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Muslims and their Empire
Chapter 10
Islam Expands
Chapter 10 Section 2
• A companion of Muhammad,
named Abu Bakr, took over
and became the new caliph.
Caliph means a supreme
political and religious leader
in a Muslim government.
• As soon as Muhammad died, many Arabs began to abandon
Islam. Abu Bakr defeated them in a series of battles known
as the Ridda Wars.
• The election of Abu Bakr would lead Islam to
its first schism. Two groups arguing this
matter would emerge. The Sunni and the
Shia.
The division between Shia and Sunni dates back to
the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and the
question of who was to take over the leadership of
From:http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm
the Muslim nation.
From:http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm
Sunni Muslims agree with the position taken by many of the Prophet's
companions, that the new leader (Caliph) should be elected from among
those capable of the job. This is what was done, and the Prophet
Muhammad's close friend and advisor, Abu Bakr, became the first Caliph
of the Islamic nation.
From:http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm
The word "Sunni" in
Arabic comes from a
word meaning "one who
follows the traditions of
the Prophet."
• The Shi’a split with
the Sunni because
they felt that the
line of caliphs should
have been through
Muhammad’s
bloodline beginning
with his son in law
Ali ibn Abi Talib.
• He became the 4th
caliph.
Throughout history, Shia Muslims have not
recognized the authority of elected Muslim leaders,
choosing instead to follow a line of Imams which they
believe have been appointed by the Prophet
Muhammad or God Himself.
The word "Shia" in Arabic means a group or
supportive party of people. The commonly-known term
is shortened from the historical "Shia-t-Ali," or "the
Party of Ali."
• Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph,
fought a series of battles with the
governor of Syria, Muawiyah.
• They decided to split the Islamic
Empire.
• Ali was assassinated however, and
Muawiyah took over, beginning the
reign of the Umayyads.
• A family known as the Umayyads took control of the Islamic
empire after four caliphs. They set up a hereditary system
of succession.
Umayyads also made another important change. The Muslim capital was
moved to Damascus, a distant city in the recently conquered province of
Syria. This location, away from Mecca, made controlling conquered
territories easier.
• By 750 CE, the rest of North Africa, southern Spain, and
central Asia fell under Muslim rule.
In the year 750 C.E., The Umayyads were overthrown by the
Abassids. The Abassids ruthlessly murdered the remaining members
of the Umayyad family. Some of the Umayyads who escaped and
moved their empire to Spain, while the Abassids moved the capital
to Baghdad.