Download Chapter 14: The Expansive Realm of Islam Questions Objective 1

Chapter 14: The Expansive Realm of Islam Questions
Objective 1: Students can explain Islam’s origins basic tenets. Students can analyze the effects these had on the
development of both the religion and the political entity of the Islamic world.
1. Pg 356 – Explain the area where Islam developed and what role it plays in the development of
the religion
Islam developed in the Arabian Peninsula, which is mostly desert. Bedouin, nomadic peoples
who kept herds of sheep, goats, and camels, had been living there for millennia. They were organized
in family and clan groups and had to rely on their kin in order to survive due to the harsh climate. This
loyalty survives even after the growth of Islam.
The Arabian Peninsula is also centrally located, and provided a trade link for both land and sea
trade. This plays a role later on in Islam because the religion was spread heavily through merchants.
2. Pg 357-358 – Explain the life of Muhammad and the role he played in the development of Islam
Muhammad was born about 570 CE. He was an orphan by age 6. He was taken care of by his
grandfather and uncle and got an education, but his life was difficult. He married Khadija, a wealthy
widow, who he also worked for. Muhammad was a pretty successful merchant. Since there were both
Christians and Jews interspersed throughout that area, he had a basic understanding of those religions,
although his knowledge of them was not great. Around age 40, he was troubled by the gap between
the rich and the poor, so he went to meditate. He believed he was visited by the angel Gabriel who
taught him several things: there is only one true God, Allah, who rules the universe and will judge the
world. Gabriel also told him to spread the faith. He started with family and close friends, and by about
620, he had gained a small following. The visions and revelations he received were later written down,
and became the Quran, Islam’s holy book.
3. Pg 359-369 – Trace the development of Muhammad’s and Islam’s relationship to Mecca
Unfortunately, Muhammad and the people of his hometown, Mecca, didn’t exactly agree on the
new religion.
 Since the Arabs were polytheistic, Muhammad’s insistence on monotheism was offensive to
them. It kind of put down the many long-respected gods.
 The rich people and elites were offended when Muhammad started preaching against greed and
declaring the Allah would punish the greedy.
 Polytheism was a money-making business. People visited shrines, which increased tourism and
trade. Some of Muhammad’s followers fled to Africa.
Muhammad also eventually left Mecca for Medina in 622 CE (This is the starting date of the
Islamic calendar.) While in “exile,” Muhammad organized his followers, setting up laws, social rules,
religious practices, and some economic practices. He started calling himself “Prophet.” He accepted
earlier Jewish and Christian beliefs, but considered himself as Allah’s final prophet. He then felt called
to spread his message to the whole world.
In 630, Muhammad’s group attacked and conquered Mecca. They forced the elites to convert to
Islam, imposed a government dedicated to Allah, and destroyed the pagan shrines, except for the
Kaaba.
After Mecca, they attacked other cities and conquered all of Arabia by 632.
4. Pg 360-361 – Describe the basic tenets of Islam (include the 5 Pillars and sharia)
5 Pillars:
1) Belief: Allah is the only god and Muhammad is his prophet
2) Prayer: Pray 5 times a day facing Mecca
3) Fasting: Fast during daylight for the month of Ramadan
4) Charity: Give money to the weak and poor
5) Pilgrimage: Do the hajj to Mecca if you are able
Sharia:
Muslim religious leaders and scholars interpreted the Quran and other histories of Muhammad’s life
and teachings to offer more specific guidance. It has guidelines for marriage, family, inheritance,
slavery, business, government, crime, etc. This made the religion have a practical application: a
complete way of life.
Objective 2: Students can explain the growth of the dar al-Islam and the effects it had on the world.
1. Whole Chapter – Explain how Islam grew from 1 person to dar al Islam (include Muhammad,
caliphate, the split between Sunni and Shia, and al-Andalus)
Muhammad started Islam from revelations he received alone from Allah. He spread the religion to a
few friends and family members. They gained more followers. They conquered Mecca. They
conquered most of the Arabian Peninsula. After Muhammad died, Muhammad’s friend named Abu
Bakr became caliph or “deputy.” He, and the caliphs after his death, led the Islamic community in
conquering more land. In one century, they had conquered from the Indus River, through the Middle
East and North Africa all the way to modern-day Spain (see the map on pg 362.) However, there was
confusion over who would succeed Muhammad. A group split off that believed that Ali should be the
caliph, not Abu Bakr
Ali = Shia
Abu Bakr = Sunni
This problem later resolved with the Umayyads, who were a wealthy merchant family. They
founded the Umayyad dynasty. They ruled the dar al-Islam tightly and favored the military and wealthy.
