Download Dynasties, Conquest, and Faith: The Rise of Islam WHAP/Napp Do

Dynasties, Conquest, and Faith: The Rise of Islam
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“When the Prophet died leaving no male heir, the Muslim community feared that the
umma and its political organization would break up. To preserve them, the Muslim
leadership elected Abu Bakr (r. 632-634), one of Muhammad’s closest associates and the
father of his wife Aisha, as caliph – that is, successor to the Prophet and head of the Muslim
community. The next three caliphs [the first four caliphs are known as the Righteously
Guided Caliphs] were similarly elected from among Muhammad’s relatives and
companions, but amidst much more dissension. Abu Bakr mobilized to prevent Muslims
from deserting their new religion and the authority of its government, attacking those who
tried. Arabia was convulsed in tribal warfare…Their battles spilled over the borders of the
Arabian Peninsula…The Byzantine and Sasanid Empires saw the Arab troops encroaching
on their territories and fought back, but at the Battle of Ajnadayn (634), in southern
Palestine, the Arab clans combined to form a unified army and defeated the Byzantine
army. With their victory at Ajnadayn, the Arab warriors were no longer simple raiders in
search of plunder. They were now at war for the control of settled empires. Conquest
followed conquest…
After Ali’s [the fourth caliph’s] assassination, the Umayyad [members of Uthman’s – the
third caliph’s – family or clan] leader, Mu’awiya (r. 661-680), declared himself caliph.
Moving the capital out of Arabia to Damascus in Syria, Mu’awiya distanced himself from
the original Muslim elite of the Arabian Peninsula. He opened Islam to more cosmopolitan
influences and a more professional style of imperial administration. Tension remained high
among the various religious and tribal factions…
The Abbasid clan in northern Iran – descended from an uncle of Muhammad named
Abbas and also claiming support from descendants from the line of Ali – revolted against
the Umayyads. Supported by Arab settlers in Iran who were protesting against high taxes,
by Shi’as who were seeking their own rule, and also by a faction from Yemen, the Abbasid
clan overthrew the Umayyad caliphate. In 750, Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah initiated the new
Abbasid caliphate, which ruled in reality for a century and a half but held power in name
until 1258. Signaling new policy directions, the Abbasid caliph built a new capital at
Baghdad, 500 miles east of Damascus, along the banks of the Tigris River, in the heart of
the historic fertile crescent.” ~ The World’s History
1- Why did the death of the Prophet lead to conflict in the Islamic world?
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2- Who was Abu Bakr and why was he significant?
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3- Why was the Battle of Ajnadayn a turning point in the Islamic world?
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4- Define caliph.
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5- How did the Umayyad rise to power and change the Islamic world?
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6- Who was Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah and how did he rise to power? ________________
I. The Caliphate
A. When Muhammad died unexpectedly in 632, Abu Bakr became caliph
B. A Caliph is head of state, military commander, chief judge, religious leader
1. A Theocracy: government (caliphate) regarded as divinely guided
2. But no clear line of succession caused trouble
C. The First Four Caliphs
1. Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali
a) Ali was assassinated and was succeeded by his son, Hasan
b) Under pressure from prominent family in Mecca, Hasan relinquished title,
leading to establishment of Umayyad Dynasty
II. The Umayyad Dynasty
A. Capital moved to Damascus, Syria, although Mecca was always the spiritual center
B. Arabic became the official language of government
C. The empire extended as far as northern African and into Spain (ruled the southern
Iberian peninsula from the city of Córdoba)
1. Charles Martel, Frank, stopped Muslim advance towards Paris
D. Despite successes (the Dome of the Rock was built in Jerusalem and Córdoba was
one of the richest cities in Europe), problems with succession
1. Muslims split into two camps, Shi’ite and Sunni
a) Shi’ite (Shia) Islam holds that Mohammad’s son-in-law, Ali, was rightful heir
b) Sunnis believe that leaders should be drawn from the umma
c) As Shia began to assert themselves, Umayyad Dynasty went into decline
III. The Abbasid Dynasty
A. Abu al-Abbas defeated Umayyad and established Abbasid Dynasty
B. Established around 750 in all areas except Spain
C. Dates: 750 to 1258 (Until defeated by Mongols)
D. Experienced a golden age: arts and sciences flourished
1. Mohammad al-Razi published a massive medical encyclopedia
2. Expanded knowledge learned from India; contributions in algebra
E. Built a magnificent capital at Baghdad
F. Importance of trade: Merchants introduced the unique idea of credit
G. Papermaking – Learned from Chinese Prisoners of War
1. Defeated Tang Chinese army during the Battle of Talus River in 751 CE
2. Chinese prisoners of war were carrying paper money
H. Location of empire at crossroads of Europe/Asia allowed to monopolize trade
I. Preservation of Greek and Roman learning
1. A significant role in preserving Western culture (like the Byzantines)
J. Crusades and Rediscovery
1. Muslims and Christians battled for control of Levant (present-day Israel,
Jordan, Syria, Lebanon) during Crusades
2. Europe found its own history preserved in Arabic libraries
K. Often tolerant
1. Particularly of Jews and Christians (“People of the Book”)
L. Sufis
1. Islamic mysticswere its most effective missionaries
2. Stressed personal relationship with Allahmade Islam highly adaptable
1- Why was the Islamic Empire a theocracy?
