1. The Islamic World

2. Mohammed Born about 570 in Mecca
About 610 AD, claims to receive visions and messages from Allah, Forms the basis of Islam.
These were collected and written down about 650 AD as the Koran.
Flees to Medina, 622 (called the hegira)
Returns to Mecca, 630
Unified Arabia by the time of his death in 632

3. The 5 Pillars of Islam
No God except Allah, and Mohammad is his prophet.
Pray five times a day
Charity – Give to the poor and needy
Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan
Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once

4. What caused the rapid expansion of Islam?
Muslim camel cavalries
Muslim horse cavalries
Invention of the stirrup
Animals moved quickly over long distances
Soldiers had stability and precision in battle

5. What caused the rapid expansion of Islam?
Religious belief that Allah was on their side
Growing Arab population/need for more land
Allowing conquered people to keep their culture and beliefs
Many people converted to Islam

6. Spread of Islam,
632: Controlled the Arabian Peninsula 636: Took Over Damascus, Syria 638: Controlled Jerusalem 640: Controlled Egypt 670: Attacks on Constantinople/Byz. Empire 680: Controlled All of North Africa 710 Crossed Strait of Gibraltar into Spain 718 Controlled All of Spain 724 Reached the borders of China and India 732 Moved into Southern France until defeated at the Battle of Tours

7. Schism about 700 A.D. Reasons: Broke into two groups:
Succession to Caliphate (Who takes over after Muhammad?)
Including non-Koranic elements into Islam
Worldliness of Caliphs, discrimination against non- Arab Muslims
Broke into two groups:
Shiites (Shia) about 10% (mostly Iran)
Sunnites (Sunna: beaten path) about 90%

8. Achievements of Islam Preserve classical learning
Innovations in astronomy and mathematics
Link between East and West
"Arabic" numbers from India
Trigonometry also from India
Sanctuary for Judaism

9. The Islamic World Today
OIL!
Sunni vs. Shiite
Some Islamic lands taken over by Russia. This stopped after the Fall of the Soviet Union.
Terrorism: Shiite is not a synonym for "terrorist" or "extremist."
Israel and the Palestinian Problem