Transcript The Spread of Islam

The Spread of Islam
I. Muhammad’s Successors Spread
Islam
 632: Muh. Died
 Abu Bakr chosen as successor
 Caliph = “successor of the Prophet”
A. “Rightly Guided” Caliphs
 Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, & Ali
 All knew Muh.
 Rule = caliphate
 Abu Bakr promised to uphold what Muh.
stood for
 Some abandoned Islam
 “jihad” (striving in the
path of God)
 Islam expanded
 634: Abu Bakr died &
Muslim state controlled
all of Arabia
 Umar (2nd caliph)
 Conquered Syria & lower Egypt
 Uthman & Ali cont’d to expand Muslim
territory
 750: stretched 6,000 mi.
 Arab policy toward conquered peoples
made conquests easier
 More tolerant than other conquerors
 Christians & Jews converted or paid tribute
 w/in 100 yrs. of Muh’s death
 Attempt to take Const. failed
 711: Berbers (N.Af followers) invaded
Spain led by Tariq (against Visigoths)
 Jabal Tariq (“Mtn. of Tariq”)
 Spain = easy conquest
 732: Battle of Tours
 Stopped advance of
Moors into Euro.
B. Reasons for Success
 1. Victories = Allah’s support
 Great inspiration & morale from faith
 2. Muslim armies were welldisciplined & commanded
 3. people were persecuted under Byz.
rule
II. Internal Conflict Creates Crisis
 656: Uthman was murdered (civil war)
 Ali (Muh’s cousin & son-in-law) became
next caliph
 661: Muawiya (Uthman’s cousin)
 Accused Ali of protecting Uthman’s
assassins
 Ali & Muawiya went to war
 Ali was assassinated (Muawiya took power)
 Umayyads came to power
 Moved Muslim capital to Damascus
 Helped control conquered lands
 Abandoned the “simple” life…surrounded
themselves w/wealth
 Helped give rise to a division in the umma
A. Division in the Umma
 Most accepted Umayyads’ rule
 Shi’at Ali (“party of Ali”) (Shi’a)
 caliph (imam) had to be descendent of
the Prophet Muh.
 10% of Umma
 Sunni
 90% of Umma
 Est. in 661 (Muawiya)
 750: rebels overthrew Umayyads
 Abbasids took control
III. Islamic Control Spreads
 Abbasids murdered Umayyads
 Abd al-Rahman escaped to Spain to est.
a caliphate
 Spain = conquered by Muslims (N.Af)
 732: Muslims advanced w/in 200 mi. of
Paris – stopped at Battle of Tours
A. Abbasids Consolidate Power
 762: capital moved to Baghdad
 Trade routes
 Developed strong bureaucracy
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Treasury
Army
Diplomats
Supported by taxes
B. Rival Groups Divide Muslim
Lands
 Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258)
 Failed to maintain control
 Independent Muslim states sprang up
 Fatimid caliphate
 Formed by Shi’a
 Claimed descent from Muh’s daughter Fatima
 Fatimids & smaller states were still
connected thru religion, language, & trade
C. Muslim Trade Network
 Med. Sea & Indian Ocean
 Engaged in sea trade w/world
 Silk Roads
 Single language