Transcript rise of islam notesx

Islam
1.
Setting the Stage: The Arabian Peninsula
a. Connection to 3 Continents
i. Africa, Asia, and Europe
ii. Mostly desert with few oases for little agriculture
iii. Desert inhabited by nomadic Arab herders
b. Bedouins: Arab nomads organized into tribes and clans
i. Had ideals of courage & loyalty to the family
ii. Possessed warrior skills
iii. Would become part of Islamic way of life
Mecca: City in Western Arabia (Modern day Saudi Arabia)
c.
i.
Ka’aba: ancient shrine people came to worship at
1. Black stone- built by Abraham and son Ishmael
2. Contained 360 idols worshipped by many tribes
ii. Muhammad
1. Orphaned at age 6 and raised by grandfather and uncle
2. At age 25 Muhammad became a businessman and trader
3. Married Khadijah, a businesswoman
4. Life changes: While meditating in a cave, he is visited by
angel Gabriel who proclaims to Muhammad to preach
message that there is only one true god
5. Began to preach and spread Islam
6. Not seen as divine (having extra power)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1YfxUQ
rN9A


Islam: Submission to will of Allah (god)
Muslim: One who has submitted
iii. Hijrah & Return to Mecca
1. in 622 AD, Mohammad and followers leave Mecca for Medina
and continue to spread Islam known as the Hijrah
2. Hijrah, becomes “year 1” for Muslims
3. First mosque (place of worhsip) established for Islam
4. 630 AD, Muhammad returns to Mecca and destroys the
idols in the Ka’aba
5. Ka’aba becomes the most sacred site in Islam
6. Muhammad dies 2 years later at age of 62






1. Belief in One God
2. Belief in Angels
3. Belief in God’s Revealed Books (Torah,
Bible, and the Holy Quran)
4. Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of
God (some examples: Abraham, Noah, Jesus,
Moses, and Muhammad)
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment
6. Belief in Divine Predestination
Five Pillars
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Faith: There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of
Allah
Prayer: Pray 5 times a day towards Mecca
Alms: Give alms (money for the poor)
Fasting: During holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast between dawn
and sunset
Pilgrimage: Must visit Mecca at one point in lifetime if capable. Known
as the Hajj.
2.
The Qur’an
a. Allah is the source of authority
b. Written in Arabic, only true version
c. Ulama (Muslim scholars)
d. Shari’ah (law code) (consists of Quran and
teachings of the Prophet)
e. Hadith (collection of sayings from the Prophet)
Strict behavioral requirements
Links to Judaism and Christianity
3.
a.
b.
To Muslims, Allah is the same god that is worshipped in Christianity
and Judaism
Muslims view Jesus as a prophet, not the Son of God
c.
Qur’an is the word of Allah as revealed to Muhammad in the same way that
Jews and Christians believe the Torah and the Gospels were revealed to
Moses and the New Testament writers.
d.
All three religions believe in heaven and hell and day of judgement
Muslims, Christians, and Jews trace ancestry back to Abraham
All three are “people of the book” due to their use of a holy book
e.
f.


Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s father-in-law succeeds Muhammad
Creation of an Empire
 After Arabs united, jihad directed at neighboring peoples
 Possible explanations for rapid expansion
▪ Prolonged drought on the Arabian peninsula
▪ Desire of Islam’s leaders to channel the energies of their new
converts
▪ Planned by the ruling elites of Mecca to extend their trade routes
and bring surplus-producing regions under their control
▪ Administration was generally tolerant
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning ™ is a trademark used herein under license.
Challenge to Abu Bakr’s selection as first caliph (Abu Bakr died naturally)
Umar succeeded Abu Bakr (Umar assassinated 644)
Uthman succeeded Umar in 656, but was assassinated
Muhammad Ali (656-661), assassinated in 661
Mu’awiyah became caliph in 661
 Made his own family, the Umayyads, hereditary rulers
 Beginning of the eighth century new attacks launched by Arab armies
 Tariq, 710, crossed into Spain (most of Iberian Peninsula became part of
Muslim state)
 Battle of Tours, 732 (Muslims lost to Charles Martel)







Constantinople attacked and Muslim fleet defeated, 717
Succession Problems
 Shi’ites and Sunnis
 Revolt led by Abu al-Abbas in 750 leads to overthrow of Umayyads and
establishment of Abbasid dynasty


Constantinople attacked and Muslim fleet defeated, 717
Succession Problems
 Shi’ites and Sunnis
▪ Shi’ites (party of Ali-believe caliphs should always be related to the
Porphet)
▪ Were not happy with the lifestyle of the Ummayyad and wanted to break
away; fought against them, but lost
▪ Sunni (caliph does not need to be related to Prophet)
 Revolt led by Abu al-Abbas (descended of Muhammad’s uncle) in 750
leads to overthrow of Umayyads and establishment of Abbasid
dynasty
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.