Transcript Spread of Islam

Spread of Dar-al-Islam
7th–17th C. CE
Overview
 7th-17th Centuries Islamic Empire provides key
trade links and channels in E. Hemisphere
 Origins:
 Bedouin tribes (family clans organized into
tribes)
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Nomads
Led by Shayk, war chief
 People loyal to family, lots of clan rivalries over
land and water rights
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Mecca largest city, founded by Umayyad clan
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Site of Ka’ba
NE was Yathrib (Medina) built around oasis
Religion: animism and polytheism
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Some believe in supreme god: Allah
Muhammad
 Born into Bedouin tribe
 Traveled in caravans
 met Christians and Jews
 Learned of clan rivalries
 Married rich widow, Khadijah
 Became dissatisfied with his
life, spent time praying
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610 received the first of
many revelations from the
angel Gabriel
 Later written in the Qur’an
(Koran)
Start of Islam
 Muhammad began to speak in
Mecca
 622 Umayyads drove him
from Mecca on the Hijrah
(emigration) to Yathrib (later
called Medina al-Nabi “city of
the prophet”)
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This marks the beginning of
the Muslim calendar
Following grew in Medina,
fought battles proving the
power of Allah
Returned to Mecca triumphant
Gradually Umayyads
converted
Growth of Islam
 Offered Arabs an Arab religion that was the equal of
Christianity or Judaism
 Umma became more important that old tribal rivalries
 Everyone equal before Allah
 Strong moral code with responsibilities for weak and
poor such as zakat
Five Pillars of Islam
 Shahada: Declaration of
faith: “There is not god
but Allah, and
Muhammad is his
prophet”
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“La ilaha illa Allah waMuhammad rasul Allah”
 Salat:Five daily prayers
 Sawm: Fast during
Ramadan
 Zakat: charity
 Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca