Transcript Islamic (Muslim) Empire

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notes.
Leadership after Muhammad and
the Spread of Islam
 632 – 661: leaders known as caliphs (“deputies” or
“successors”)
 Caliph = a religious and political leader
 Abu Bakr, successor of Muhammad, was the first
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caliph.
He was successful in uniting Arabs under Islam, which
began conquests into other parts of the world,
including:
- Part of the Byzantine Empire
- Persian Empire
- Egypt and North Africa
- Spain
- India
Reasons for Success
1. Byzantine and Persian empires were weak from
fighting each other.
2. Arabs were strong and fierce fighters; used horses and
camels.
3. United by their belief in Islam
4. Welcomed by conquered people because the rulers
often treated conquered people fairly; many people
converted.
Social Patterns
 Greater social mobility – able to move up social order
through religious, scholarly, or military achievements.
 Imposed a higher tax on non-Muslims, but allowed
people to practice their own faith.
 Slavery was common as in Greece and Rome.
 Spiritual equality of men and women, however the
roles and rights of women in Muslim society differed
from those of men.
*As Islam spread, it adopted some beliefs of non-Arabs
and non-Muslims (i.e., upper class women more
restricted)
Sharia
 Sharia – system of laws.
 Developed by scholars to help people interpret the
Qur’an and apply it to everyday life.
1. The Shahada
 The testimony.
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The declaration of faith:
There is no god worthy of
worship except God, and
Muhammad is His
Messenger [or Prophet].
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2. The Salat
 The mandatory prayers
performed 5 times a day:
* dawn
* noon
* late afternoon
* sunset
* before going to bed
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Wash before praying.
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Face Mecca and use a prayer rug.
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2. The Salat
 The call to prayer by the
muezzin in the minaret.
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Pray in the mosque on Friday.
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3. The Zakat
 Almsgiving (charitable
donations).
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Muslims believe that all things
belong to God.
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Zakat means both “purification”
and “growth.”
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About 2.5% of your income.
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4. The Sawm
 Fasting during the holy month
of Ramadan.
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Considered a method of selfpurification.
No eating or drinking from
sunrise to sunset during
Ramadan.
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Eid Mubarak
End of the Ramadan holiday.
5. The Hajj
 The pilgrimage to Mecca.
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Must be done at least once in a
Muslim’s lifetime.
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2-3 million Muslims make the
pilgrimage
every
year.
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5. The Hajj
 Those who complete the
pilgrimage can add the title
hajji to their name.
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The World
of Islam
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Other Islamic Religious Practices
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No alcohol or pork.
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No gambling.
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Three holiest cities in Islam:
* Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem.
Divisions in Islam: Dispute over
who should succeed Muhammad.
 Sunni – believed the caliph should be chosen by
Muslim leaders; do not view his as a religious
authority.
 Shiite – believed only descendants of Muhammad
should be his successor; believed the descendants were
divinely inspired.
Umayyad Dynasty (661 – 750)
 Based in Damascus rather than Mecca.
 Often relied on local officials to help govern the
empire.
Influenced by Byzantine
bureaucratic rule.
Expanded into:
 Central Asia
 North Africa
 Spain
 Controlled eastern Mediterranean trade routes.
Conquests slowed in the early 700s
and tensions arose:
 Tension between rich and poor
 Non-Arab Muslims complained they had fewer rights.
Abbassid Dynasty:
 Captured Damascus in 750 and ruled until the mid
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1200s.
Ended Arab domination of Islam.
Centered in Baghdad
Adopted Persian style government
Golden Age of Islam
Around 850, rule began to decline as independent
dynasties began to rule separate Muslim states.
(during Abbassid rule)
Economy
 Extensive and prosperous trade (banks, credit)
 Industry: produced leather, steel, glass, rugs and
tapestries, furniture, cotton textiles,
 Improved farming methods.
Education
 Emphasized reading and writing (Quran)
 Great universities and centers of learning taught
Greco-Roman culture
Philosophy
 Translated works of Greek philosophers.
 Classical learning provided a foundation for Muslim
advances.
 Ibn Khaldun – study of history
Mathematics
 Studied both Greek and Indian mathematical
advances.
 Al-Khwarizmi – algebra
Science
 Astronomy: based on Greek and Indian discoveries –
studied eclipses, Earth’s rotation, calculated the
circumference of the earth.
 Improved metal refining
Medicine
 Based on the knowledge of ancient Greeks
 Exams for physicians and pharmacists
 Hospitals
 Books on medicine and treatment of diseases
Literature
 Maintained extensive libraries
 Most noted works are short stories (folktales) and
poems
Art and Architecture
Shaped by religion:
 Worship of idols was forbidden
 Calligraphy
 Used abstract geometric and floral patterns
 Arabesque designs
 Designed graceful mosques, palaces, and mausoleums
 Domes
 Mosques were characterized by a minaret – slender
towers used for the call to prayer.
Muslim Culture in NYC
The Islamic Center, New York City
Muslims in the World
Today
Effects
 Acts of violence against Muslims and “Arab
looking” United States citizens skyrocketed.
 Widespread ignorance and prejudice swept
across America.
Terrorism?
Facts:
 -U.S. government estimates there are
roughly 3,000 active members of Al
Qaeda
 -Roughly 1,200,000,000 Muslims in the
world
 -Therefore .0000025% of Muslims are
members of the terrorist group, Al
Qaeda!!
Most Important Information
 Golden Age = advances in math, science and medicine
 Empire = Spain, North Africa and Arabian Peninsula
 Preserved Greek and Roman learning (Greco-Roman)