Transcript Life of the Bedouin

Life of the Bedouin
No Center
A Bedouin is a nomad who lives in the desert. He
belongs to a family, a clan, and a tribe.
He lives in a tent and migrates from place to
place. There is logic to his movement:
He moves from one oasis to another. An oasis is
land that lies atop an underground river or
lake. An oasis has grass. Grass feeds his
livestock.
His is, after all, a herder of livestock. Above all,
he prizes his camels. Below that, he values his
sheep and goats.
The Center


The people of the Arabian Peninsula were
scattered in the desert. There was nothing to unify
the Arabian tribes. There was no center.
Muhammad appreciated the fact that the Jews and
Christians both had a book – another unifying
factor.
Muhammad provided the center – Mecca.
Muhammad provided the book – Qur’an
From then on, people recited its verses. Every day,
five times a day, the Bedouin faced Mecca to pray.
Once in his lifetime, he made a religious
pilgrimage to Mecca.
Spreading Outward from the Center:
From then on the religion of Islam spread outward in all
directions;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Muslim armies conquered land – and carried Islam
with them.
Muslim merchants sold goods – and carried Islam with
them.
Muslim merchants were the center of the Silk Road.
They were the “middle men” between Europe and
China. (middle-men in the middle-east)
Overland: Camel caravans traveled in all directions.
To china. To Europe. To North Africa.
By Sea: Arab merchants became a seafaring people.
They sailed down the coast of East Africa.