1. Islam

2. Overview “Islam” = “submission” in Arabic “Muslim”= “those who submit”
“Quran”= Muslim Holy Book that recounts the life of Muhammad
Muhammad is considered the most recent prophet of God (“Allah” in Arabic)
Teachings of the Quran and Muhammad can only be fulfilled through the development of the “umma” (Muslim community that includes political regulation)

3. Expansion Developed in the Arabian Peninsula
Will spread through Middle East, Northern Africa, and Spain as a political empire
Will spread into Eastern Europe, central and south Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa sometimes without political support
Will spread into China and SE Asia without political support

4. Origins Arabia was inhabited by Bedouin tribes organized in clans
Lack of water prevented development of major city centers
Trading centers developed in small oases in the desert
Tribes were polytheistic
Mecca important religious center due to the Ka’aba; became trade and pilgrimage site

6. Muhammad
Was orphaned and became a merchant for Khadija (a wealthy widow) whom he married had had 4 kids with
Often meditated on hill near Mecca
In 610, Gabriel spoke to Muhammad during meditation
For the next 20 years Gabriel spoke to Muhammad
Muhammad told people these revelations who memorized them

7. Development of the Quran
Eventually people started to write these down
After Muhammad’s death, Umar I (r ) put these together into the Quran
Considered to be the absolute, uncorrupted, word of God
In poetic form
Introduction of paper will help expand the availability of the Quran

8. 5 Pillars of Islam
Ritual expressions that define orthodox Muslim belief and practice
Declaration of creed “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his Prophet”
Prayer 5 times a day toward Mecca
Giving alms to the poor
Fasting during Ramadan
Making the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

9. Jihad “sacred struggle” in Arabic Sometimes called the “sixth pillar”
Interpretation is an issue
Some feel it is a call to physical warfare to expand dar al-Islam (territory that Islam and religious laws may be practiced)
Some feel it is meant to explain the personal struggle to live Islamic practices to their fullest

10. Universalizing Religion
Those who observe Islam faithfully will reach paradise in the afterlife
Those who reject Islam will burn in the afterlife
Similarities to Judaism, Zorastrianism, and Christianity:
There is one God
Rich need to help the poor
Final Judgment Day (not in Judaism)
Regular prayer
Recital of creeds
Animal sacrifice (Judaism & Zorastrianism)
Ritual washing (part of Zorastrianism)

11. Basic Teachings Muhammad was a another prophet
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Moses, and Jesus are also considered prophets
Abraham is the first Muslim
Earlier prophets teachings were corrupted
Jesus as god corrupts the idea of monotheism
Jews didn’t like the politics of Islam
Jews and Christians were free to practice their religions as long as they paid a tax

12. Muhammad and Politics
Some in Mecca converted, but there were some who thought the morality was too demanding & he was crazy
He moved to Medina (the hijra) to become a political and religious leader
Marked as the beginning of Islam 622
Medina had a large population of Jews
While in Medina, Muhammad created law codes for business, family laws and marriage, and inhertance

13. Muhammad and Politics
Defeated a Meccan tribe in 624 at the Battle of Badr
After several battles, Mecca surrendered to Muhammad in 630
Muslims destroyed any relics of polytheism in the city
He died in 632

14. Successors to the Prophet
Elected Ali Bakr (r ) as caliph (spiritual and political leader)
Tribal warfare led to expansion
Arab-Muslims captured Damascus in 636 and Jerusalem in 638

15. Successors to the Prophet
Umar I (r )
Troops were not to interfere with the way of life of conquered people
Did not encourage conversion (taxes)
Muslims were to build away from those they conquered

16. Civil War
Egyptian troops assassinated the 3rd Caliph Uthman (r )
Ali was elected by the “party of Ali”(Shi’a or Shi’ites in Arabic)
Felt the successor of Muhammad should be from the family of the Prophet
Ummayad Clan (Uthman’s family) said blood line was necessary
Sunni

17. Civil War A third group assassinated Ali
An Umayyad leader (Mu’awiya) declared himself caliph
Moved the capital to Damascus
When Mu’awiya died in 680, his son (Yazid I) and the son of Ali (Husayn) fought
Husayn was killed

18. Shi’ite Beliefs
Felt that political ambitions were not part of pure Islam
Would recognize only the descendants of Ali as imams (religious leaders who should be political leaders)
Shi’ites will fight for their leaders to also be caliph
Only 16% of today’s Muslims of Shi’ite
95% of Iran’s population
60% of Iraq’s population
11 imams were assassinated
12th imam went into hiding
Accept current government systems
Twelver Shi’ites waiting for 12th iman

19. Umayyad Caliphs Built mosques in Jerusalem, Medina, and Damascus
Created bureaucracy
Wanted to convert non-Muslims
Arabic began the language of government, literature, and everyday speech
Expanded
Expansion Map
Will not make it into Europe due to the Battle of Tours in 732
Will lose Spain in 1492

20. End of the Umayyads
Abbasid clan in northern Iran (descendant of Muhammad) revolted
Many people were upset over taxation so they joined the clan
In 750 Abbasids overthrew Umayyad ruled and would rule until (Mongols)

21. Abbasid Caliphs Continued to use Arabic
Continued to encourage conversion
But non-Muslims in government jobs
Regularized taxes
Used spies and armed troops

23. Weakening of the Abbasids
Had problems with succession
Began to hire slave troops (Seljuk Turks)
Bureaucracy was becoming more corrupt
Caliphs were not in public often
Created a separation socially, which is against the ideals of Islam

24. Creation of little Muslim States
Slave revolt in Iraq for 15 years
Iran gained independence
Fatamid clan took over Egypt
Baghdad declared independence in 945
Seljuk Turks (nomads from Asia) conquered Baghdad in 1055, but kept Abbasid caliph on the throne as a religious leader
Political leader (a Turk) took the title Sultan
Mongols will take out both the sultan and caliph in 1258

25. Islam after Political Fall
Creation of shari’a
Muslim law that regulates daily activities
Creation of hadith
Quotations of Muhammad
Following of the ulama
Religiously trained scholars

26. Intellectual Achievements in History
Al-Tabari: created formal historical record keeping in his History of the Prophets and Kings
Ferdowsi: created an epic poem about the history of the Persians
Al-Juvaini: wrote of the conquest of the Mongols in his History of the World Conquerors
Rashid al-Din: wrote World History; Chinese, Indian, European, Muslim, and Mongol history
Ibn Khaldun: Universal History; was the first to introduce the idea of cyclical events; first to apply social science to historical events

27. Intellectual Achievements in Philosophy
“House of Wisdom” established in Baghdad
Translated over 80 Greek authors
Translated Sanskrit, Syrian, and Persian works

28. Intellectual Achievements in Math, Science, and Medicine
Used the idea of decimals and the concept of zero from Indians (hence Arabic numbers)
Development of algebra
Al-Biruni developed the idea of a heliocentric world
Created books of pharmacology

29. Intellectual Achievements in Architecture
Built massive political centers ( Baghdad, Damascus, Cordoba)
Baghdad became the largest city in the world
Create dome shape and minarets

30. Dome of the Rock-Jerusalem

31. Mosque in Medina

32. Mosque of Cordoba (Spain)