1. Islam: Beginnings and Beliefs

2. Muhammad, prophet of Islam, is born in 570 CE in Makkah (Arabia)
Islam: Beginnings
Muhammad, prophet of Islam, is born in 570 CE in Makkah (Arabia)
Arabia inhabited by semi-nomadic tribesmen – “Bedoins”; polytheistic
Has first revelation in 610, that he is an apostle of Allah – the one true god (influenced by Judaism and Christianity)
Forced to flee to Medina in 622; event in Muslim history known as HIJRAH
Returns and caputures Makkah in 630, then the entire Arabian peninsula (631)
Dies in Medina in 632
M. Orphaned at age 6; trained as a merchant; married a wealthy widow when he was 25
Followers called Muslims – Arabic word meaning “those who submit to God”; Allah is Arabic for God
Hijrah marks beginning of Muslim calendar
M. Not divine but the greatest prophet; Abraham, Moses, Jesus also were prophets

3. The Quran: Islam’s Holy book
Means “recital”
The angel Gabriel revealed messages to Muhammad over 22 years
Quran (or Koran) is final authority in matters of faith & lifestyle
Basic moral values are similar to Judaism and Christianity; many similar stories in Koran and Bible
Muslims cannot: eat pork, drink alcohol, or gamble
Law cannot be separated from religion in Islamic society
Collected from writings and memories after M.’s death
Consists of 114 verses orgainzed into Suras (chapters); written in Arabic
Conflict in Muslim world today between fundamentalists and modernists

4. 2. Salat-Prayers: five times a day at appropriate times, facing Makkah
Five Pillars of Islam
1.Shahada- Declaration of Faith : “there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet”
2. Salat-Prayers: five times a day at appropriate times, facing Makkah
3. Zakat-Charity (alms to the poor) : 2-5% per year of net income
4. Sawm -Fasting: in the month of Ramadan (Arabic lunar calendar), no eating or drinking from dawn till dusk
5. Hajj- Pilgrimmage: once in a lifetime, to Makkah (Mecca), if possible
No baptism needed
Prayer morning, noon, afternoon, sundown, evening
Ramadan the 9th month, when M. first had his revelation
Famous pilgrimage scene in Malcolm X book and movie

5. Holiest mosque in Mecca; Muslim pilgrims walk around the Kaaba – black stone (meteorite); was originally place for worshipping Arab tribal deities; now thought to be rock where Abraham made covenant with God

6. Muhammad left no instruction for successor
The Spread of Islam
Muhammad left no instruction for successor
They needed strong leaders known as “caliphs”
Caliphs wanted to protect and spread Islam
By 650CE they had greatly reduced the Byzantine empire & the Persians
They saw these as jihads, or holy struggles. To bring Islam to other lands
First four the “rightly guided caliphs”
Moved capital from Medina to Damascus; discontent in Iraq, Persia and non-Muslims
Threatened Western Europe until defeated at Tours (France) by Charles Martel in 732
Abbasid est. by a descendant of one of Muhammad’s uncles

7. Divisions in Islam Rival groups fought
Some caliphs were murdered- led to divisions
1. Sunnis
majority of Muslims
believed caliph was aleader, not a religious authority
said any devout Muslim could be caliph
2. Shi’ites
minority of Muslims
said caliph should be descendant of Muhammad
Stressed spiritual rather than political aspects
Saw suffering and martyrdom as sign of devotion
Islam today: 90 % Sunni, 10% Shi’ite (mainly Iran, Lebanon, Iraq)

8. Two major Islamic dynasties:
Umayyad dynasty ( ): extended Islam from Middle East to N. Africa and Spain. By 700CE Islam had spread to borders of India and China
allowed religious freedom for Christians and Jews ( had to pay a tax)
Made Arabic official language, built roads
The Battle of Tours. 732, stopped the spread of Islam in W.Europe
Abbasid dynasty ( ): built Baghdad on the Tigris (Iraq)
Strategic city, center of trade
Over the years, different parts of the empire were taken over or became independent
later conquered by Seljuk Turks, Mongols: helped destroy Muslim Empire

9. Islamic Empire at its height
Islam also spreads into southand SE Asia; largest Muslim countries today are Indonesia and Pakistan

10. Accomplishments of the Muslim World
Algebra and trigonometry
Geography and astronomy
Medicine and chemistry
Established early universities and hospitals
Improved a Greek invention – astrolabe – made navigation easier, based on position of the stars; measured size and circumference of earth more accurately until 1900s. More widely traveled than Europeans until 1400s
Attempted alchemy (turning lead into gold), began study of optics
Arabic and Persian the languages of learning (like Latin and Greek in the west)