Download Intro to the Islamic Empire Powerpoint

Islam
Muhammad & Islam
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Born (around) 570 CE in Mecca
– one of the most prosperous
caravan cities
The Kaaba, a large black stone
enshrined at Mecca – also an
important place of worship and
pilgrimage
Around 610 CE Muhammad
went into a cave on Mt. Hira
near Mecca where the
Archangel Gabriel proclaimed
him as the prophet of God
Qur’an – the Islam holy book
Contains the words of God
as revealed to Muhammad
 Final version established
around 650 CE
 Contains social and
religious maxims
 Other holy words found in
the Hadith – based on
recollections of
Muhammad’s words and
actions
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Five Pillars of Islam
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The Shahada (One
God)
Salat (Prayer, 5 times
per day towards
Mecca)
Zaat (Tithing)
Sawm (Fasting during
the month of
Ramadan)
Hajj (Pilgrimage to
Mecca)
Beliefs & Practices
Priests are unnecessary; Muslims
communicate with God directly through
prayer
 The Qur’an should not be questioned or
changed
 Salvation comes to those who follow a
strict moral code: No eating of pork, no
gambling, no drinking, no marriage to
nonbelievers
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Recognized Abraham, Moses and
Jesus Christ as prophets – but that
Muhammad was the final prophet
 Muhammad felt the Jews &
Christians had strayed from the
true faith and it was his task to
bring them back to the true word
 However Jews & Christians failed
to convert
 His faith was rejected by people of
Mecca
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The Hejira
622 – Much opposition to his preaching so
Muhammad moved to Medina, 200 miles north
of Mecca
 Became the first year of the Islamic calendar
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Muhammad’s followers began to attach the
caravans on their way to and from Mecca
 By 624 his army was powerful enough to
conquer Mecca and make it the centre of the
new religion
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Muhammad’s successors
Muhammad died in 632 – Abu Bakr
became the Imam (or Caliph)
 Abu Bakr then became the spiritual leader,
commander of the army, head of the Arab
state and supreme judge for the Muslims
 Muhammad & successive caliphs raided
their enemies – The Qur’an called these
raids the jihad
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Division
SUNNI  Caliph chosen by Muslim leaders
SHI’ITE  A Caliph must be a descendant of
Mohammad
SUFI  Small sect of Muslim mystics
Umayyad Dynasty 661-750
Built many of the centralizing institutions
that characterized the caliphate until the
10th century
 Set up a unified coinage
 Granted all key positions in governments
to Arabs
 Maintained a tight control over provincial
governors and taxes
 Moved their capital to Damascus
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By 750 Islam had spread from its homeland in
Arabia into Persia, through the Middle East and
North Africa & to the Iberian Peninsula
Islamic Society
Economy based on trade and agriculture
 Religious toleration – Christian & Jews
(Peoples of the Book) were allowed to
freely practice their religions – however
they had to pay taxes and accept Muslim
law
 Women were excluded from public life
 Men were allowed to have up to 4 wives
as long as he could support them & treat
them fairly
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Islamic Civilization
Built some of the greatest cities in the
Medieval world
 Baghdad – over 1 million people
(compared to 400,000 in Constantinople)
 Cordoba – population of over 400,000
 Built mosques, baths and libraries
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8th & 9th centuries – Islamic civilization entered a
golden age
Arabic, Byzantine, Persian and Indian cultural
traditions were integrated
The Muslim created what could be called a “high
civilization”
Muslim scholars kept ancient Greek learning
alive
Preserved the heritage of Greek science and
philosophy, they added to it by writing
commentaries
Throughout the Qur’an one can find a strong
emphasis on the value of knowledge in the
Islamic faith
Islamic Contributions
Art forms: mosaics, calligraphy,
geometric designs
 Arabic alphabet and language
 Universities: Cordoba, Baghdad
 Preserved Greek & Roman
learning while blending and
improving on Indian discoveries
 Translated ancient Greek and
Roman texts
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Scientific Contributions
Arabic numerals and concept of zero
 Al Jabr (known today as Algebra)
 Blended Eastern & Western medical
knowledge  established hospitals and
medical schools
 Improved ships, made wide use of the
compass
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