1. The Rise of Islam,
Chapter 8 (pp. 227 – 239)

2. Introduction Geography The Middle East The Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Desert
“Empty Quarter”
Nomadic caravans
Camels
Camel saddles
Cities of Mecca & Medina
Along the Red Sea

3. The Middle East Before Islam
Arabs were polytheistic farmers and merchants
Traders had contact with Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians
Mecca was a major center for trade and polytheistic religious activity
The Ka’ba

4. Muhammad in Mecca Muhammad was born in 570
Married a successful trader named Khadija
610, while meditating, Muhammad believed he heard the voice of the Angel Gabriel
Revelation called for the Arab people to submit to a single God (Allah) and accept Muhammad as his last messenger

5. The Formation of the Umma
As Muhammad gained followers, Mecca’s leaders feared that his message might threaten the city’s power & prosperity
Muhammad’s followers were persecuted
In 622, they fled north to Medina and formed the Umma (community of Muslims)
In 630, the Umma returned to Mecca and forced the surrender of its officials
The Umma was then able to make the pilgrimage (hajj) to the Ka’ba unhindered

6. The Question of Succession
In 632, Muhammad died
His friends determined that Abu Bakr would be his successor
Took the title of “Caliph”
Powers weren’t clarified
Ordered the compilation of the Quran
The Five Pillars

7. Muhammad’s Successors spread Islam
Abu Bakr expanded the Islamic Empire (Caliphate) to many parts of Afro-Eurasia using the military (jihad)
Allowed conquered people to worship their own religion
“People of the book” received special privileges

9. The Caliphates Expand Through Afro-Eurasia
Shortly after its origin, Islamic Empires grew out of the Middle East
661 – 750, the Umayyad Caliphate spread from the Atlantic to the Indus River

10. The Caliphates Expand Through Afro-Eurasia
In 750, a rebel group of Muslims known as the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyad
During this time an Umayyad prince escaped to Spain and setup a large Muslim state called Al-Andalus
The Muslims of Spain were known as Moors

11. The Abbasid Caliphate
During the Abbasid Caliphate the Islamic capital was relocated to Baghdad
“Golden Age” of mathematics, science & trade began
Due strongly to the increased cross-cultural interactions that expanded
Built on Greek and Indian mathematics
Algebra + geometry + trigonometry
Scientific developments
Classification of plant/animal species
Astronomy
Medical advances of Ibn-Sina (Avicenna)
Facilitated trans-Eurasian trade as new people were drawn into the empire