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ISLAM EXPANDS
SPREADING ISLAM
 In 632 Muhammad dies; Muslims elect
Abu-Bakr to be the first caliph
 Caliph means “successor” or
“deputy”
 He encouraged expansion of Islam by
invoking “jihad”
•
•
Means inner struggle against evil
Also means an armed struggle against the
unbelievers
“RIGHTLY GUIDED” CALIPHS
First four caliphs guided
by Quran and Muhammad’s
actions
CALIPH CHANGES
Mobilized highly
disciplined armies that
conquered Arabia, parts
of the Byzantine
Empire, and parts of
the Sassanid Empire.
REASONS FOR SUCCESS
Willing to fight to extend and defend Islam.
Well disciplined armies with good commanders.
Surrounding empires were weak.
People who had suffered from religious
persecution welcomed the more tolerant invaders.
• Attracted to Islam’s offer of equality and
hope
• Attracted by the economic benefit for
Muslims of not having to pay a poll tax
CONQUERED PEOPLE
Muslim invaders
tolerate other religions
Christians, Jews
receive special
consideration as
“people of the book”
but were not allowed to
spread their religion
FOUR RIGHTLY GUIDED
CALIPHS
Abu Bakr (elected)
Umar (elected) (murdered)
Uthman (elected)
(murdered)
Ali (elected) (murdered)Muhammad’s cousin and sonin-law
Led to Umayyad Dynasty
(661-750)
INTERNAL CONFLICT
CREATES A CRISIS
What ended the elective system of
choosing a caliph?
The assassination of Ali and the rise to
power of the Umayyads
UMAYYADS
Changes under Umayyads
• Move capital to
Damascus
• Abandon the simple
life of previous
caliphs
• Surround themselves
with wealth and
ceremony
UMAYYADS DOWNFALL
Vigorous religious and political opposition
The majority of Muslims accepted the Umayyads’
rule, but a minority continued to resist.
SUNNI-SHI’A SPLIT
 Shi’a-party of Ali-believe caliph
should be Muhammad’s descendant
• Also called Shi’ites
 Sunni-followers of Muhammad’s
example-didn’t outwardly resist
Umayyad rule
•
Majority of Muslims today
 Sufi -followers pursue life of
poverty, spirituality; reject luxuries of
Umayyads
•
Very small %
ABBASIDS
 In 750, Abbasids topple the Umayyads
• Murder the Umayyad family
• One prince escapes and flees to Spain
• Establishes new Umayyad caliphate in al-Andalus
ABBASIDS
 What changes did they make during
their rules?
1. Moved the capital to a newly created
city, Baghdad
• Access to trade, gold, info
2. Developed strong bureaucracy to
conduct the affairs of the huge empire
3. Created a system of taxation and
strong trade network
ABBASIDS
They failed to keep complete political control over
their immense empire and broke up into smaller states.
Still united by three things:
• Trade, language, Quran (religion)
MUSLIM TRADE NETWORK
 Muslims trade by land and sea
with Asia and Europe
 Muslim merchants use
Arabic, single currency and the
“sakk” or “checks”
 Cordoba in Spain is dazzling
center of Muslim culture
• 200,000 people with poets,
philosophers, scientists