Transcript The Rise of Islam

The Rise of
Islam
Geography of Arabia
• Arabia is a peninsula that is mostly desert.
There is intense heat.
• Water is found only at oases, green areas
fed by underground water.
How did this influenced the way of life?
• Arabs were organized into tribes, headed
by a sheikh. Settled around oases.
Mountains of the Southwest
• The mountains of the southwest have
enough rainfall to support plants such as
juniper and olive trees.
How did this influence where people lived?
• Many Arabs settled in villages in the
mountain valleys because the rainfall
supported plant life.
Oases
A water source in the
desert is called an
oasis.
The Bedouins would
travel from one oasis
to another.
Grass and other plants
edible by animals grow
around the oasis.
The Bedouins
• Some Arabs were desert herders who
moved from oasis to oasis, to water and
graze the animals. They herded sheep,
goats, and camels.
• These people called Bedouins lived in tents
and ate dried fruit and nuts.
• They drank milk, but rarely ate meat.
Bedouin Father and Son
Bedouin Camp
Bedouin Camel Drivers
Herders
Life in Arabian Villages
• Many Arabs lived in villages located near
oasis where they farmed or raised animals.
• Some villagers were merchants who
transported goods across the desert.
• To fend off Bedouins, many traveled in
caravans.
Camel Caravans
Makkha
• Arab merchants founded towns along the trade
routes.
• Makkah, also known as Mecca, became the
largest and richest trade center of them all. It
was a crossroads for merchants.
• It also became an important religious site.
• Mecca was the holiest place in Arabia.
The Kabba
• The Kabba was at the center of Makkah.
• The Arabs believed that the great stone
inside the Kabba was from heaven.
• Pilgrims, people who travel to a holy place,
flocked to Makkah.
Muhammad: Islam’s Prophet
• Muhammad brought the message of Islam to
the people of Arabia.
• Muhammad was born in Makkah in A.D. 587.
An orphan, he was raised by his uncle.
• As a teenager, he worked as a caravan leader
and eventually became a successful merchant.
• He married and had children.
Beliefs of Muhammad the Prophet
• Muhammad was dissatisfied and felt that the wealthy
town leaders should return to the old ways.
• He thought they should honor their families, be fair in
business, and help the poor.
Where did Muhammad go to find peace and receive the
message from God?
• He went into the hills to pray in A.D. 610.
• He claimed to visited by an angel who told him to preach
Islam.
• Islam means “surrendering to the will of Allah.”
• Allah is the Arabic word for God.
Muhammad c. A.D. 570–632
Muhammad’s Message
• Muhammad returned to Makkah and told
people to destroy statues of false gods
and to worship only Allah.
• He preached that all people are equal and
the rich should share their goods.
• Muhammad said that wealth was not as
important as leading a good life.
Opposition to Islam
• Slowly Muhammad convinced people that
his message was true.
• At first, only his family became Muslims,
or followers of Islam.
• Soon, however, many of the poor were
attracted to his message that goods
should be shared.
Opposition to Islam
• Wealthy merchants and religious leaders
did not like Muhammad’s message. They
thought he was trying to take away their
power.
• They made his life difficult and beat and
tortured his followers.
Madinah
• In A.D. 622 Muhammad and his followers
left Makkah and traveled north to a town
called Yathrib. Later the year 622 became
the first year of the new Muslim calendar.
• Yathrib welcomed Muhammad and his
followers and the city was renamed
Madinah which means “the city of the
prophet.”
Muhammad: Islam’s Prophet (cont.)
• Muhammad and his followers left
Makkah for Yathrib. 
• This
journey
is known
as the
Hijrah.
(pages 374–375)
Muhammad’s Government
• Muhammad created an Islamic state—a
government that uses its political power to
uphold Islam.
• He required all Muslims to place loyalty to
the Islamic state above loyalty to their
tribe.
• To defend his new government, Muhammad
built an army and conquered Makkah.
Muhammad’s Soldiers
• Muhammad’s soldiers conquered Makkah in
A.D. 630.
• Muhammad made Makkah the holy city of
Islam.
Islam’s Teachings
• Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have some
beliefs in common.
• They all believe in one God.
Muslims believe this one God holds all power
and created the universe.
• They also believe that God determines right
and wrong. People are expected to obey
God’s laws.
The Prophets
• Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that
God spoke to them through prophets.
• For Muslims, early prophets were Abraham,
Moses, Jesus, and finally Muhammad.
• For Christians, Jesus was more than a
prophet. He was the son of God and there
fore divine.
IslamAn Abrahamic Religion
 Muslims are strict monotheists.

They believe in the JudeoChristian God, which they call
Allah.

Muslims believe that the Torah
and the Bible, like the Qur’an,
is the word of God.
Peoples of the Book
Abraham’s Genealogy
HAGAR
ABRAHAM
Ishmael
12 Arabian
Tribes
SARAH
Isaac
Jacob
12 Tribes of
Israel
Esau
The Prophetic Tradition
Believe that God spoke
to people through the
prophets such as:
Adam
Noah
Abraham
Moses
Jesus
Muhammad
The Quran
• Muslims wrote down messages that
Muhammad said he received from Allah in
what became known as the Quran.
• For Muslims, the Quran is God’s word and
is the holy book of Islam.
• The Quran instructs Muslims about how
they should live.
• Muslims are told to be honest and treat
others fairly.
• They are to honor their parents, show
kindness to neighbors, and give generously
to the poor.
• Murder, lying, and stealing are forbidden.
The Five Pillars
• Muslims are expected to fulfill the Five Pillars of Islam.
Rules for Daily Life:
• Scholars of Islam also created a law code that
explains how society should be run.
• This code is taken from the Quran and the
Sunna.
• The Sunna is the name of customs based on
Muhammad’s words and deeds.
• It applies to family life, business, and
government.
• Muslims should not eat pork, drink liquor, or
gamble.
The Rise of
Islam
What moral teachings do the Bible
and the Quran share?
The Quran and the Bible both
demand honesty, fairness, kindness
to neighbors, honoring of parents,
and giving to the poor. They both
also prohibit murder, lying, and
stealing.
The Rise of Islam
What are oases, and why were they
important to Arabs?
Oases are green areas in the desert
fed by underground water, that
supplied water for Arab herders.
The Rise of Islam
Name some activities the Quran
prohibits.
The Quran prohibits murder, lying,
gambling, stealing, eating pork, and
drinking liquor.
The Rise of Islam
Conclude Why do you think
Muhammad’s teachings were
popular with poorer people?
Because Muhammad taught that
goods should be shared, the
poorer people realized the
possibility of benefiting through
charity.
The Rise of Islam
Analyze How did Muhammad link
religion and government?
Muhammad applied god’s laws to all
areas of life and used these laws to
settle disputes among the people.