 645, the Muslims controlled Persia, Syria, and Egypt. › The Islamic faith also spread throughout the south and the west.

 Sufis: › The Muslims grew more powerful and Islam continued to spread throughout the world. › Many people longed for a more personal approach to religion. › They found this approach in Sufism, a way to form a union with Allah in everyday life.

 The Abbasid Dynasty: › Around 750, the Abbasid Dynasty came to power. › The construction of mosques, schools, and hospitals throughout the empire came from a public works policy whose success depends on the people’s taxes. › Economic prosperity was based on primarily on agriculture and commerce and manufacturing.

 The empire of the caliphs did not remain united, and Turkish-speaking tribes moved into the Middle East.

 Seljuk Turks: >In the 900’s, Turkish nomads, the Seljuk’s, began to settle in Islamic territories. >Sometimes they served as soldiers of the caliph, their advance marked the start of Turkish power in the Middle East. >As the Abbasids grew weaker, the Seljuk’s grew stronger.

 The Crusaders: >The Crusaders are the First Crusader’s who made the knights and the lords, in For example, they had better armor to fight with during war. >The Crusader’s further weakened the Islamic Empire. >Two years later, in 1099, the Crusader’s captured Jerusalem.

› It means that a person who succeeds another in an office, position, or the like. › a person or thing that succeeds or follows