1. THE ISLAMIC EMPIRE: HEIR OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

2. Obj: to trace the rapid spread of Islam by looking at factors that made it so attractive to believers
ARABIAN PENINSULA – FERTILE IN THE SOUTHWEST; DESERT EVERYWHERE ELSE
POLYTHEISTIC PRE-ISLAM
BEDOUINS: NOMADIC PEOPLES
HEJAZI: MERCHANTS, MORE URBAN, STATIONARY
MECCA: RELIGIOUS & TRADING CENTER, KA’BAH SANCTUARY
Groups of people were different but respected each others customs; obligation to family, honor family, proud, generous, courageous. Shared religious traditions: 3 months war free, all prayed in Mecca at the Ka’bah, fighting not tolerated in Mecca

3. THE RISE OF ISLAM: SUBMISSION TO ALLAH
MECCA :TRADING HUB, MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES, PEOPLE & RELIGIONS IN AND OUT OF AREA – CONTROLLED BY QURAISH MOHAMMED – BORN INTO QURAISH TRIBE, ORPHANED AT A YOUNG AGE, RAISED BY GRANDFATHER, CAME UNDER GUIDANCE OF A WEALTHY WOMAN, MARRIES HER 610 VISION OF THE ANGEL GABRIEL, PREACH GOD’S WORD, FINAL CULMINATION OF THE PROPHETIC TRADITION OF ABRAHAM & MOSES MUSLIM: ONE WHO SURRENDERS

4. PREACHING & CONVERSION
ATTEMPTS TO CONVERT FAMILY FIRST – FEARS OF ECONOMIC DECLINE & PLACE AS LOCAL WORSHIP
TRAVELS TO YATHRIB AT THEIR REQUEST 622 HIJRAH –BEGINNING OF MUSLIM CALENDAR
NAME CHANGE TO MEDINA “CITY OF THE PROPHET” & MUHAMMAD POLITICAL & RELIGIOUS LEADER
630 ENTERS MECCA & QURAISH SUBMIT TO ISLAM, MONOTHEISM & CONTINUED TO THRIVE RELIGIOUSLY & ECONOMICALLY

5. RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS – 5 PILLARS OF ISLAM

6. SPREAD OF ISLAM DEATH – NO SUCCESSOR
1ST 3 CALIPHS ‘DEPUTY OF THE PROPHET’ UMAYYAD’S
MILITARY CAMPAIGNS TO SUBDUE TRIBES NOT ACCEPTING OF NEW LEADER
651 CONQUEST OF PERSIA COMPLETE
646 CONTROL NORTH AFRICA
711 SPAIN
EARLY SPREAD NOT RELIGIOUS CRUSADE – WANT REVENUE BUT RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM HELPS
WEAKNESSES OF BYZ & PERSIANS
DISCONTENT BY OPPRESSED OF BYZ & PERSIAN EMPERORS

7. SCHISM: SUNNI & SHI’A (SHIITE)
CALIPH UTHMAN – NOT POPULAR
RIVALS APPOINT ALI – RELATIVE OF MUHAMMAD
ALI MURDERED BY UTHMAN’S FAMILY
661 UMAYYAD CALIPH & RULED UNTIL 750 FROM DAMASCUS
ALI FOLLOWERS DON’T ACCEPT UMAYYAD’S
SHI’A (PARTY OR FACTION) MINORITY – ONLY BLOOD RELATION
SUNNI – BEST CANDIDATE CAN RULE- HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
15% VS 85%

8. PHILOSOPHICAL, MEDICAL & MATHEMATICAL ADVANCES
ARABIC TRANSLATIONS OF GREEK PHILOSOPHERS BY END OF 10TH C.
IBN SINA (AVICENNA) MUSLIM PHILOSOPHER: RECONCILE GREEK PHILOSOPHY W/ ISLAMIC THEOLOGY – DIFFICULT TASK
MEDICAL DISCOVERIES
IBN RUSD (AVERROES) COMMENTARIES ON PHILOSOPHY (ARISTOTLE) MAJOR INFLUENCE ON 13TH C. SCHOLARS & WESTERN VIEWS OF ARISTOTLE
ADAPTATION OF HINDU #’S & USE OF 0 (ZERO)