Islam after the Death of Muhammad

9/19/13

• Muhammad died in 632.

• Islam had spread throughout Arabia.

• Muslims elected, or chose, Abu Bakr

to be the new leader.

Caliph• A caliph is the leader of the Muslim

community• Abu Bakr was the first caliph• The caliph was both the religious

and political leader• In Islam, there is no separation

between church and state

• The first 4 caliphs (632-661) are known as the ‘rightly guided caliphs’

• These caliphs all knew Muhammad

• They used the military to spread Islam

Spread of Islam

Reasons for Islam’s SpreadA. the strength of the Islamic world’s

economy and culture • Arabia was at the center of many trade

routes• They had a lot of money $$$

• They sold textiles, or clothes, spices, and jewelry

• B. the training of Muslim soldiers and the use of advanced military techniques

• Muslims use camel soldiersto defeat disorganized enemies

• C. the disorganization and internal divisions of Islam’s enemies

• United Muslims were too much for weak Byzantine and Persian Empires

• Many tribes welcome Muslims as liberators – people who give freedom

• D. the resistance and/or assimilation of Christianized peoples in the Mediterranean

• Many Christians and Jews in Muslim lands didn’t want to become Muslims

• Muslims showed tolerance, or acceptance, towards Christians and Jews