ISLAM

Muhammad ~ founder Born around 570, he was

an orphan. He worked as a

shepherd, became a merchant, and married a wealthy older widow who owned a caravan trading business.

They lived in Mecca, an important trading city in Arabia, and home to the Kaaba - a sacred shrine that housed images of the Arab gods and a black stone the Arabs believed was sent from God.

Vision Troubled by moral decay and

polytheistic idol worship, he often went to pray and meditate in a desert cave.

At age 40, the angel Gabriel delivered a message from God.

God chose Muhammad to be his prophet.

Muhammad must proclaim that Allah, or God, was the one and only God.

Hijra Muhammad’s

departure from Mecca to Medina in 622.

The merchants and innkeepers of Mecca opposed his preaching because they feared it would stop pilgrims from coming to the Kaaba and patronizing their businesses. His life was threatened.

He was welcomed at the city of Yathrib, which later became Medina, (City of the Prophet) in 622.

It is the first year of the Muslim calendar.

Return to Mecca In 630, Muhammad

returned to Mecca with an army and captured the city.

He went directly to the Kaaba.

He proclaimed, “There is but one God, and Allah is his name.”

He destroyed hundreds of idols inside the Kaaba, but left the black stone untouched since he believed it came from God.

Five Pillars of Islam1. belief in one God -

Allah2. daily prayer (five

times a day)3. giving charity to the

poor4. fasting from sunrise

to sunset during the month of Ramadan

5. hajj - a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime

Details Islam means

submission. Muslims – believers in

the Islamic faith Allah is God’s name in

Arabic. Mosque - Muslim

meeting place and house of worship.

Quran – holy book Jihad – effort in God’s

service and/or holy war.

More Details Sharia – body of law

interpreting the Quran and applying its teachings to daily life: moral conduct, family life, business practices, government.

Judaism and Christianity are related religions that worship the same God as Islam.

Jews and Christians are “People of the Book” -- respected because the Old and New Testament are also considered to be the word of God.

Reasons for Conversion Byzantine and Persian

empires were weak and Arabs were seen as liberators

simple and direct message of Islam

military success was seen as a sign of God’s favor

lack of a religious hierarchy and class of priests

Islam emphasized the equality of all believers

Treatment of Non-Converts

Polytheists who chose not to convert were treated poorly.

Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians could continue to practice their faith and follow their own laws, but had to pay a non-Muslim tax.

Umayyad Dynasty ~ 661-750

capital - Damascus in Syria

Mecca remained the spiritual center

enlarged empire to include from Spain to the Indus River

non-Arab Muslims had few rights

Abbassid Dynasty ~ 750-1258

lost control of northern Africa and Spain

capital - Baghdad - “City of Peace”

ended Arab dominance - Islam became a universal religion

Muslim Rule in Northern India

1206 - 1526 created Delhi Sultanate holy war against pagan

Hindus and remaining Buddhists

later accepted Hinduism as a monotheistic religion

Hindus treated better - had to pay non-Muslim tax

many lower-caste people converted

Sikhism - blended Muslim and Hindu beliefs

Mughal India 1526-1857 built up the empire

- policy of toleration won support of Hindus

Ottoman Empire 1453-1918 Sunnis Byzantine Empire -

Turkey reunited Egypt,

Syria, Iraq, and Arabia into an Islamic state

Safavid Empire early 1500s - late

1700s Shiites Persia - Iran revived glory of

ancient Persia - tolerated non-Muslims

Culture Islamic civilization

drew on the rich heritage of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Persian, and Indian cultures.

Slavery brought from

conquered lands Islamic law

encouraged the freeing of slaveschildren of converts

and spouse

Economy center of trade for

Asia, Africa, and Europe

advances in trade: banks, letters of credit, bills of exchange, lines of credit, partnerships, receipts, inventory lists

religion of Islam was peacefully spread along these trade routes

Art artists were

forbidden to portray God or human figures in religious art

humans and animals were in non-religious art

abstract or geometric patterns

calligraphy

Architecture domes, arches,

minarets

Learning Muhammad promoted

education. Philosophy ~ translated Greek,

Hindu, and Buddhist texts Mathematics ~ algebra and

trigonometry Astronomy ~ predicted eclipses,

developed astronomical tables, round earth, correct estimate of earth’s circumference, earth spinning on its axis

Inventions ~ mariner’s compass & astrolabe

Medicine ~ most advanced in the world at that time: hospitals, pharmaceuticals, emergency care