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The Muslim World
Chapter 11
Muhammad and the Rise of Islam
Muhammad
 Born in Mecca around 570 AD.
 Orphaned at a young age and raised by his
uncle
 Worked as a shepherd among the Bedouins
 Also worked as a merchant in Mecca
– Mecca was a center of trade and site of the Kaaba

Married Khadija at age 25
– Wealthy older widow who ran a caravan business
The Rise of Islam
 Muhammad had been exposed to Judaism and
Christianity because of where he lived
 Troubled by the idol worship of the Arabs
 Would go to a desert cave to meditate and pray
– Did this because he was concerned with the lack of morals in
society

At age 40, the angel Gabriel came to him in a vision
– Urged him to believe in one god and submit to one god

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Muhammad was terrified and confused
His wife, Khadija, urged him to accept the message
Khadija became the first convert to Islam
At first, few people listened to Muhammad
 In 622, upon threat of his life, Muhammad and
his followers left Mecca for Yathrib
 This became known as the Hijra…a journey
 The hijra was important because

– Welcomed Muhammad and made him ruler
– Led thousands of people to convert
Yathrib was later renamed, Medina which means
“city of the prophet”
 Also, became the site of the first mosque
 622 became the first year of the Muslim
calender

Muhammad was welcomed in Medina as ruler,
lawgiver, and prophet by Muslim converts
 Muslims launched attacks on Meccan caravans
and defeated the Meccans in battle
 Muhammad returned to Mecca in 630

– Destroyed the statues/idols in the Kaaba
– Made the Kaaba Islams holiest place
– Arabs became convinced he was a prophet

Muhammad died in 632
– By his death most of Arabia had accepted Islam

After his death, Abu Bakr was elected the first
Caliph, or successor to Muhammad
 Muhammad
was welcomed in Medina as
ruler, lawgiver, and prophet by Muslim
converts
 Muslims launched attacks on Meccan
caravans and defeated the Meccans in
battle
 Muhammad returned to Mecca in 630
 Muhammad died in 632
 After his death, Abu Bakr was elected the
first Caliph, or successor to Muhammad
The First 4 Caliphs

Abu Bakr (632-634)
– Muhammed’s father in law from his second wife
– Died of natural causes

Umar ibn al-Khattab (634-644)
– Apponted by Abu Bakr

Uthman ibn Affan (644-656)
– Elected by a council

Ali ibn Abu Talib (656-661)
– Elected by a council
– Muhammad’s son-in-law
– Assassinated
Differences between Sunni and
Shiite
Sunni
Believed the Caliph
should be chosen by
leaders of the Muslim
community
 Had no religious
authority
 Holy cities are Mecca,
Medina, and
Jerusalem
 90% of Muslim

Shiite




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Believed only true
successors to
Muhammad were
descendants of Ali and
Fatima
Believed the Caliphs
were divinely inspired
Located mostly in Iran,
Iraq, and Yemen
Holy cities are Mecca,
Medina, Jerusalem,
Najaf, and Karbala
10% of Muslim