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The World of Islam
Chapter 6
Islamic civilization from about 600 to 1000 A.D. (C.E.) by
a)describing the origin, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Islam;
Origins of Islam
• Muhammad, the Prophet
• Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula: Early Muslim cities
Spread of Islam
• Across Asia and Africa, and into Spain
• Geographic extent of first Muslim empire
Beliefs, traditions, and customs of Islam
• Monotheism (Allah, Arabic word for “God”)
• Qur’an (Koran): The word of God
• Five pillars of Islam
• Acceptance of Judeo-Christian prophets, including Moses and Jesus
The influence of geography on Islamic economic, social, and political development,
including the impact of conquest and trade;
Geographic influences on the origin and spread of Islam
• Diffusion along trade routes from Mecca and Medina
• Expansion despite great distances, desert environments, and mountain barriers
• Spread into the Fertile Crescent, Iran, and Central Asia, facilitated by weak Byzantine and
Persian empires
Geographic influences on economic, social, and political development
• Political unity of the first Muslim empire was short-lived.
• Arabic language spread with Islam and facilitated trade across Islamic lands.
• Slavery was not based on race.
Historical turning points that affected the spread and influence of Islamic civilization, with
emphasis on the Sunni-Shi’a division, and the Battle of Tours;
Historical turning points
• Death of Ali - Sunni-Shi’a division
• Muslim conquest of Jerusalem and Damascus
• Islamic capital moved to Baghdad
• Muslim defeat at the Battle of Tours
• Fall of Baghdad to the Mongols
Cultural and scientific contributions and achievements of Islamic civilization.
Cultural contributions and achievements
• Architecture (Dome of the Rock)
• Mosaics
• Arabic alphabet
• Universities
• Translation of ancient texts into Arabic
Scientific contributions and achievements
• Arabic numerals (adapted from India, including zero)
• Algebra
• Medicine
• Expansion of geographic knowledge
The Rise of Islam
The Arabs
Arose in the Arabian Peninsula and influenced Western
Asia and beyond.
They were a nomadic, Semitic-speaking people who
lived in the arid climate of the Arabian Peninsula.
The environment was harsh, they were organized into
tribes and were led by a sheikh who was chosen from
a council of elders. The tribes were independent, but
worked together
Early Religion
-Most Early Arabs were polytheistic,
many recognized a chief, or supreme
god who they called Allah which is
Arabic for “God.”
-Allah was symbolized by a sacred stone, each tribe
had their own stone, but there was one central stone
called the Black stone which was placed in the shrine
called the Kaaba.
-This shrine was located in the city of Makkah
(Mecca) in what is now Saudi Arabia.
Trade
The Arabian Peninsula became an important
center for trade. The city of Mecca became
rich from the caravan trade traffic which
passed through the area.
The domestication of the camel enabled
traffic to cross the deserts and as empires
grew up in the region trade increased
greatly.
As the merchants became rich from the
Caravan traffic the life of the poor people of
the area suffered.
The Life of Muhammad
Muhammad was born in
Makkah in present-day Saudi
Arabia to a merchant family.
His parents died when he
was young and he ended up
living with his uncle who was
a merchant and he became a
caravan manager.
Muhammad in
Arabic Calligraphy
Over time, he found the richness and corruption
of the merchants and townspeople to be
troubling.
He decided to visit the hills to meditate.
Muslims believe that while he was meditating
in the hills he received revelations from God
through the Angel Gabriel.
Muhammad’s Revelation
Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel told
Muhammad to recite what he heard, it was
believed that Allah had already revealed
himself through Moses and Jesus, but now
had a final revelation for man.
This final revelation became the religion of
Islam. Which means submission to the will of
God.
The Quran (Koran)
The revelations to Muhammad were written
down by scribes and became known as The
Quran, which is the holy book of Islam.
The Quran contains ethical
guidelines and laws by which
Muslims (followers of Islam)
should live their lives.
