Download File - Kleiner Social Studies

Arabian Peninsula
• Populated by large semi-nomadic tribes and pastorialists (shepherds).
o Territorial Protection of the communities and their sources of water (for both the
herds and people) created a warlike society and tribal rivalries.
o Many of these tribes belonged to Bedouin communities who prided themselves
on living by the sword, being masters of the horse, sheltering in tents, tending to
herds of sheep and camel, and roaming the deserts.
• Coastlines of Peninsula were part of huge trading routes
• Mecca becomes a major trading route and center of religious pilgrimage due to multiple
shrines existing nearby.
o Quraysh tribe/family dominates the region
o Haran – Due to warlike nature of tribal communities in Arabia who came to trade
in Mecca, an edict was passed forbidding violence in Mecca creating a “safe
zone” for trade.
• A common language (Arabic) existed with multiple dialects
The Life of Mohammed
• Born Mohammed ibn Abdallah in Mecca in 570 AD
• A member of the Qurayash family
• Uneducated and poor
• Marries a rich widow, Khadija, at age 25
• At Mt. Hirah, Mohammed receives a visit from the Angel Gabriel. During this visit, Gabriel
recites to Mohammed what becomes known as the Qu’ran.
• During the next 20 years, Mohammed spreads the teaching of the Qu’ran..
• 622 AD - Mohammed is forced from Mecca due to his beliefs (His teachings pose a threat to
Arabia as its structure destroys tribal hierarchies ) and goes to Yathrib where he begins to
mediate disputes. As Mohammed rapidly gains followers Yathrib is renamed Medina “City of
the Prophet”
• Mohammed and his followers began attacking Jewish trade caravans to support his rapidly
growing community of the faithful
• 630 AD - Mohammed returns to Mecca to conquer and convert its inhabitants to Islam.
Mohammed destroys the polytheistic shrines including Ka’aba (a site/shrine of Christian and
Judaic pilgrimage)
• 632 AD – Mohammed dies and Abu Bakr succeeds him as the first Caliph
The 5 Pillars of Islam:
1) Shahadah - The is only one god (Allah) and Mohammed is his prophet
2) Salat - Prayer – 5 rituals/times a day facing Mecca
3) Sawm - Fast - The 9th month of Ramadan
4) Zakat – Alms
5) Hajj – Pilgrimage to Mecca
Source of Islamic Law (Sharia)
• Qu’ran – Word of Allah through the prophet
• Sunna – the traditions of the prophet (handed down through a system of oral history
called Hadith)
• Quiyas – analogy of the words
• Ijmd – determined by consensus
• Ijtihad – independent reasoning
THE SPREAD OF ISLAM
•
•
•
Islam Spread Quickly Due To:
Trade routes
o Concentrated populations of first Muslims were in Mecca and Medina,
two major trading centers along coast.
o Sea and land routes brought Islam in contact with Mediterranean
populations, Africa and Asia
o Arabic officially established as a language of trade in Empire
o Banks were set up throughout the empire that offered credit (sakks) which
were good between cities.
Monotheistic nature of beliefs attracted many people
o Qu’ran forbids forced conversion
o Poll tax resulted in military exemption
Warfare
o Jihad – religiously sanctioned war for the defense and spread of Islam
o Muslim Rulers used of new and organized military tactics
§ Use of camels until just before battle and switching to “rested”
horses for faster and swifter attacks.
o Muslim leaders/rulers used the Muslim tribes who converted but were
disenchanted with Islam by sending them to war. Their motivation was to
spread the word of Allah and expand the empire
635
638
Damascus Jerusalem
•
•
641
Egypt
671
Tunis
680
Spain/
Gibraltar
Byzantine and Persian Empires were weak and financially exhausted after war
with one another that lasted for 80 years (540 AD - 629 AD)
Muslim Rulers Retained old customs and practiced religious tolerance
o Conquering armies left the existing political structure of the Byzantine
Empire in place and quickly moved on to the next target.
o Allowed the non-Muslim inhabitants of regions converted to Islam to
peacefully co-exist if they paid a tax
Leaders (following the death of Mohammed)
1) The Four Caliphs - spread the Muslim Empire over 4000 miles
a)
Abu Bakr (632 AD – 634 AD)
• succeeded Mohammed as spiritual leader
• used Military to enforce Islam and taxes
• knew Mohammed better than anyone and was one of his first followers
b) Umar (634 AD - 644 AD)
• Selected by Abu Bakr as successor
• Conquered Syria and Egypt (part of Byzantine Empire)
c)
Uthmann (644 AD – 656 AD)
• Expanded empire to East and West
• Last of Mohammed’s friends
• Part of the Umayyad Family
• Uthman was murdered in 656 AD
d) Ali
•
•
•
(656 AD – 661 AD)
Cousin and Son-in-Law to Mohammed
Expanded empire to the East and West
Internal fighting throughout his reign as Caliph
(1) Muawiya (governor of Syria) challenged his leadership
(2) Ali was assassinated in 661 AD by fundamentalist followers of Ali
2) The Umayyad Dynasty (661 AD – 750 AD)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Muawiya succeeded Ali
Set up hereditary system of leadership
Moved capital of Empire from Mecca to Damascus (Syria)
Fundamental Muslim divisions developed in reaction to Umayyad Rule
• Sunni – believed in the way/traditions of the prophet
Sunni did not outwardly resist the Umayyad rule
• Shi’a – (“party of Ali”) believed that the Caliph (leader) needed to be a relative of
Mohammed
• Sufi – sought a simple spiritual life through poverty, meditation, and chanting
The Umayyads were overthrown and murdered by the Abbasids
• One Umayyad prince escaped to Spain and set up his own dynasty
• Spain was already under Muslim rule under the Berbers
3) The Abbasid Dynasty (750 AD – 1258AD)
a)
b)
c)
d)
Ruled over Iran, Iraq and Central Asia
Moved capital to Baghdad (Southern Iraq)
Developed a bureaucracy to control Empire and imposed many taxes to sustain the system
All Muslim states had ties to the Abbasid Dynasty because of language/trade/religion
4) Independent Muslim states begin to appear in 945 AD
a)
The Fatimid Dynasty
• Shi’ite Muslims
• Named after Mohammed’s daughter (Fatima)
• Ruled across North Africa, Arabia and Syria
b) Buyids
• Sunni Muslims