Download Chapter 5, Lesson 2 The Spread of Islam

Chapter 5, Lesson 2
The Spread of Islam
It Matters Because:
The religion of Islam continues to influence
modern politics and society
The Muslim Empire
• When Muhammad died in 632, Muslims knew a strong leader would be
required to keep the Islamic state united
• Chose new leader called a caliph, or “successor”
• Caliphate – a succession of caliphs similar to a dynasty
• first four caliphs were relatives or close friends of Muhammad,
known as the Rashidun Caliphate
• Caliphs commanded military and spread Islam through war
• Arab Empire included all of SW Asia and NE Africa
The Umayyad Caliphate
• Second Caliphate, ruled from Damascus, in Syria
• Ruled from 661-750
• Expanded Empire deeper into Asia and across North
Africa
• Before Muhammad, Arab warriors were divided by tribes
• Now united under Islam, they fought large armies and
believed it was a religious duty to spread Islam
• Muslim attacks were swift and fierce
“People of the Book”
• In the early days of the Empire, Arabs allowed Christians
and Jews to practice their own religion
• Jews and Christians were viewed as “People of the
Book” – believe in one God and follow sacred writings
• As time passed, many conquered people accepted Islam
and learned the Arabic language
• Today, the term “Arab” refers to an Arabic speaker, not
strictly someone from Arabia
Islamic Spain
• Muslim warriors invaded Spain from Northern Africa
• Cordoba became a major center of Islam
• One Muslim leader, Ibn Rushd practiced law and medicine and
wrote philosophy
• Christians and Jews in Spain were mostly tolerated in Muslim
Spain
• Not all Muslims were tolerant; Moses Maimonides fled Spain,
running from a hostile Muslim group
Teaching & Trading
• Islam spread through peaceful means as well
• A group called Sufis converted many to Islam
through teaching
• Merchants in Southeast Asia taught and converted
• Indonesia today has the largest population of
Muslims of any nation
• Some Muslims crossed Sahara and taught in West
Africa
Division and Growth
• Many Muslims could not agree about who was the right successor
to Muhammad
• Two groups, Sunnis & Shiites disagree about who should succeed
Muhammad
• Sunnis believe Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s closest friend, should succeed
Muhammad
• Shiite Muslims believe Muhammad’s cousins Ali should succeed
Muhammad
• Most Muslims today are Sunnis
• Shiites opposed Umayyad Caliphate, Sunnis supported it
A New Dynasty
• During the 700s, Shiites began to oppose
Umayyad Caliphate
• About 750, Shiites overthrew Umayyads and the
Abbasid Caliphate rose to power
• Abbasid Caliphate ruled for nearly 500 years
• Abbasids made Baghdad the capital
• Under Abbasids, Baghdad became the Arab world’s
most powerful city
The Empire Breaks
• Abbasids grew a rich culture, but could not keep
empire together
• In 1055, Turks took Baghdad, ruler called himself
“Sultan” – holder of power
• In 1258, Mongols from central Asia invaded,
burned Baghdad, ended Arab Empire
The Ottoman Empire
• In late 1200s, Ottoman Turks conquered much of Byzantine
empire
• 1453, Mehmed II (“the Conqueror”) took Constantinople,
renamed it Istanbul
• Suleiman I (“the Lawgiver”) was greatest Ottoman Sultan
• Organized Ottoman law
• Built schools and mosques throughout empire
• Ottoman Empire finally ended in early 1900s