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The World of Islam Part #1
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The World of
Islam Part #1
Description of 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”)
• Quran: The word of God
• Five pillars of Islam
• Acceptance of Judeo-Christian prophets, including Moses and Jesus
Assessing 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.
Identifying 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
Citing 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
Before Islam: Early Religion
Most Early Arabs were polytheistic,
many recognized a chief, or supreme
god who they called Allah which is
Arabic for “God.” They worshiped idols.
The Ka’ba was located in the city of 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 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
Mecca in present-day Saudi
Arabia to a merchant family.
His father died before he
was born, and his mother
died when he was young. He
ended up living with his
uncle who was a merchant
and he became a caravan
manager.
Muhammad in
Arabic Calligraphy
Muhammad married an older widow named
Khadijah.
Over time, he found the richness and corruption
of the merchants and townspeople to be
extremely troubling.
He decided to visit the mountain to meditate.
Muslims believe that while he was meditating
in the mountain he received revelations from
God through the Angel Gabriel.
Muhammad’s Revelation
The Angel Gabriel told Muhammad to recite
what he heard, it was believed that Allah had
already revealed His message through Moses
and Jesus, but now had the Final revelation for
man.
This final revelation became the religion of
Islam. Which means submission to the will of
God.
The Quran
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.
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 Ramadhan also
commemorates the recording of the holy text.
After the Revelation
After Muhammad received his revelation he went to
his wife Khadijah, she was his first convert to the
new religion.
He began to try to convert the people of Mecca to
his message, but with limited success. After
thirteen years he was welcomed in 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 welcomed and
gained followers steadily.
Two tribes which converted to the new religion of
Islam were known as Khazraj and Aus. This new
community became the first to practice the religion
collectively.
Muhammad was both a spiritual and political leader,
there was not an idea of the separation of church
and state. He conquered the city of Mecca without
a bloodshed, and forgave his enemies.
The Ka’ba
After Muhammad took the city
of Mecca he cleansed the
Ka’ba of idols and dedicated it
to God Almighty.
All Muslims are encouraged to
make a pilgrimage to Mecca
(known as the Haj) 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 that 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 believe that Islam was God’s final
revelation for mankind. 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 no Deity but Allah
and Muhammad is his prophet.
• 2. Daily Prayer
– Muslims pray five times a day facing the Ka’ba 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-Ramadhan
Muslims must fast from dawn to sunset during
the holy month of Ramadhan which
celebrates the recording of the Quran.
Haj
• 5. Pilgrimage: Haj
– The fifth pillar of Islam is the Haj.
– Once in a lifetime, if they are physically and
financially able , Muslims are to journey to Mecca
(Mecca) in Saudi Arabia and perform the rituals of
the Haj.
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
• 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 Mu’athin calls
the faithful to prayer.
Minaret
The Arab Empire and its Successors
Creation of an Arab Empire
• After the death of Muhammad, unity was difficult to
maintain.
• The friend and father-in-law of Muhammad, Abu
Bakr, was chosen to be the first Caliph, or successor
to Muhammad.
• Abu Bakr helped to unify the Muslim world and
expanded in Arabia and beyond.
• Under the idea of jihad, or “struggle in the way of
God” the early Muslims expanded their territory.
The believed that defensive warfare was permitted
by the Quran.
Arab Rule
• The Arabs were now united and had 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
After Abu Bakr died Omar became the next Khalifa.
The 2nd and 3rd Khalifas were both assassinated.
After that Ali (Muhammad’s son-in-law) was
Elected as the Khalifa,
but five years later
he too was assassinated.
Administration
• Muslims administrators were fairly tolerant of
the people they defeated.
• Initially, both Christians and Jews were allowed
to practice their religions because they were
“People of the Book” who had written scriptures
revealed to them by God before the time of
Muhammad. Those who chose not to convert
had to be loyal to the Muslim state and pay a
special tax.
The Umayya Dynasty
• At the beginning of the eighth century
Islam had expanded across northern
Africa and had converted the Berbers
(a pastoral people along the
Mediterranean coast) to the faith.
• By 710 combined Berber and Arab
forces crossed the Strait of Gibraltar
into Spain and had taken most of the
country by 725. In 732, however, the
Muslim advance into Europe was
halted at the Battle of Tours.
• By 750 the Muslim advance came to an end.
The southern and eastern Mediterranean and
parts of the old Roman Empire were now
Muslim territory.
• The Umayyad Dynasty was centered in
Damascus, in modern-day Syria and was
wealthy. This was also a very diverse empire as
many different peoples had been conquered in
new territory.
• The diversity helped lead to a split within the
Islamic faith
A Split in Islam
• Many non-Arab Muslims
resent the favoritism which
the Umayya Empire showed
toward Arabs.
• The large empire was
difficult to rule efficiently
and there were financial
problems as well.
Umayya Architecture
Thank you
May God Bless you.