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Islamic World
Islamic Era - Chronology
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570 CE – Birth of Muhammed, founder of Islam
610 CE – Muhammed’s vision that creates Islam
(Archangel Gabriel comes to him)
622 CE – Muhammed leaves Mecca for Medina and
begins gaining converts – this event is known as the
Hegira (Hajj)
630 CE – Muhammed and followers return to Mecca and
overtake the city – the Kabah is set up as major Islamic
shrine
632 CE – Death of Muhammed, his father-in-law Abu –
Bakhr takes over and creates the title caliph; begins the
creation of an empire of Islam by conquering neighboring
lands. At Abu-Bakhr’s death Umar takes over as caliph.
Muslims divide into many subgroups.
Islamic Era - Chronology
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718 CE – Spain is under Muslim control
734 CE – Battle of Poitiers – Muslim spread is stopped
by Charles Martel of France
762 – 766 CE – The Abbasid Dynasty takes over from
Umayyads (except in Spain) and move capital from
Damascus to Baghdad
788 – 879 CE – Several countries break free from
caliphate and set up individual kingdoms and dynasties
879 CE – Seljuk Turks begin conquest of Mesopotamia
and Persia
900 CE – Fatimids take over in Egypt and conquer all of
North Africa
Islamic Era - Chronology
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945 CE – Abbasid power falls to the Shiites
969 – 1171 CE – Fatimid Dynasty recreates a
smaller version of the Caliphate in Egypt
1037 – 1194 CE – Seljuk Turk Dynasty
1077 CE – Seljuk Turks conquer most of Arabia,
Palestine, Syria, Lebanon
1099 CE – Crusades begun against Muslims in
the Holy Land by Pope Urban
1187 CE – Saladin ends Western control of Holy
Land (Outremer) after Battle of Hattin
Islamic Era - Chronology
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1248 CE – Muslims lose control of most of Spain except
area around Granada
1251 CE – Malmuk Dynasty takes over caliphate in
Egypt
1258 CE – Abbasid Dynasty is completely wiped out by
Mongol invasion
1327 CE – Seljuk Empire collapses; Arab world splits
into several kingdoms
1453 CE – Ottoman Empire defeats the Byzantine
Empire; move capital to Istanbul (Constantinople)
1492 CE – Muslims completely expelled from Spain
5 Pillars of Faith – (Sunni)
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1) Shahadah – profession of faith – “There is no God but Allah, and
Muhammad is his messenger”
2) Salah – ritual prayer done 5x a day at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon,
sunset and evening
3) Zakat – giving to the poor – everyone must give something
depending on what they earn
4) Sawm – fasting during month of Ramadan – refraining from food,
drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk each day of the
month – also supposed to get along with others better and get closer
to Allah during this time (there are exceptions for health, etc.)
5) Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca – every able bodied Muslim must
make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime – must walk
around the Kaaba 7 times, touch the stone and symbolically throw
rocks at the devil
In Shiite Islam there are the additional pillars of Jihad (personal
struggle against Islam’s enemies) and Khum (giving a tithe to the
Imam)
Islamic Terms
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Islam – submission to Allah (god)
Muslim – one who submits to the will of Allah
Hajj/Hegira – pilgrimage to Mecca
Imam – religious leader
Quran (Koran) – Muslim Holy Book
Sura – chapter in the Quran
Qiyama – Day of Judgment
Jannah - heaven
Islamic Art Characteristics
 Geometric
Patterns
 No icons, rare animals
 Heavy use of plasterwork
 Quotations from Koran used as art –
calligraphy
 Plain interiors
 Water is used as a way to show off wealth
Islamic Art
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Dome of the Rock
680 - 692 CE
Jerusalem,
Israel/Palestine
Architecture
Earliest major Islamic
building
Jerusalem is 3rd
holiest city to Muslims
Islamic Art
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Interior of Dome of the Rock
690 CE
Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine
Architecture
Interior is heavily decorated for
an Islamic building
The rock in the center marks
the alleged place where
