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Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Islam after Muhammad’s Death
The death of Muhammad in 632 presented a challenge for the Muslim
community. Who would lead the group and keep it unified? The
answer affected the faith’s spread and its future.
Muhammad’s
Successors
• Muhammad had not
named successor
• No clear candidate
• Abu Bakr, close
companion, early
convert, chosen
leader, called caliph,
“successor”
Priorities
Expansion of
Territory
• Abu Bakr focused on
bringing back
bedouin tribes
• Abu Bakr, successor
Umar, expanded
Muslim rule rapidly
• Built strong Arab
fighting forces to
keep tribes under
control
• 637 early victory
against Persian
forces in Iraq
• Reunified Arabia, led
forces north
• 642 victory over
Persian Empire
complete
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
More Expansion
More Expansion
• After Iraq, Persia, Arab army faced wealthy Byzantine Empire to west
• Byantines first lost Damascus, Syria, Jerusalem
• 639, Byzantine province of Egypt fell; 642, rest of Nile Valley under Arab rule
Empire
• Only 10 years after Muhammad’s death, followers had created empire
• Conquests continued under later caliphs
• 661, caliphate stretched from northern Africa in west to Persia in East
Internal Conflict and Division
• Deep conflict within Muslim leadership, began with choice of Abu Bakr, caliph
• Some had supported Muhammad’s cousin, Ali
• 644, Ali lost again, to Uthman, supported by powerful Mecca clan Umayyad
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Civil War
Ali’s Troubles
• Umayyads had been
Muhammad’s enemies,
converted reluctantly, were
unpopular
Sunnis and Shias
• Most Muslims accepted
Umayyad caliph
• Called Sunnis, “followers of the
Sunna,” or “way of the Prophet”
• Uthman killed by rebels
• Ali became caliph, but troubles
had just begun
• Civil war broke out between
Ali’s forces, Umayyad; Ali killed,
Umayyad retook control
• Ali’s supporters refused to go
along with Umayyads.
• Became known as the Shiites,
“party of Ali”
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
The Shiites and Imams
Shia believed God had specially blessed Ali’s
descendants
• Ali’s descendants, Muhammad’s true heirs
• Shia called each of Ali’s successors imam
–
Imam means “leader”
–
For the Shiites, only imams can interpret the Qur’an.
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
Conflict
• Conflict deepened between Sunni, Shiites after deaths of Mu’awiya
and Ali
• Many thought Yazid, Mu’awiya’s son, successor, not a good Muslim
• Muhammad’s grandson, Husayn, led rebellion against Yazid
• Husayn, forces defeated in battle at Karbala, Iraq
Further Division
• Husayn killed while holding infant son, battle became known as the
martyrdom of Husayn; split between Sunni, Shiites have remained
bitter
• Third group developed within Islam—the Sufis
• Sufis seek mystical, personal connection with God, using range of
practices including breath control and meditation in rituals
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
Find the Main Idea
What was the result of the succession
conflict?
Answer(s): Two different Muslim groups
emerged—the Sunni and the Shiites
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
The Umayyad Dynasty
Under the Umayyad caliphs, Muslim rule spread. Internal problems
weakened the Umayyads, though, and led to their fall.
Continued Expansion
• Umayyads strengthened rule
after death of Husayn
• Achievements:
– Established Arabic as official
language
– Made coinage uniform
throughout empire
– Began first great work of
Islamic architecture, Dome of
the Rock in Jerusalem
Military Conquests
• Armies conquered territory to
borders of China, Indus River
Valley, to east
• Took northern Africa, most of
Spain, to west
• Conquests spread Muslim
faith, while allowing religious
freedom for People of the
Book; some restrictions, taxes
for Non-Muslims however
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Ruling the Empire
• Umayyads strengthened central government as caliphate grew in size
• Arab Muslims became ruling class, with power, privilege unavailable to those
they conquered
• Creation of privileged class conflicted with strong Muslim ideal of equality
• Wars over succession also upsetting to many faithful, unhappy with
emphasis on political ambition
End of the Umayyads
• Displeasure with Umayyads
widespread
• Shiites continued opposition
• Also unrest among conquered
people, some Arab tribes
• Umayyads weakened by
discontent, time ripe for rebellion
Rebellion
• Abbasids, led by descendant of
Muhammad’s uncle, united many
Umayyad opponents by appearing
to support their causes
• Abbasids wiped out Umayyads in
series of battles, late 740s
• Caliphate entered Abbasid dynasty
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Sequence
What events brought about the end of the
Umayyad dynasty?
Answer(s): A family called the Abbasids took
advantage of discontent with the Umayyads and
established a new caliphate.
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
The Abbasid Dynasty
Baghdad
Persian Influence
• Abbasids relocated capital of
caliphate; rulers lived in
splendor
• Move to Baghdad beginning of
end of Arab domination of
Muslim world
• Chose Baghdad, on Tigris
River, in present-day Iraq
• Abbasids adopted Persian style
of government
Government
Change in Islam
• Rulers cut off from people
• Nature of Islam changed
• Caliph hidden behind screen in
throne room, could not be seen
• Abbasids invited all to join in,
turned Islam into universal
religion, attracted people of
many cultures
• Used Persian officials; vizier,
deputy, oversaw affairs of state
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
A Changing Culture
Importance of Trade
• Islam spread through trade
• Muslim traders journeyed from
end to end of caliphate,
exchanging goods and
information
• Exchange brought Islam to
West Africa, Southeast Asia
Funding for Change
• Trade helped fund cultural
achievement
• Most prominent Abbasid caliph,
Harun al-Rashid, helped bring
culture to great heights, 786 to
809
• Support of scholarship helped
produce lasting achievements
of Islamic arts, sciences
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Contrast
How did the Abbasids differ from the
Umayyads?
Answer(s): The Abbasids focused more on
prosperity and cultural advancement than on
empire expansion.
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
The End of Unity
As early as the 800s, Abbasid political power weakened. By the 900s, a
number of small, independent states broke away from the caliphate.
Challenges from Europe
Problems from Egypt
• European Christians weakened
Muslim rule
• 969, serious threat, Fatimid
dynasty established in Egypt
• Christian armies began to drive
Muslims out of Spain, 1000s
• Claimed descent from
Muhammad’s daughter Fatimah
• European Christians began
Crusades
• From Egypt, controlled
Mediterranean, Red Sea
– Wanted to make Holy Land
Christian, won at first
– Muslims eventually retook
Jerusalem
• Disrupted Abbasid trade
• Fatamids soon richer, more
powerful than Abbasids
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
Seljuk Turks and Others
Seljuk Turks
• Many non-Arabs among peoples of caliphate, including Turks
• 1055, Turkish Seljuks rose to power, took control of Baghdad
• Seljuks were Sunni Muslims, supported Abbasid caliph
War Against Byzantine Empire
• Seljuks defended Abbasids against Fatimids, went to war against Byzantine
Empire, defeated Byzantines at Battle of Manzikert
• Seljuks would go on to create own empire
Mamluks and Mongols
• 1200s, Mamluks took power in Egypt, Syria
• 1258, Mongols destroyed Baghdad, killed Abbasid caliph; caliphate finished
• Islam still a vital force, spread to India, Central and Southeast Asia
Muslim Civilization
Section 2
Section 2
Muslim Civilization
Summarize
What forces ended the unity of the
caliphate?
Answer(s): Abbasids lost political power when
small independent states broke away.