1. Mr. Marijanovich World History A Crestwood High School
Muslim Culture
Mr. Marijanovich
World History A
Crestwood High School

2. 10.3 Objectives Describe society under the Abbasids.
Identify Muslim accomplishments in art and science.
Describe Muslim attitudes toward philosophy and religion.

3. The Rise of Muslim Cities
Throughout the empire, large cities sprung up as power centers, unifying regions where Islam spread.
Damascus, Syria; Baghdad, Iraq; Cordoba, Spain; Cairo, Egypt; Jerusalem, Israel

4. Social Classes There were four social classes in Muslim society:
Upper class – included those who were Muslims at birth.
Second class – Muslims who were converts.
Third class – Included the “protected people” the Christians and Jews.
Lowest class – Composed of slaves.

5. Role of Women
According to the Qur’an, spiritually, men and women are equal. However, it also declares that in society, women are to obey men.
Shari’a law gave women more rights to marriage and property than European women had.
Women's’ responsibilities varied with the income levels of their husbands.
Originally had many public freedoms, but over time became isolated.

6. Muslim Scholars Preserve Knowledge
Muslim focus on science; had religious and non-religious applications.
Reflected desire to seek truth.
During Europe’s Dark Ages (after the fall of Rome), Muslim scholars preserved knowledge acquired by Europeans, and built on it.
House of Wisdom opened in Baghdad to translate, teach, and store knowledge from around the world.

7. Break!
Thumbs up if the answer is true, thumbs down if the answer is false:
Muslim cities had no impact on their region or the Empire.
FALSE!!!
“Protected people”- Christians and Jews, could be found in the second social class in Muslim society
FALSE!!! (3rd Class)
The responsibilities of Muslim women varied with the income level of their husbands.
TRUE 

8. Muslim Literature
The Qur’an is the standard for all Arabic literature.
Bedouin Poetry contributed heavily to Muslim literature with its themes of bravery, love, generosity, and hospitality.
The Thousand and One Nights exemplified popular literature (with Aladdin as the most popular in the U.S.)

9. Muslim Art and Architecture
Since Muslims believe that only Allah can create life, depicting living beings in art was discouraged. People had to express artistic tendencies differently.
Calligraphy - The art of beautiful writing

10. Muslim Art and Architecture
Tile – Muslim artists used elaborate ceramic tiles to create dazzling geometric shapes or murals.
Architecture – In Christian churches you typically find icons, or pictures of Saints, prophets, etc. Since depicting people was not allowed, Muslim architects used their skills to turn whole buildings into pieces of art.

12. Advances in Math, Science, and Medicine
Persian physician al-Razi used existing knowledge and as well as his own experience to write the first treatise on smallpox and measles.
Al-Khwarizimi developed al-jabr (algebra) to use what is known to find out what is not known.
Ibn al-Haytham’s ideas about optics and vision contributed to the development of lenses for telescopes and microscopes.