The Nature of The Quran
The Quran is written in Arabic
(Interesting): The Quran is considered to only be true
when it is written in its original language. Translations
are thought to lose the true meaning of the original
words which are believed to be a direct revelation
from God.
The Muslim observance of Ramadan is to commemorate
the recording of the holy text.
After the Revelation
After Muhammad received his revelation he went to
his wife Khadija, she was his first convert to the
new religion.
He began to try to convert the people of Makkah to
his message, but he was unsuccessful. After three
years he was forced to go to the city of Yathrib,
which later became Medina. This flight, or
migration, is known as the Hijrah and marks the
beginning of the Muslim calendar. This was in the
year 622 CE.
Acceptance in the city of the Prophet
In Yathrib, renamed Medina (which means the city of
the prophet) Muhammad was accepted and gained
followers.
One of the groups which converted to the new
religion of Islam were the Bedouins who were
desert Arabs. This new community became the first
to practice the religion.
After several years, Muhammad became both a
spiritual and political leader, there was not an idea
of the separation of church and state. He raised an
army and conquered the city of Makkah.
The Kaaba
After Muhammad took the city
of Makkah he cleansed the
Kaaba of idols and dedicated it
to Allah, who he taught was
the one true God.
All Muslims are encouraged to
make a pilgrimage to Makkah
known as the Hajj at least once
in their life if they are
physically and financially able.
The Teachings of Muhammad
Islam is Monotheistic, like Judaism and Christianity.
Islam teaches a belief in an afterlife, those who hope
to achieve this afterlife must submit to the will of
Allah.
Muslims do not believe the Muhammad was divine,
they believe that he was a man.
Islam is seen not just as a religion, but as a way of life.
Muslims feel that in order to achieve salvation
that they must obey the will of Allah, or God.
In order to do this they must follow the five
major principles of Islam known as the Five
Pillars of Islam.
The Five Pillars of Islam
• 1-Declaration of Faith
– Muslims must state that there is not God but Allah
and Muhammad is his prophet.
• 2. Daily Prayer
– Muslims must pray five times a day facing the
Kaaba in Mecca.
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•
•
•
•
Pre Dawn
Noon
Afternoon
Sunset
Evening
Five Pillars Continued . . .
3. Charity
– Muslims are supposed to help others and donate
part of their income to charity.
4. Fasting-Ramadan
Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset
during the holy month of Ramadan which
celebrates the recording of the Quran.
Hajj
• 5. Pilgrimage: Hajj
– The fifth pillar of Islam is the Hajj.
– Once in a lifetime, if they are physically and
financially able , Muslims are to journey to Mecca
(Makkah) in Saudi Arabia and perform the rituals
of the Hajj.
Islamic Law
• After the death of Muhammad there were further
interpretations of his teachings. These are known as the
Hadith. There are different versions of the Hadith for
different branches of Islam.
• These teachings were further interpreted in the Shari’ah.
This is a set of laws which regulate many aspects of
Muslim life. It does not separate between church and
state and covers family life, business, government, and
moral conduct.
• Muslims are expected to practice honesty and justice in
dealing with others and are forbidden to gamble, eat pork,
drink alcohol, or engage in dishonest behavior.
Facts about Islam
• Important Terms:
• Quran (Koran)-Holy book
of Islam
• Muslim- A follower of
Islam
• Mosque- A Muslim House
of Worship
• Minarets- The towers
located on a Mosque from
which the Muezzin calls
the faithful to prayer.
Minaret
Arab Rule
• The Arabs were now united and expanded their
territory instead of fighting each other.
• They defeated the Byzantine army in 636 taking the
province of Syria. By 642 they took Egypt and by 650
they controlled the Persian Empire
Sunni vs. Shi’a (Shiite)
• Sunni Muslims supported the Umayyad
Dynasty. They believe the Caliph does not
need to be a direct descendant of
Muhammad.
• Shi’a Muslims supported Hussein and believe
that the Caliph should be a direct descendant
of Muhammad through his son-in-law Ali and
his grandson.
