1. Byzantine & Muslim Civilizations
Vocabulary
Nomads – people who move from place to place in search of their basic needs
Caravan – a group of traders traveling together
Mecca – an Arabian trading center & Muhammad’s birthplace
Muslim – a follower of Islam
Quran – the holy book of Islam
Caliph – Muslim ruler

2. The Beginnings of Islam
*Began on the Arabian Peninsula –trade with neighbors led to the growth of towns & cities
*Muhammad –founder of Islam 570 in Mecca (trading center)
*preached that all people were under one God (Allah)
*some people feared this idea & some though Muhammad was a prophet
*by 630 – Muhammad went to Mecca & was widely accepted
*by 632 – Muhammad died – Islam had spread across the Arabian Peninsula

3. The Five Pillars of Islam
1) Declaration of Faith – only one God (Allah)
2) Prayer – 5x each day facing Mecca
3) Almsgiving – helping the needy
4) Fasting – during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan
5) Pilgrimage – visit Mecca at least one time in your life

4. 656 – Muslims split –disagreement
1) Shiites – believed their ruler should be a direct descendent of Muhammad –he should explain Allah’s messages in the Quran
2) Sunnis – believed any Muslim could be ruler – a group of Muslim scholars should explain Allah’s messages in the Quran

5. The Golden Age of Islam
*began around 750 – Caliphs and the wealth of the Arab World helped empires develop and become rich
*Baghdad – became the capital of the Muslim empire
*traders from all over brought their goods to the Caliph’s Court
*arts and literature flourished
*great advances in math & science