Islam Notes

Islam

Submission to the will of Allah

I. The Rise and Spread of Islam

The Arabian Peninsula which is modern-day Saudi Arabia was occupied by herders called Bedouins. They were organized into tribes headed by a sheik. In the interior, the Bedouins raised livestock while people along the coast became involved in trade.

Mecca

Medina

The Life of Muhammad

Muhammad is the Prophet of Islam. He was born in the city of Mecca around A.D. 590. At the age of 40, he had a vision of the angel Gabriel to teach the word of Allah, the Muslim god. Muhammad went against the pagan polytheists who worshiped idols in the Kaaba which was originally a pagan temple.

The Kaaba

The pagans opposed the monotheistic teachings of the Muhammad and forced him to leave Mecca and to move to Yathrib or Medina. This event is called the hajj. Today, a hajj is a pilgrimage (a holy trip) to one of the Islamic holy cities. While in Medina, Muhammad’s support grew and eventually he would return to Mecca where in 630, he took over the city and destroyed the pagan idols that were in the Kaaba. He then issued a call to prayer on the roof of the Kaaba.

The Islamic Faith

Islam is a monotheistic religion. Allah isthe one god. It has ties to two otherreligions: Judaism and Christianity. The holy book of Islam is the Quran alsospelled Koran, which was written in Arabic.

Allah

Muhammad

5 Pillars of Faith:

1. Making a profession of faith• There is only one God, Allah, and

Muhammad is his prophet.

Praying 5 times a day, facing Mecca• Mecca is the holy city of

Islam. • Location of the Kaaba

Giving alms to the poor

Give food, clothing, money, or assistance to the poor.

Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan

• Going Going without food without food or or drinkdrink from first from first light to sunset.light to sunset.

• This is the most sacred time in Islam, it is This is the most sacred time in Islam, it is when the Archangel Gabriel gave God’s when the Archangel Gabriel gave God’s message to Muhammad.message to Muhammad.

• 99thth Month Month of the Islamic Calendarof the Islamic Calendar

5. Making a pilgrimage called the hajj to one of the holy cities:

• Mecca or Medina• Muslims should all go to Mecca at least

once in their lifetime. In Mecca, they go to the Kaaba which is now

an altar to Allah

Islamic Beliefs

It is forbidden to drink alcohol and to eat pork. Although polygamy was not part of Muhammad’s teachings, it is practiced in Islamic countries. Slavery was allowed but Muhammad recommended that good Muslims should let slaves go free.

Slavery was not based on race.

Muhammad taught that there would be a struggle to protect the religion. This struggle is called the jihad. He taught that if a Muslim died fighting in a jihad, he would be considered a martyr and would go to Paradise.

Muslims gather to worship in a mosque. Four tall towers called minarets stand around the mosque and with the central dome are meant to represent the Five Pillars of the Faith.

The Spread of Islam

Caliph: successor, deputy – the title for theperson charged with spreading the message ofIslam. The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, & Ali personallyknew Muhammad. These men spread Islam through conquest.

The Islamic empire spread to the followingplaces: Arabian Peninsula, North Africa,Fertile Crescent and Central Asia.

Muslim invasion of Europe was stopped atthe Battle of Tours in A.D. 732 by the Franksled by Mayor of the Palace Charles Martel(the Hammer). Europe would remainChristian.

*Battle of Tours 732

Geographic influences on the spread of Islam: 

• Diffusion along the trade routes from Mecca and Medina

•  Expansion despite great distances, desert environments & mountain barriers

• Spread was facilitated by weak Byzantine &Persian empires.

• Arabic spread with Islam and facilitated trade

Today Islam is in China

Sunni and Shi’a Split

Ali was the 4th Rightly Guided Caliph and son-in-law of Muhammad. After Ali’s death, Islam split into two factions:

Shi’a Muslims: believe that the leader should be a descendant of Ali. The leader is called an Imam. Only about 10% of all Muslims are Shi’a

Sunni Muslims: believe that the leader could come from any family. The leader is called a caliph. Most Muslims are Sunni.

Turning Points

• Islam spread to Jerusalem in Palestine and to Damascus in Syria.• Islamic capital became Baghdad in Iraq.• Caliphates were divisions of the Islamic

empire. There were caliphates in Damascus, which is now the capital of Syria, and in Cairo which is the capital of Egypt.

Cultural Contributions & Achievements

• Architecture: Dome of the Rock; Taj Mahal• Mosaics• Arabic Alphabet• Universities• Translations of Greek & Roman texts into Arabic which helped to preserve classical writings

Inside Dome of the Rock

The Taj Mahal

Scientific Contributions & Achievements

• Arabic numerals which were adapted from India. 0-9 is used today in American math classes.

• Medicine: Al Razi created an encyclopedia of medicine

• Algebra was first used by Arabs

Science continued

• Expansion of geographic knowledge through advanced cartography or map making. Arab map making skills were taught in European navigational schools and were used by explorers such as Christopher Columbus.