1. Islam: A New Religion Becomes an Empire

2. Muhammad Becomes a Prophet
According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad was a man born in the town of Mecca around 570 AD
Mecca was already a wealthy center of trade because the Kaaba was an ancient pagan temple
By 40, Muhammad was a wealthy business man who was troubled by the immorality in Mecca.
He was in the hills of Mecca meditating when he heard the voice of the angel Gabriel calling him to be the messenger of God
He was scared and intimidated, but his wife, Khadija, encouraged him to follow the calling and submit to God (literal translation of Islam) and became the first convert

3. PBUH

4. The Hijra
Many were opposed to Muhammad’s ideas because he told them to give up their polytheistic ways
Muhammad and his followers left Mecca in 622 under the threat of murder. This journey is known as the Hijra. He went to what is now known as Medina, the second holiest city in Islam.
Muhammad gained thousands of converts in Medina and, in 630, returned to Mecca to destroy the idols in the Kaaba
Muhammad worked to united Arabs under Islam until his death in 632.

6. Early Challenges to Islam
There was no clear successor to Muhammad after his death
One group (later known as Sunnis) thought that the best and most capable person should become caliph, or leader, and they picked Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s father-in-law)
One group (later known as Shia) thought that the leader had to be directly appointed by God or descended from Muhammad. They picked Ali (Muhammad’s son-in-law) to lead.

8. Arabs Unite Under Islam
Many of the Arab tribal leaders did not feel loyal to Abu Bakr and there were many battles
Abu Bakr was eventually successful in reuniting the tribes under their loyalty to Islam itself
After, the Muslims went on a string of military campaigns in which they converted many and enlarged their area of control (including parts of the Persian and Byzantine Empires)

10. Two Empires The Umayyad Empire Ruled from the death of Ali until 750
Extended Arab rule from Spain to the Indus River Valley
Did not try to convert but they did tax “People of the Book,” which helped keep the empire stable
Muslims were encouraged to keep separate from the conquered people, which created a separate upper class; many converted to gain power or economic advantages

12. Two Empires The Abbasid Empire
Muslims that were not happy with their place in the Umayyad Empire, along with Shia and non-Arab Muslims, rose up with Abu al-Abbas against the Umayyad family
This founded the Abbasid dynasty, which lasted from AD
They stopped the military conquests, which eliminated the power of the military class
The capital was moved from Damascus to Baghdad, which became bigger and richer than Constantinople
Learning and equality were encouraged

14. The Muslim Empire Declines
Independent dynasties came to power at various places in the empire and it became fragmented
Seljuk Turks migrated into the Middle East in the late 900s
They adopted Islam
They controlled much of the Middle East (including Baghdad) by 1055
They expanded their own land-holdings and blocked Christian pilgrims from reaching Jerusalem around 1095…leading to the Crusades.
Genghis Khan led the Mongols out of Central Asia in 1216
in 1258, his grandson looted and burned Baghdad and killed the last Abbasid caliph
The Mongols adopted Islam
In the late 1300s, another Mongol leader invaded more of the Middle East and conquered Muslim areas