Download The Teachings of Islam

Chapter 11
The Muslim World
(622–1650)
Rise of Islam
• How did Muhammad become the prophet
of Islam?
• What are the teachings of Islam?
• How did Islam help shape the way of life
of its believers?
Muhammad Becomes the Prophet of Islam
Muhammad said he heard the angel Gabriel calling him
to be the messenger of God.
Muhammad devoted his life to spreading Islam.
Muhammad made a journey from Mecca to Medina, where he
was welcomed by Muslim converts. This was a turning point
for Islam.
Muhammad returned to Mecca and worked to
unite Arabs under Islam.
The Teachings of Islam
Islam is monotheistic,
based on the belief in
one God.
Muslims believe that the
Quran contains the
sacred word of God and
is the final authority on
all matters.
All Muslims accept five duties,
known as the Five Pillars of Islam:
• faith
• daily prayer
• charity
• fasting during Ramadan
• hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca
Islam as a Way of Life
Islam is both a religion and a way of life.
The Islamic system of law, called Sharia, regulated
moral conduct, family life, business practices,
government, and other aspects of a Muslim
community.
Unlike the law codes that evolved in the West, the
Sharia does not separate religious matters from
criminal or civil law.
Islam Spreads
• How did Muslims conquer many lands?
• What movements emerged within Islam?
• Why did the empire of the caliphs decline?
An Age of Conquests
How were the Muslims able to
conquer so many lands?
• The Byzantine and Persian empires were weak from
years of fighting each other.
• People in the Fertile Crescent welcomed Arab
conquerors as liberators.
• The Arabs used bold, efficient fighting methods, which
overwhelmed traditional armies.
• The common faith of Islam united a patchwork of tribes
into a determined, unified state.
2
Spread of Islam: Causes and Effects
Immediate Effects
Islam spreads from the
Atlantic coast to the Indus
Valley
Centers of learning flourish
in Cairo, Córdoba, and
elsewhere
Long-Term Effects
Muslim civilization emerges
Linking of Europe, Asia, and
Africa through Muslim trade
network
Arabic becomes shared
language of Muslims
Split between Sunni and
Shiites
Movements Within Islam
Shortly after Muhammad’s death, divisions arose within Islam.
SUNNI
Believed caliph, or
successor to
Muhammad, should
be chosen by leaders
of the Muslim
community.
Viewed caliph as a
leader, not as a
religious authority.
SHIITES
Believed that only
descendants of
Muhammad could
become caliph.
Believed descendants
of Muhammad to be
divinely inspired.
SUFI
Muslim mystics who
sought to
communicate with
God through
meditation, fasting,
and other rituals.
Respected for their
piety and miraculous
powers.
Decline of the Muslim Empire
• Around 850, the caliphs power faded and they became
unable to maintain centralized control, and the empire
fragmented.
• In the 900s, Seljuk Turks invaded the Middle East and
built a large empire in the Fertile Crescent.
• The crusades had a lasting effect on the Muslim world
although it had a greater impact on W. Europe
• In the 1200s and 1300s, Mongol invaders dominated
the Middle East.