Download Early islam - Ms. Citton`s Wiki

EARLY ISLAM
BY EMILY,
NATALIE AND
NATHAN
WHO IS MUHAMMAD?
Muhammad was born in
570. He founded the
religion of Islam. He is
considered by Muslims
to be the messenger and
prophet of God. He was
an active social
reformer, diplomat,
merchant, philosopher,
orator, legislator,
military leader,
humanitarian and
philanthropist.
POLITICAL DIVISION
 Af ter Muhammad’s death, the Islamic
faith was used as a political force.
War s of expansion followed closely
upon his death. Muhammad’s caliphs
made Islam into a system of
government as well as a religion. The
caliphs sent out their well -trained
armies to spread the faith and also
the Muslim control over areas In the
Middle East. By 636, Syria and
Nor thern Palestine had fallen to
Muslim forces. By 641 , all of
Palestine, Mesopotamia and Per sia
had also surrendered to Muslim
forces. In 711 , Muslim armies crossed
from Western Nor thern Africa over the
strait of Gibraltar to Spain and within
a decade, the armies had captured
nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula.
POLITICAL DIVISION
Muslims practice the religion of Islam. Muslims also
accept the Qur’an as the word of God given to Muhammad
by the angel Gabriel. Muslims believe that the Qur’an
contains God’s actual words, so it cannot be changed. Moses
and Jesus are prophets according to Muslims. By the end of
the eighth century, the supreme leader of the Islamic world
was still caliph. He had absolute power over everyone. The
caliph was considered to be the head of faith, but also the
commander of the army and the chief lawmaker and judge.
Islamic law, called the sharia, is based on the Qur’an
and the hadith, which is a collection of Muhammad’s
statements and actions when he lived. Religious beliefs,
duties and good works were all important elements of Islam.
POLITICAL DIVISION
Since Muhammad didn’t have a son to be the next caliph, Muslims
couldn’t agree on who should take on the role of being the caliph.
A lot of people thought that Ali, the husband of Muhammad’s
daughter Fatimah, should be the head of faith (caliph). A lot of
Muslims thought that the leadership should stay within the family
of the caliph. This disagreement resulted in a war between Ali and
his supporters (Shia) on one side, and the Umayyad family along
with Muhammad’s wife Aishah on another. Ali defended himself
and his supporters against the enemies at the battle of the camel
in the year 656. He was assassinated in 661 and the Umayyad
family of Damascus took control.
The political division of Islam that still remains today, is
the Shia (supporters of Ali) and the Sunni (the supporters of
Aishah and the Umayyad family).
The Qur’an has 114
chapters, 6236 verses and
79,934 words! It contains
commandments and
parables.
ST
1
CALIPHS
A Caliph is an Arab word meaning
"successor" or a spiritual leader of
Islam, claiming succession from
Muhammad. Abu Bakr was the
closest friend and companion of
Muhammad and was the
first Muslim Caliph. He was also on
of the first men to convert to
Islam. Abu Bakr ruled for 2 years
to be beaten by 'Umar. 'Umar was
a Caliph for a decade (10 years).
He established many of the basic
practices of Islamic government
and also established the first
public treasury and a sophisticated
and financial administration.
ST
1
CALIPHS
Another fraction of Islam preferred Muhammad's sonin-law Ali as a caliph, but Ali eventually submitted,
and Abu Bakr took over the government of all Muslim
Arabs.
Abu Bakr died in his sixties, possibly from poison but
also just as likely from a natural cause. Before he
died, he got named a successor. Several generations
later, after rivalries led to murder and war, Islam
would be split into two parts: the Sunnis, who
followed the Caliphs, and the Shiites, who thought
that Ali was the real heir of Muhammad and would
only follow leaders descended from him.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR
PRESENTATION
THANKS FOR
WATCHING!