The people were unhappy with this, so eventually the Umayyad dynasty fell.
Abu al-Abbas founded the Abbasid dynasty by killing many Umayyads. The Abbasid dynasty
did not rule as tightly and did not conquer as much, and it was more modern and cosmopolitan.
Islam spread rapidly by the merchants and missionaries who travelled along the roads and
Indian Ocean trade routes.
Al-Andalus was Islamic Spain. They ruled somewhat separately because they were allies of the
Umayyads and didn’t recognize Abbasid authority. They carried out lots of trade and had many exotic
goods and food.
Muhammad -> Muhammad’s community -> Abu Bakr (Sunnis) -> Ali (Shia) -> Umayyad Dynasty
(stretches as far as Al-Andalus) -> Abbasid Dynasty
2. Pg 364-366 – Compare/contrast the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties.
Umayyad
Both
Abbasid
-661-750
-Began
-750-1258
-Resolved the conflict (temporarily) because -Started by Abu al-Abbas, through
between Shia and Sunni
of
battle and assassinating pretty much
-Umayyads a family of wealthy
assassin the whole family
merchants who took control
ations
-Didn’t favor Arab military aristocracy
-Capital at Damascus in Syria
-Ruled
-Foreigners could have positions of
-Tightly centralized
the very wealth and power
-Favored military
large
-Not conquerors (the Islamic empire
-Favored elite and gave them
Islamic
still continued to grow through
wealth
world
independent groups)
-Favored Arabs (made non-Muslims
-Imitated Persian administration—had
pay the jizya, a tax)
a centralized authority—but let ulama,
-Conquerors
qadis, and governors share power
-Caused discontent among the
-Capital at Baghdad
poor and foreign people under
-Fell because of civil war, governors
Islamic rule
weren’t obeying the caliph, the people
-Fell because the leaders were
were rebelling, so Abbasid rulers just
disconnected and too focused on
became figureheads
luxury (even the Arab military
-Saljuq Turks took control
leaders were unhappy with them)
-Eventually conquered by the Mongols
3. Pg 368-372 – Analyze the trade network that developed and the role Islam played in it
Agricultural trade:
New crops were introduced as travel increased throughout the dar al-Islam. They mostly traveled from India to the
middle East, north Africa, and the Mediterranean region. These include many food crops as well as industrial crops like
cotton, indigo, and henna. These new crops caused a better diet, more food (because they were high-heat crops which
grew well in the desert), and the growth of the textile industry.
Knowledge of agricultural techniques was also exchanged, which means more food and goods, which means a better
economy. Cities also expanded because population grew and these cities had markets where people could trade their
goods, so they gathered there. Paper appeared in Islamic cities during the Abbasid era. It had been made in China since
the 1st century CE. Paper made it easier to keep track of money and trade, and obviously made possible more
books=more literacy=more educated people.
Hemispheric trading zone:
Islam, unlike other religions, does not disparage merchants and trade, since Muhammad was a merchant and he
respected that field.
As Muslims conquered, they set up their conquered cities as Muslim commercial centers and extended trade
throughout the dar al-Islam. These trade networks were already in place, but they were in greater and more unified use.
Umayyad and Abbasid people used them for the military, administration (government work), trade, missionaries, and
pilgrims (remember the 5 pillars?) Camels were very helpful since they didn't need much water and could carry a lot.
***Must know***Overseas trade was encouraged by the exchange of maritime knowledge and technologies.
The compass came from China to Arabia and Persia. The lateen sail, a triangular sail that increases the ability to move
the ship, came from southeast Asia and India. The astrolabe, which calculates latitude, came from the Hellenistic
Mediterranean. With these things, the Arab and Persian mariners could travel throughout the Indian Ocean basin,
generating much wealth and the exchange of widespread goods.
Banks:
Banks had been around since classical times, but grew during this time because the trade and business
increased. They started lending money, exchanging currencies, buying and selling on behalf of people, and issued credit
that was an early form of a check—a merchant could use a check from one bank and cash it in the other—which
increased the ability to perform more distant transactions.
Trade Organization:
These also had existed since classical times, but grew more complex. Instead of one person investing all the
money for a business (for example a shipping business) a group of people would all invest money. That way if something
went wrong, like shipwreck or pirates, one person doesn't lose everything; a bunch of people lose a little.
