Download unit 3: the world in transition

UNIT 3: THE WORLD IN TRANSITION
CHAPTER 11: THE ISLAMIC WORLD
Section 1: The Rise of Islam
I. Arabia: Its Geography & People

the Arabian Peninsula is bordered on the south by the Arabian Sea, on the east by the Persian Gulf,
on the west by the Red Sea, & to the north by the Syrian Desert; except for narrow strips along the
coasts, most of the Arabian Peninsula is desert

Bedouins - nomadic Arab herders of sheep & camel
II. The Prophet Muhammad

Muhammad - founder of Islam

Hijrah - migration of Muhammad & his followers in A.D. 622, marking the first year in the Muslim
calendar

Islam - religion based on Muhammad’s teachings & ideas that began spreading throughout Arab
tribes in the A.D. 600s
IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAM
C. A.D. 610
A.D. 622
Muhammad’s
vision
The hijrah
A.D. 630
Conquest of Mecca;
destruction of idols
A.D. 632
Muhammad
dies
III. The Faith of Islam
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
the profession of faith
the 5 daily prayers
paying zakat
fasting during the holy month of Ramadan
making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if possible

Muslims - followers of the religion of Islam

the largest Muslim communities are in Asia, North Africa, & parts of eastern Europe

Qur’an - holy book of Islam; according to Muslims, the word of God as revealed to Muhammad

jihad - teaching of Islam to defend the faith; some Muslims believed that anyone who died in this
struggle would be rewarded in heaven

mosques - Muslim places of worship

mosques have no furnishings, only mats or rugs on which to kneel, & they never contain images
of people or even animals

there is no official clergy in Islam; men who are trained in the Qur’an & Islamic law guide the
people in worship
Section 2: The Spread of Islam
I. Expansion Under Abū Bakr & ’Umar

Abū Bakr - Muhammad’s successor

caliph - title meaning “successor to the Prophet” used in government & religion in Islamic society

to spread Islam, Abū Bakr & ´Umar unified Arabic tribes & conquered neighboring non-Muslim lands
II. The Islamic Community Divides

Sunni - branch of Islam formed in the A.D. 600s that believed agreement among Muslim people
should settle religious & worldly matters

Shi’ah - branch of Islam formed in the A.D. 600s that believed only imams (spiritual leaders who
should be direct descendants of Muhammad) should decide religious & worldly matters
III. The Empire Continues to Spread
A. The Moors

Moors - Muslims who made Spain their home in the A.D. 700s

the great era of Arab Muslim expansion lasted until the 1100s when the Turks became the
ruling force in Islam
B. The Turks & Islam

sultan - ruler of the Turks who claimed to serve the Muslim caliph
AREAS CONQUERED DURING THE EXPANSION OF THE MUSLIM EMPIRE
Years
Areas
Arabs
A.D. 637-1100s
Iraq, parts of Syria, Persia, North
Africa, Spain
Turks
A.D. 900s-1250
Baghdad, Syria, much of Asia Minor,
Mesopotamia, northern India
Section 3: Islamic Civilization
I. A Culture of Traders

the Muslim Empire was at the center of a world trade network that linked Europe, Asia, & Africa

items that Muslims produced & traded: silk, cotton, & wooden textiles, woven tapestries, carpets,
metal products, jewelry, perfumes, & leather goods

many Europeans viewed the Muslim world as a source of advanced knowledge in many scientific
areas & in banking & commerce
II. Government & Society

disputes over succession to the position of caliph led to the breakup of the empire into 3 areas,
or caliphates, ruled by caliphs in Baghdad, Cairo, or Córdoba

the Qur’an guided both religious life & daily life—there was no separation

slavery was common in Arabia

the family was the core of Muslim daily life; the elderly were particularly respected

parents usually arranged marriages for their children; however, the Qur’an gave a woman the
right to refuse the arrangement

the Qur’an restricted a Muslim man to 4 wives, & he had to treat them equally

Muslim women enjoyed more freedom than most women at the time; later, however, women
began to be secluded & lost some rights

the family & the mosque took responsibility for education
III. The Sciences
MUSLIM CULTURE
Manufactures
Science &
Medicine
Mathematics
Geography
Silk, cotton, & wool
Metal products from gold & silver
Steel swords
Jewelry, perfumes, & spices
Pottery & glassware
Fine leather
Pharmaceutical drugs
Medical encyclopedia compiled
Diagnosis of
disease
Ideas concerning hygiene
Public hospitals
First
school of pharmacy
Surgical instruction & processes
Techniques of dissection to study anatomy
Algebra
Arabic numerals
Spread mathematical ideas to Europ
Use of decimals
Made better maps
Developed a more accurate method to measure distance on Earth
Improved the astrolabe (instrument used to calculate latitude by looking at
stars)
IV. The Arts

Islamic teaching forbids the use of images to show God; instead, artists created beautiful
geometric & floral designs

architecture became one of the greatest forms of Islamic art

the first Islamic mosques were modeled after Muhammad’s private courtyard at Medina, where
he had led the community in prayer

over time, the design of many mosques became more elaborate

the Islamic Empire also produced outstanding poetry & literature

The Thousand & One Nights - popular collection of Muslim folktales
WORLD RELIGIONS
Sacred
Figure
Sacred
Creature
Sacred Site
Sacred
Symbol /
Object
Sacred Text
Special Day
Passover
Judaism
Abraham
N/A
Jerusalem
Star of David
The Torah
Rosh Ha-Shanah
Yom Kippur
Hanukkah
Varanas
The Vedas
Festival of Holi
N/A
Bhagavad
Gita
Diwali, or Deepavali
(Festival of Lights)
Hinduism
Mahavira
Cow
Buddhism
Siddhartha
Gautama
N/A
Bodgaya
Statues of
Buddha
The Pali
Canon
Buddha Day
Confucianism
Confucius
N/A
Confucian
temple
Yin-yang
Analects
Teacher’s Day
Christianity
Jesus
N/A
Cross
The Bible
Ganges River
Bethlehem
Jerusalem
Mecca
Islam
Muhammad
N/A
Al-Madīnah
Jerusalem
Christmas
Easter
Fast of Ramadan
Prayer rugs
Qur’an
‘Īd al-Fitr
‘Īd al-Adha