Transcript the expansion of islam- 632-800 ad

THE EXPANSION OF
ISLAM- 632-800 A.D.
With Muhammad’s death in 632 A.D. Islam
began to spread from Arabia (Saudi Arabia
today) to the north, east and south. It
expanded rapidly due to a variety of
reasons
Where Did Islam Spread From?
• Mecca and Medina
are considered the
starting regions of
Islam
• The religion spread
into the Middle East
Europe, the
Mediterranean and
into Africa
–
–
–
–
Muhammad
Rashidan Caliphate
Umayyad Caliphate
Abbasid Caliphate
•Medina
•Mecca
Reasons for Islamic Victories
1.
Persian/Byzantine
weaknesses- neither have
a strong military
2.
Muslim cavalry- fast,
daring and experienced
soldiers overwhelm
enemies
3.
Clear objective- Muslim
forces had one leader and
knew their goals for
success
Who are the Rulers of Islam after
Muhammad?
• Caliphs“successor” to
Muhammad
• The first 4 caliphs
are very powerful,
(632-661AD)
dominate Islam
• Questions arise: Who
should this leader be?
Is he all powerful?
SUNNI VS. SHIITES
• Sunnis- the caliph is an elected leader- he
is our teacher, but he is not of holy birth or
blood- the Koran is the true guide of Islam
• Shiites- believed that the caliphs were
directly descendent of Allah- only caliphs
can offer true inspiration and guidance
THE BREAKS BEGIN
Assassination of Caliph Ali- 661
A.D.
• The fourth caliph was Ali, cousin and brother-inlaw to Muhammad
• At first he was accepted by both Shiites and
Sunnis- assassinated by small sect
• Ali was the last elected caliph, hereditary
afterwards
• The Shiites consider themselves “Ali’s Party”
and never again follow a caliph
Sunni/Shiites Today
• Over 90% of Muslims today
are Sunni
• Sunni and Shiites exist in
large numbers in Iraq
• The two groups have much
difficulty getting along, even
today there are divisions
• Saddam Hussein was a
staunch Sunni- during his
reign he persecuted
thousands of Shiites
The Sufis
• Believe meditation and prayer is the best
way to reach Allah
• Many believed that Sufis were
supernatural beings- almost godlike
• Sufis believed in the Koran, 5 pillars and
were very observant of Islamic culture
The Islamic Way of Governing
(Conquered Peoples)
• Muslims were very
tolerant of foreign
peoples and their
cultures- like the
Romans
• Jews and Christians
were treated with
respect- but many did
convert
• Islamic influences
start to show in
numerous ways
• Architecture, dress,
food, weapons
• The more people
convert/enter Islam,
the larger it becomes
THE PROBLEMS BEGIN
When the Muslim Empire was at its
height in 850 A.D. it was a very
powerful state. Slowly, that power
began to erode due to 3 reasons
REASON ONE: TOO BIG
1.
In 850 the empire
stretched from Saudi
Arabia to Spain to Africamillions of people
2.
Each region had its own
ruler- all should have been
loyal to the caliph in
Baghdad- the capital
3.
Local rulers begin to take
more power for
themselves and disregard
the caliph
REASON TWO: THE CRUSADES
• Crusades begin in ___ and
inflict heavy burdens on
Muslims
• Money, soldiers, supplies
all demanded by armies
fighting the Christian
raiders
• Crusaders take pieces of
land in Palestine- trade
routes disrupted, death
disease take their tolls
REASON THREE: THE MONGOLS
ARRIVE FROM ASIA- 1200’s
THE MONGOLS
• Under Genghis Khan, the Mongols drive
through Asia
• Mongols take and burn Baghdad in 1258 –
kill the caliph
• Mongols convert to Islam and rule the
destroyed Muslim Empire for years
• The empire no longer exists- fragments of
Muslim states and rulers