1. The Rise and Spread of Islam 622 to 1453 CE

4. Muhammad Born around 570 CE in Mecca in modern day Saudi Arabia Member of the Banu Hashim clan part of the powerful Quraysh tribe, orphaned by the age of six, he was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib, a merchant Around the age of 40, he claims to have received a revelation from the Archangel Gabriel Fled to Medina in 622 CE (Hijra) to escape assassination, this event is the start of the Islamic Calendar

5. The Quran “God! There is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His Throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-high, the All- glorious.” - The so-called Throne Verse 2:255

8. Abu Bakr and the Quran After Muhammad’s death in 632 CE (Muslims technically believe he ascended to heaven without dying), Abu Bakr the father of Muhammad’s favorite wife A’isha was proclaimed Khalifa or successor. This position becomes the Caliphate. He ordered the men who had written down Muhammad’s revelations to collect them into a single document divided into chapters. The Quran, the Recitation, acquired its final form around 650 CE. Muslims believe the Quran does not consist of the words of Muhammad but the unalterable word of God.

9. Shi’ite and Sunni Division Rebel Muslims assassinated the third Caliph, Uthman, in 656 CE, allegedly for corruption. They offered the caliphate to Ali, Muhammad’s first cousin and husband of his daughter Fatima. Ali had been passed over for Caliph three times previously, even though a great many Muslims believed him to be the Prophet’s natural heir. Those who believed Ali was Muhammad’s heir became known as Shi’ites from the Arabic term “Shi’at Ali” (The Party of Ali)

10. Civil War When Ali accepted the nomination to be caliph, two of Muhammad’s close companions and his favorite wife A’isha challenged him. Ali defeated them in the Battle of the Camel (656 CE), so called because the fighting raged around the camel on which A’isha was seated.

11. More Challenges After the battle, Mu’awiya, a kinsman of Uthman from the Umayya clan of the Quraysh, renewed the challenge. After an inconclusive battle, the parties agreed to arbitration. The arbitrators found that Uthman had not deserved death and Ali erred in accepting the Caliphate. Ali rejected these findings. However, before he could resume fighting, one of his own supporters killed him for agreeing to the arbitration.

12. Umayyad Caliphate Mu’awiya offered Ali’s son Hasan a dignified retirement. Mu’awiya emerged as the caliph in 661 CE. Mu’awiya selected his own son, Yazid, to succeed him, establishing the Umayyad Caliphate. Hasan’s brother Husayn revolted in 680 to reestablish the right of Ali’s family to Rule. Yazid ordered Husayn and his family murdered. Husayn’s martyrdom transformed Shi’a from a political movement into a religious sect.

13. Islam Islam means “submission to God” Muslim means “one who submits” Sunni taken from the Arabic phrase “ people of the tradition of Muhammad and the consensus of the Ummah” Sunni taken from the Arabic phrase “ahl as- sunnah wa l-jamā ʻ ah” meaning “people of the tradition of Muhammad and the consensus of the Ummah” Ummah refers to the community of believers in Muhammad’s revelation from God

14. Shia Islam Usul al-Din Tawhid - belief in the Oneness of God ‘Adl - belief in the justice of God Nubuwwah – Prophethood of Muhammad Imamah - Succession to Muhammad (Shia believe Ali is Muhammad’s rightful successor) Mi’ad - the Day of Judgment and the Resurrection

15. 10 Ancillaries of the Faith (Shia Islam) Salat (Prayer) Sawm (Fasting during the month of Ramadan) Hajj (Pilgrimage) Zakat (Charity from goods) Khums (One-Fifth of money for charity) Jihad (Struggle) Amr-Bil-Ma’ruf (Commanding what is good) Nahi-Anil-Munkar (Forbidding what is bad) Tawalla (Love towards Good people) Tabarra (Disassociation from Evil people)

16. Sunni Five Pillars Shahada - Declaration of faith “There is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God” – The Shi’a version adds “and Ali is his vice-regent” Salat (Five daily prayers) Zakat (alms-giving) Sawm (Fasting) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)

17. Jihad Jihad means “struggle or striving” Struggle to improve one’s self as a Muslim Struggle against evil in society Struggle against enemies on the battlefield

19. Ummayad Caliphate The Ummayads Caliphs ruled from Damascus in Syria. They were overthrown in 750 CE by the family of one of Muhammad’s uncles, Abbas. Shi’ites fought for the rebellion hoping it would bring the family of Ali to power.

20. Abbasid Caliphate Unfortunately for the Shi’ites, overthrowing the Ummayads did not bring the change they desired. The surviving Ummayads established rule in Spain that lasted until 976. Though the Abbasid Caliphs had a friendlier relationship with Shi’ites and Ali’s family and one even flirted with the idea of transferring the caliphate to them. The Abbasid family served as Caliphs centered in Baghdad until 1258.

21. Decline of the Abbasids After 945, the Abbasid caliphs fell under the political domination of Shi’ites princes from northern Iran, the Buyids. They allowed the Sunni Abbasid Caliphs to continue to run religious affairs to control the Sunni population. Because their branch of Shi’ite Islam believed that the twelfth Imam descended from Ali had disappeared around 873 and would return only at Judgment Day. Though Baghdad remained a cultural center, Abbasid political power shrunk, allowing for the rise of other Islamic states.

22. Mamluks and the Decline of the Abbasid The Abbasids relied heavily on Mamluks, a group of Turkic (people from Central Asia_ military slaves, as part of their armed forces. Mamluks took it upon themselves to depose caliphs when they felt they were not being paid sufficiently. The Mamluks eventually established their own rule in Egypt and Syria from 1250 to 1517.

23. Fatimids Another Shi’ite group (Ismailis, who were different from the one who believed the last Imam disappeared) from Tunisia claiming (perhaps falsely) to be descended from Muhammad’s daughter, Fatima, established their own rival Caliphate that conquered Egypt, the Levant, and the western coast of Arabia (including Mecca and Medina). They ruled from 909 to 1171 capturing Egypt in 969 with their peak in 1069 CE.

24. Islamic Civilization Under the Abbasids, in their capital of Baghdad there was a great flourishing of Islamic culture through Persian influences. The Abbasid culture saw the development of Islamic philosophy drawing on translations of Aristotle into Arabic.

25. Islamic Philosophy Ibn Rushd (also known in Latin as Averroes) (1126- 1198) – Aristotelian philosopher and scientists In Baghdad, scholars took it upon themselves to translate the works of Ancient Greek philosophers and scientists into Arabic. The translation was usually from Syriac, a semitic language spoken by Christians, into Arabic; instead of directly from Greek into Arabic.

29. Islamic Science Not only were Islamic scholars engaged in translating philosophical texts into Arabic. They also were engaged in scientific research, such as chemistry (which comes from the Arabic word al-kimiya). The used these chemical processes to produce among other things: pottery glazes, rosewater, hard soap, gunpowder, and various types of glass. As well as flammable liquids like “White Naft” a form of kerosene distilled from crude oil. There were also many advances in mathematical research. The Islamic mathematicians having developed algebra (which comes from an Arabic word)

30. Islamic Law Islamic religious law is called Shari’a. Shari’a is derived from the Quran and hadiths. Hadiths are traditions related to the words or deeds of the prophet Muhammad. They are second only to the Quran as the basis for Islamic jurisprudence. Madrassas are schools that teach the Quran and Islamic law to their students.

31. Sufism Out of the refined culture of Abbasid Baghdad, a third strand of Islam developed. Known as Sufism, it is based upon ecstatic mysticism and an esoteric interpretation of the Quran. They formed brotherhoods in a quest for a sense of union with God through rituals.