Goods: (you can use a world map for this part if you want)
From China: silk, ceramics
India/SE Asia: spices, aromatics (nice smelling stuff)
Byzantine Empire: jewelry, fine textiles
West Africa: gold, slaves
East Africa: slaves, animal skins
Russia/Scandinavia: animal skins, furs, honey, amber, slaves, timber, livestock
Objective 3: Students can analyze the effects of the growth of the dar al-Islam on society and culture in the
postclassical world.
1. Pg 373-374 – Describe the role of women under Islam and analyze the changes that occurred in
their role
Arabia already had a patriarchal society before Muhammad. While Islam was just beginning,
women had more rights than in other lands. They could inherit property, divorce their husbands, and
engage in business. (Remember that Khadija was a successful businesswoman and Muhammad's boss...)
The Quran also helped women's status in some ways. It outlawed female infanticide, woman got their
own dowries instead of their husbands, and women were seen not as property, but as honorable
individuals, equal to men before Allah.
In most ways, however, the Quran subjugated women. Descent was through the male line, so they wanted
to make sure the baby's daddy really was the baby's daddy. So the fathers, husbands, and brothers controlled
women's social and sexual lives. Men could have up to four wives.
As Islam expanded, it came into contact with more patriarchal cultures, such as the Byzantine and Sasanid
empires. Women already wore veils there, so as the Muslims overtook them, they adopted this custom, which
they considered a sign of modesty. As time went on, Islamic cultures became more and more patriarchal.
2. Pg 374-376 – Describe the culture of Islam and how it was spread throughout the Islamic world
The Quran formed the basis for Islamic cultural tradition, along with the sharia law. Both provided
moral guidelines that created unity throughout the dar al-Islam. Ulama, quadis, and missionaries helped to
ensure the spreading of these ideas, by resolving disputes according to Islamic law and making sure the public
observed the Islamic social and moral standards.
Elementary schools run through mosques and madrasas for higher education helped pass on Islamic values (the new
use of paper aided this.) Students from these schools would grow up and obtain administrative positions, thus ensuring
the rule of Islamic law.
The Sufis also helped spread Islam. They were very effective missionaries, because they didn’t focus as much on
abstract theology and religious doctrine, which doesn’t interest the common person. Instead, they focused on the
spiritual part. Most were very pious and ascetic, and many did good works like helping the poor. Some were beggars.
The main feature of Sufis is that they were more mystical and emotional, with passionate sermons, singing, and dancing.
They focused on devotion to Allah, which new converts could easily understand, and they allowed them to pursue that
in their own ways. The Sufis’ holy lives were respected by other peoples as well. To sum up, it was their kindness,
holiness, tolerance, and charismatic appeal that helped them convert people.
The main symbol of Islamic cultural unity was the Kaaba in Mecca. Since most people were expected to travel from
the far reaches of the Islamic world, it brought many different types of people together. The rulers encouraged it in
order to attain tighter control over their empire. They built inns, provided police along the routes, and gave large gifts
to shrines to encourage the pilgrimage. While pilgrims were traveling, they exchanged ideas, and helped to spread
Islamic beliefs and values to all parts of the Islamic world.
3. Pg 377-379 – Describe the interactions between Islam and Persia, India, and Greece
Persia:
Since Persia is very close to Arabia, it was conquered early, and so it had a large influence on the
development of Islamic culture. The ability of Persia to administrate its empire helped Islamic rulers
expand their empire. The Islamic caliphs imitated the Persian notion of kings as wise and good, but
absolute rulers. Literature was another influence and it continued to be written in Persian throughout
the Islamic empires (including Arabian Nights and The 1001 Nights)
India:
Math spread from India to Islam, and the Muslims both studied math as well as used it to help
them keep records and expand trade/banking (see # 7 above.) The numerals we use now are called
Arabic numerals because the Arabs spread the use of them, but they were originally called Hindi
because they came from India. Using these numbers, Muslims developed algebra, trigonometry, and
geometry to new levels. (yes you have them to thank for that)
Greece:
Muslims sought to merge Greek philosophy with Islamic thought, which naturally influenced Islamic
philosophy, but also spread to European schools and universities, who were at the time trying to merge
Greek philosophy with Christianity. However, more fundamental Muslims did not appreciate this
pollution” of a purer Islam, so the Greek philosophical influence died down, but did not completely
disappear.