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2- Define caliph and caliphate.
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3- What relation did the first four caliphs have to the Prophet?
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4- Who was the last caliph and what happened to the last caliph?
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5- Why was there a problem regarding succession in the Islamic world?
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6- What is the primary belief of Shi’a regarding the succession of the Prophet?
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7- What is the primary belief of Sunni regarding the succession of the Prophet?
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8- To which group [Sunni or Shi’a] do the majority of Muslims belong?
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9- How was the Umayyad Dynasty established?
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10- Where was the capital of the Umayyad Dynasty?
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11- What land in Western Europe did the Umayyad conquer?
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12- Why is the Battle of Tours considered a turning point in world history?
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13- What led to the collapse of the Umayyad Dynasty?
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14- What did the Islamic world experience during the Abbasid Dynasty?
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15- Identify two accomplishments of the Islamic golden age.
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16- Where was the capital of the Abbasid Dynasty?
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17- Why is the Battle of Talus River significant in world history?
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18- What advantages did Islamic Empires have regarding trade?
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19- What did the Islamic Empires preserve that the Byzantines also preserved?
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20- What were the Crusades?
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21- What did the Europeans discover during the Crusades?
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22- Why was the Islamic Empire considered religiously tolerant?
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23- Who were the Sufis and what did Sufis stress?
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1. Which Muslim groups overthrew the
Umayyad dynasty and set up a new
caliphate?
(A) Sassanids
(B) Seljuks
(C) Abbasids
(D) Swahilis
(E) Sunnis
2. Which of the following is true of the
Sufis?
(A) They were very effective missionaries
(B) They sought and emotional and
mystical union with Allah.
(C) They used emotional sermons and
song and dance to encourage devotion.
(D) They tolerated observances of some
non-Islamic customs.
(E) All of the above.
3. Which of the following was an
immediate effect of the initial Muslim
conquests of the seventh century C.E.?
(A) The elimination of Christianity and
Judaism from the Middle East
(B) The beginning of large-scale migration
of Turkic-speaking nomads from Central
Asia to the Middle East
(C) The weakening of the Byzantine
Empire and the collapse of other empires
(D) A decline in the social status of women
4. During Abbasid times, the Arabs
learned from China the technique of
making
(A) Fine silk.
(B) Wood block prints.
(C) Gunpowder and cannons.
(D) Paper.
(E) All of the above.
5. Which of the following is true of the
early caliphs?
(A) The early caliphs quickly rejected
many of Muhammad’s teachings.
(B) The caliph was strictly a political
leader, not a religious leader.
(C) The early caliphs were unanimously
agreed upon by the umma.
(D) The early caliphs concentrated on
religious doctrine, not expansion.
(E) None of the above.
6. The type of wall decoration illustrated
above would most commonly be found in a
(A) Stupa
(B) Mosque
(C) Cathedral
(D) Temple
(E) Marketplace
7. The split between Sunni and Shi’a
Muslims occurred as a result of
(A) Divergent interpretations of
religious texts
(B) Conflict over the translation of
liturgy into native languages
(C) Disagreement over leadership
succession issues
(D) A rift between more
fundamentalist and more liberal
branches of Islam
Thesis Practice:
Analyze changes and continuities in political and religious leadership from the death of the
Prophet in 632 to 1258 in the Islamic world.
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