Download Pivotal Point in Muslim History

The Development
of a Muslim
Empire
World History
The First Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, & Uthman
• Abu Bakr: 632-634
– Caliph: leader of a Muslim
Community, but not a prophet
– Friend of Muhammad’s; early
convert to Islam
– Faced two main challenges
• False prophets claimed to
be successors of
Muhammad
• Secession of Arabic tribes
from ummah (Muslim
Community)
– Expanded ummah into parts
of Byzantine and Persian
Empires
• Umar : 634-644
– Defined: Dar-al-Islam &
Dar-al-Harb (area where
Islam is practiced and
areas that threatened
Islam)
– Successful in expanding
ummah; empire grew to
include Arabia, Iraq,
western Persia, Syria,
Palestine (Jerusalem),
and parts of North Africa
– Expanded use of jihad
(struggle against
oppression)
– Gave more structure to
administration of Muslim
state; created tax system
– Murdered
• Uthman (644-656)
– Muhammad’s son-in-law
– First years of rule were
peaceful, but later had
financial problems
– Ordered the compilation
of an official Qur’an
– Accused of nepotism;
often to the detriment of
the people
– Murdered by Egyptian
rebels; beginning of open
political and religious
conflict in the Muslim
community
Ali’s Caliphate and the Division Between
Sunnis & Shi’as
• Clan Rivalries
– Umayyad
• Uthman member of Umayyad clan
• Mu’awiya, Syrian governor and Umayyad leader
• Mu’awiya increased pressure on Ali to avenge the
murder
– Hashim
• Ali member of Hashim clan & Muhammad’s cousin
and son-in-law
• early convert; memorized Qur’an
• Elected caliph, but pressured to punish Uthman’s
murderers
• Sunni
• Civil War Between Muslims
– Feel that devout Muslims can be
– Mu’awiya and Ali’s armies
caliphs even if not related to
fought at Siffin
Muhammad
– Conflict negotiators decided
– Support rule of first three caliphs
that both should resign
– Strongly adhere to idea of al– Mu’awiya declared himself
jama’ah (consolidated majority)
caliph; Ali continued to rule
– Make up approximately 80% of
Persia and Iraq
world Muslim population today
– Muslims angry with the civil
• Shi’a
war attempted to kill both
– caliphs should be direct
leaders, but only successful
descendants of Muhammad
with Ali
– Believe rule of first three caliphs
• Pivotal Point in Muslim
was illegitimate
History
– Insist that only an imam, special
Muslim leader, can interpret the
– Conflict over caliphs created
Qur’an
split between Muslims: Sunni
– Hold that twelve imams - Ali was
and Shi’a
the first- have been the rightful
leaders of Muslims
• Administrative Reforms
– Caliph appointed
• Mu’awiya Establishes a
governors to rule far-flung
Dynasty
provinces
– Ruled from A.D. 680
– Governors ruled from
to 750
strong garrison towns
– Caliphal capital
– Spoils from victories
moved to Damascus,
helped finance government
in prosperous
– Instituted a three-level tax
province of Syria
system:
– 14 caliphs succeeded
• Muslims: paid zakat
Mu’awiya
• Muslim converts paid
– Empire stretched from
higher tax than Muslims
Spain to central Asia
• Non-Muslims paid
highest tax (security tax)
The Umayyads
Umayyad Achievements
• Ruled vast empire with
important trading cities
• Developed innovations
in the building of canal
and irrigation systems
• Perfected mosque
construction technique
– Great Mosque of
Damascus
– Dome of the Rock
Mosque in Jerusalem
The Downfall of the
Umayyads
• Many devout Muslims
opposed extravagant
lifestyles of Umayyad
rulers
• Persians resented
secondary status in
Umayyad empire
• Abbasids (led by Abbas)
of Persia revolted
• Abbasids took control of
Muslim empire
The Abbasids
• Abbasid Achievements
– Compiled standard code of law for
Muslim world, called the Shari’ah
– Abbasids developed a system of
banking, which used checks
– Encouraged learning by building
libraries and universities
– Excelled in fields of medicine,
astronomy, math, & chemistry
– Advanced navigational and sailing
techniques
– Brought Islam to Indonesia
• Baghdad: Center of the
Empire
– Ideally located
between Tigris and
Euphrates rivers
– Served as crossroads
for land and water
trade
– Circular city protected • The Downfall
– exceeded Umayyads in lavish living
by moat & 3
– never able to maintain complete
concentric walls
control over enormous Dar al-Islam
– Divided into four
– Several independent states separated
quadrants by two
from Abbasids:
highways
• Fatimids conquered Sicily, Egypt,
Arabia, & built powerful capital at
– Arcades filled with
Cairo
shops, markets, and
• Seljuk Turks entered Muslim world
businesses
as guards for Abbasid leaders and
gained control of caliphs
Muslim Spain
• Expansion of the
Muslim Empire into
Spain
– Muslim forces from
Morocco gained control
of 80% of Spain by 711.
– Attempt to invade
France stopped by
Charles “the Hammer”
Martel, at Tours in 732
– Charlemagne’s attempts
to drive Muslims from
Spain failed
• Achievements
– A glorious Muslim Society
(Golden Age) flourished in Spain
from 711-1492
– Umayyad state founded in 756, in
Cordoba
– Maintained independence from
Abbasids
– Jews, Christians, and Muslims
lived in peace under Muslim
rulers
– Advancements were made in
literature, medicine, law, &
agriculture
– Ibn Rushd: Aristotle scholar
– Ibn Sina: Canon of Medicine
became standard medical
textbook
– Cordoba’s grandeur included: 21
suburbs, 500 mosques, 300
public baths, 70 libraries, and the
Great Mosque