The Crusades
• The Byzantine Emperor Alexius I sent a letter
to the Pope (Urban II) asking for help against
the Turks.
• This led to a series of wars in 1096 known as
The Crusades.
• At first the Crusaders were successful and
took the city of Jerusalem.
• In 1187 the Muslim leader Saladin retook
the city, leaving the Christians with only a
small collection of land holdings in the
Middle East.
• The Crusades had a lasting impact-breeding
centuries of mistrust between the Muslim
world and the Christian World.
The Mongol Threat
• The Mongols were a pastoral, horse-riding people who
swept out of the Gobi in the early 13th century to seize
control over much of the known world.
• The were not Muslims and find it difficult to adapt to city
life.
• The spread destruction across Asia into Muslim territory.
• The Invasion began with Genghis Khan and was continued
under the leadership Kublia Khan and Hulegu.
– They seized Mesopotamia Persia and Mesopotamia
destroying the city of Baghdad in 1258
• The Mongols made it as far as the Red Sea, but were
unable to take Egypt.
• Over time the Mongol rulers converted to Islam and
rebuilt the Muslim world.
Prosperity in the Islamic World
• The Muslim empires carried on extensive trade with China, the
Byzantine Empire, India, and SE Asia.
• Trade was done by ship and by camel caravans which traveled
from Morocco in to West to the countries beyond the Caspian
Sea in Central Asia.
• Goods
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Sub Saharan Africa: Gold and Slaves
China: Silk and Porcelain
E. Africa: Gold and Ivory
SE Asia and India: Sandalwood and Spices.
Egypt: Grain
Iraq: Linen, Dates, and Precious Stones
W. India: Textiles
• The development of banking helped to facilitate trade and
eventually influenced European banking systems during the
European Renaissance.
The Bazaar
• The covered market
was a central part of
each Muslim city.
• There were high
standards for business
and sanitation.
• It was a place where
people could acquire
both goods and
services.
Islamic Society
• Islam is considered more than just a religion, it is seen as
a way of life that encompasses politics, economics, and
social life.
• According to the Quran, all people were equal in the eyes
of Allah, but in reality, the Muslim Empires did not follow
this ideal. There was a well developed upper and lower
class.
• Non-Muslims were not considered equal to Muslims and
slavery was widespread (as in the rest of the ancient
world). Slaves were usually non-Muslims because Islamic
law made it illegal for one Muslim to enslave another.
– Slaves served in the military or served as domestic servants.
– Slaves could sometimes purchase their freedom and it was
considered a good act to free ones slaves.
The Role of Women
• Originally, the Quran granted women spiritual
and social equality with men. Both men and
women were to be friends and protectors of one
another.
• Women could earn a living and own and inherit
property. They played a prominent role in the
rise of Islam.
• Men and Women had assigned social duties, but
most societies in which Islam arose were male
dominated
The Veil
• The veil worn by Muslim women is traditionally
called the Hijab.
• The ideal of women wearing veils was common in
many Middle Eastern cultures before the advent of
Islam.
– In Ancient Mesopotamia a veil was a symbol of status,
purity, and moral character.
• There is some controversy over this use of these
veils today. There are different interpretations of
this tradition in different parts of the Muslim world.
In general, women and men are supposed to dress
modestly, the degree of that modesty varies from
region to region according to local custom and
tradition.
• In the Quran the Hijab has different meanings it can
mean a curtain or partition dividing rooms--in other
verses it is a sacred divide between the earth and holy,
god and human, light and dark, and men and women.
The Hijab covers the head and Neck
The covering that
women wear varies
from country to
country.
The Chador covers the full body with
a head scarf underneath.
The Burka (Burqa) is a veil that
completely covers the face and
body.
Preservation of Knowledge
• Muslim scholars helped to preserve the
knowledge of Greece and Rome by translating
works and making them available to other
scholars.
– It is because of this that European scholars were
able to rediscover the works of Aristotle and other
Greek philosophers.
– In the twelfth century these works were translated
into Latin .
– The discovery of paper-making technology from
China made this much easier.