Transcript Muslim Civilization - Union Academy Charter School

Muslim Civilization
550-1629
Origins:
The Arabian Peninsula about 1500 years
ago was a harsh land with vast deserts.
 Farming was limited but commerce was
lively because of the active trade routs
along the peninsula’s coast.
 One of the most important cities along the
trade route was Mecca near the Red Sea.

 In
the heart of Mecca was a cube
shaped structure built in the 500’s by
Abraham to honor god because of a
spring in the desert, called the Kabba
which was considered sacred.
 Many
gods and goddesses were
worshipped in Mecca however the
supreme god was called Allah.
 Into
this setting was born
Muhammad ibn Abd Allah (known as
Muhammad. He was born in 570
and raised by his uncle. Muhammad
grew up to be a merchant ion Mecca
and at the age of 25 married his wife
and had 6 children.
 All the children died except Fatimah.

He was a religious man influenced
by Christianity and Judaism he would
leave his home for long periods of
time to live in a cave and pray.
In 610 Muhammad was awaken by the
angel who commanded him to speak
messages form God “Allah”.
 He then became a political leader and
prophet telling all Meccans not to pray to
any god except the one true god of Allah.
 Many people did not believe in his
preachings and when his uncle died in 619
Muhammad left Mecca to Yathrib, now
known as Medina “The Prophet city” in
622.

 This
is recorded in history as the
Hegira. During the next decade
Muhammad called his new faith
Islam “Achieving peace through
submission to god” and the followers
were called Muslims.
 In 630 Muhammad moved back to
Mecca and he and his followers
controlled Mecca.
 Since
Muhammad could not read or
write he spoke of his revelations only
until his followers wrote them down
into what is called the Qur’an.
Five Pillars of Islam:



Faith in the one true god of Allah
Performance of 5 daily prayers to
face Mecca no matter where they
are.
to give Alms (charity) to the poor
and needy
 Fasting
during the month of
Ramadan… (shows god he is more
important than your own body)
 Must go an a Hajj to Mecca ( walk
around the Kabba 7 times and visit
Mount Arafat)
Guidelines for behavior:
–
–
–
–
Forbidden to eat pork or drink alcohol.
Must wash before praying to be clean
Must not murder, lye or steal
Must commit “Jihad” or “struggle for
your faith” or “Holy War”.
2 Basic beliefs of Islam:
1. Sunna: Traditional daily life.

2. Sharia: legal system that
guides how Muslims live

 Muhammad
died in 632 and did not
name a successor.
 Abu Bakr became the Caliph
(Successor) and expanded Islamic
rule from Mecca throughout the
Arabic Peninsula, the Persian Empire,
Byzantine Empire and the northern
cost of Africa westward into Spain….
All within 10 years.
 Within
the new empire of course
came division..
 Some Muslim leaders did not support
Abu Bakr but supported
Muhammad’s cousin Ali to become
the next caliph. 644 Ali again lost
the position of Caliph and Uthman
was selected.
 Umayyad
clan of Mecca were
Muhammad’s enemies and killed
Uthman leaving Ali the ability to
become the next caliph.
 Ali
was killed and the Umayyad again
took control and the Umayyad caliph
Mu’awiya took control and the
followers were called Sunnis “way of
the prophet” those that did not
support the Umayyad caliph were
called Shia or “Party of Ali” believing
that the only leader should be a
direct descended of Muhammad.
(continues in Iraq today)
 The
Umayyad dynasty lasted until
740’s when the Abbasids (led by a
direct descendent of Muhammad’s
uncle seized control and set up the
Abbasid Dynasty.
 The
Abbasid Dynasty relocated their
capital to Baghdad and became a
Persian style government cutting off
direct contact from the people and
turned Islam into a universal religion
by spreading it through trade.
Caliph Harun al-Rashid leading from
786-803 supported Islamic Arts and
science.
 Beginning
in 1000 the Christian
Crusades began to drive out the
Muslims from Spain, A group of
Fatimids cut off trade in Egypt.
 By 1258 the Mongols from China
reached Baghdad and killed the
Abbasid Caliph.
 The Abbasid Empire began to break
into several independent units
Society:
 Man
was the head of the family,
during the Abbasid dynasty woman
lost status, slavery was allowed and
the economy was based on trade
with “ middlemen” who connected
suppliers form the east and west.
Arts:
 religious
art does not contain human
or animal figures, calligraphy was
created, and architectural
developments include minarets and
domes (Dome of the Rock, pg.273).
Literature:
 1001
Nights & Arabian Nights, poetry
of Rumi and Khayyam
Scholarship thrived:



Astronomy was developed (study of the
movement of planets) and created an
accurate calendar.
Developed the Astrolabe: Instrument for
determining positions and movements of
planets..also used by sailors to
determine latitude and longitude, and to
point the way to Mecca to pray.
Arabic numbers, algebra, trigonometry
Medicine:
 Baghdad
hosted the world’s first
school of pharmacy.
 Eye surgery
The Delhi Sultanate

The Sultan of Delhi defeats the Hindus
– Muslim Turks and Afghans push into India around 1000
– Delhi becomes Muslim capital in late 1100s; sultanate
rules 1206-1526
– Muslims have superior military, face weak Hindu princes,
and gain converts

Muslim rule changes Indian government and
society
– Sultans introduce Muslim traditions and use immigrants
as soldiers or officials
– Trade increases
– Mongols invade in 1398; India divides into Hindu and
Muslim states
Muslims and Hindus Clash
 Hindu-Muslim
differences
– Hindus worship many gods and support castes
– Muslims worship single god and support
equality
– Hindus pay taxes, can practice religion; some
rajahs rule
– Some Hindus convert to Islam
– Muslims absorb Hindu customs; new language
and religion develops
Mughal India
 Babur
founds the Mughal dynasty
– Remaining Delhi sultanate is defeated
– Mughal dynasty rules 1526-1857
Akbar the Great

Reigns 1556-1605; creates strong central
government with paid officials
Promotes peace through religious tolerance
Modernizes army and encourages trade

Akbar’s successors


– Son’s wife, Nur Jahan, manages government well and
supports culture
– Shah Jahan, Akbar’s grandson, rules at height of Mughal
culture and builds Taj Mahal as wife’s tomb
Key Characteristics of the
Ottoman and Safavid Empires





Ottoman
Istanbul
1453-1700s
Suleiman
Hungary, Arabia,
Mesopotamia, and
North Africa
Sunni





Safavids
Isfahan
Early 1500s-1722
Shah Abbas
Bordered Ottoman
empire to west and
Mughal India to east
Shiite