Abraham was going to
sacrifice his first born son; it is
also the alleged place where
Muhammed was taken by
Gabriel on a mi’raj (spiritual
journey) to visit heaven and
hell
Islamic Art – Dome of the Rock
Grand Mosque of Damascus (Ummayad Mosque)
706-715 CE
Damascus, Syria
Architecture
Includes a shrine inside which claims the head of John
The Baptist
Also has the tomb of Saladin
And the head of Husayn, the grandson of Mohammed
Islamic Art
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Cordoba Mosque
 786
 Cordoba, Spain
 Architecture
 Artist: Begun by Abd-al
Rahman
 Umayyad Dynasty in
Spain’s influence is seen
here
 Interior is considered a
masterpiece of Islamic
architecture
Islamic Art
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Interior of La Mezquita
(Great Mosque of
Cordoba)
 8th – 10th C. CE
 Archtecture
 Cordoba, Spain
 Typical Arab style
hypostyle hall
 Horseshoe arcades
decorate interior making
this one of the most
beautiful mosques in the
world
Dome in front of the mihrab
of the Great Mosque
Islamic Art
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Mosque of Sulayman II
 1550 – 1557 CE
 Istanbul, Turkey
 Architecture
 Artist: Sinan
 This is an enormous
Ottoman imperial mosque
– to compete with
Christian churches in the
area
 Has courtyard with
central fountain
Islamic Art
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Interior Mosque of
Sulayman
1550- 1557
Architecture
Istanbul, Turkey
Artist: Sinan
Vast open space
created by domes
Limited decoration as
Islamic law prohibits
idols and idolatry
Islamic Art
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Interior Mosque of
Sulayman II
 1550 – 1557 CE
 Istanbul, Turkey
 Architecture
 Sinan
 The dome is supported
by 8 piers
 It is over 197 ft high
 The structural
components are the focus
rather than being hidden
Malwiya minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra
ca. 848-852
Samarra, Iraq
When rediscovered by Western archaeologists they believed it
to be the Tower of Babel in error
This is only the minaret - prayer tower next to mosque
Malwiya minaret and Great Mosque
Islamic Art
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Court of the Lions
14th century CE
Granada, Spain
Architecture/Sculpture
Located on the
grounds of the
Alhambra
The Nasrid Dynasty
built this to show
wealth with the use of
excessive water
Muqarnas Dome
1354-1391
Granada, Spain
Inside the Hall of the Two Sisters in the Alahambra Palace
Made of plaster – another use of excess water to show wealth
Mausoleum of the Samanids
early 10th century
Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Architecture
Despite Islamic prohibitions about extravagant burials – the
Samanid rulers built great monuments to death
Madrasa/Mosque/Mausoleum complex of
Sultan Hasan
1356-1363 CE
Cairo, Egypt
Madrasa – Islamic school
Considered the best multiple complex in Islam
Qibla wall, main iwan
1356-1363
Cairo, Egypt
Architecture
Inside the Madrasa-mosque-mausoleum
complex of Sultan Hasan
Qibla wall helps point faithful in right direction for prayer in any
mosque
Islamic Art
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Shah-namah book page
1562 – 1583
Persia (Iran)
Illuminated Manuscript
Book was written by
Firdawsi
It is a work of 60,000
couplets
Courtyard of the Great Mosque (The Friday Mosque)
11th century CE
Isfahan, Iran
Architecture
From early Seljuk period in Persia
4 gate style mosque opens in all directions
Dome of the Friday Mosque
1611-1638
Isfahan, Iran
Architecture
Artist: Nizam Al-Mulk
Glazed tile roof adds bright colors to mosque
Islamic Art
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Kaaba
Traditional dating c. 2000
BCE, rebuilt 620-630 CE
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Architecture
Holiest spot in the world
to Muslims
Black stone inside is said
to have fallen from
heaven
Kaaba
Islamic Art
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Al Masjid Al Nabawi
7th-13th centuries CE
Medina, Saudi Arabia
Architecture
Tomb of Mohammed
can be found under
the green dome
AKA – Dome of the
Prophet
Originally his house
Eastern façade of Friday Mosque
Djenne, Mali
Architecture
13th century, rebuilt 1906-07 – mud brick
Also found in our Africa power point
Islamic Art
Islamic Art
Islamic Art
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