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Rise of Islam and
the First Empires
The Life of Muhammad and the genesis of
Islam
▪ Muhammad influenced the
worship of a single, almighty god Allah
▪ Orphaned
▪ Resided in Mecca as a trader
▪ Married the widow Khadijah
▪ Revelations from Allah were given
to Muhammad via the angel
Gabriel in 610 CE
▪ Revelations were written in Arabic
& collected in the Qur’an
▪ Basis for Islam
▪ Muhammed is seen as threat to the
Umayyads
▪ Flees Mecca to Yathrib (Medina) on
what is known as the Hijra (Ist year of
Islamic Calendar)
▪ Quraysh launched a series of attacks
on Muhammad and his followers in
Medina
Reasons for Islam in the Arab World
▪ Islam offered monotheism
equal to that of Christianity &
Judaism
▪ Also it was distinctively Arabic
in origin
▪ Umma (Islamic community)
offered political unity for tribal
boundaries
▪ Bedouins united and conquered
the Middle East
▪ Islam provided ethics
▪ Zakat – tax for charity
▪ Muhammad’s teachings &
revelations in the Qur’an
regulated ALL aspects of
Muslim life
▪ Last Judgment
The Arab empire of Umayyads
Consolidation & Division in the Islamic Community
▪ There was a leadership crisis after Muhammad’s death
▪ Who should become the caliph?
▪ Abu Bakr
▪ Succeeded Muhammad as the 1st Caliph
▪ Ridda Wars
▪ defeat of rival prophets
▪ Restores unity of Islam
Weakness of Adversary Empires
A. Sassanid Empire
Byzantine Empire
▪ Zoroastrianism
▪ Christian sects (Copts &
▪ Animistic religions
▪ Based on moral choices
▪ Muslims assassinated
Sassanian rulers the ended the
Sassanid empire in 651
Nestorians) rallied to Arab
Muslims since they would tolerate
Christians and tax them less
heavily
▪ Copts & Nestorians viewed as heretics
by Orthodox Byzantines
▪ The Byzantine empire survived
Islam, but was constantly under
siege by Muslim attacks
Succession and the Sunni – Shiite split
▪ Uthman - 3rd caliph
▪ unpopular because he was chosen by the
Umayyad
▪ Murdered by disobedient warriors
▪ Ali proclaimed caliph causing a split within Islam
▪ Ali
▪ Rejected by Umayyads as caliph
▪ Battle of Siffin
▪ Loses support because he tries to mediate with
Umayyads
▪ Umayyad leader Mu’awiya proclaimed Caliph of
Jerusalem & challenges Ali’s position
▪ Assassinated, 661
▪ Ali’s Son, Hasan,
▪ renounces caliphate due to
pressure from Umayyads
▪ Husayn (Ali’s other son)
claims Caliphate
▪ Killed, Karbala, 680
Spread and Decline
▪ Umayyad Imperium
▪ Spread conquests into
▪ Central Asia
▪ Islam rivaled with Buddhism
▪ Northwest India
▪ North Africa
▪ Expansion into Europe blocked by
Charles Martel and the Franks at
Gibraltar
▪ Center of Islam shifts from Mecca to
Damascus
▪ Alienation of Muslim faith led
to revolts
▪ The Abbasid Revolt in Merv
▪ Supported by Shiites & Malwai
▪ Defeated Umayyads
Early Abbasid Era
▪ Islam became a universal religion
▪ Sunni rule
▪ Suppressed Shiites who were seen as heretics
▪ Baghdad
▪ Capital of the Abbasid dynasty
▪ Bureaucratization of Islamic Empire
▪ Islamic Conversion & Mawali acceptance
▪ Integration of Arab & Non-Arab converts
▪ Most converted willingly
Commercial Boom, Agrarian Expansion,
and Social Standings
▪ Dhows – sailing vessels
▪ Traded with Christians and Jews
▪ Urbanization
▪ Government & private workshops
▪ Ayan – landowning elite
▪ Artisians were poorly paid
▪ Slaves did labor and unskilled work