The Muslim World& Africa

Unit #10

What is Islam?

The Origins of Islam

• Muhammad meditates in a cave on Mt. Hira.

• The angel Gabriel calls on Muhammad to become a messenger of God.

• Muhammad calls on Arabs to abandon old gods and submit to the Muslim God.

• Muhammad flees to Axum and then to Medina to escape persecution.

• Muhammad gathers followers in Medina and returns to take control of Mecca.

• Medina- city of the Prophet; located on the Arabian peninsula

What is Mecca?

Why is Mecca important to Muslims?

Mecca

• Muhammad returned to Mecca in 630 A.D.

• Kaaba (black shrine) was re-dedicated to Allah

• Located on the Arabian Peninsula

• Pilgrimage- Muslims who are able, are to make the journey to pray at the Kaaba in Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

What is the Quran?

The Quran

• According to Muslims- It contains the sacred word of God as revealed to Muhammad

• For Muslims it is the final authority on all matters discussed in the text

• It teaches what Muslims must believe to be God’s will and provides a guide to life.

• Ethical standards emphasized: honesty, generosity, and social justice.

• Sets penalties for crimes

The Five Pillars of Islam

Pillar Duty

Declaration of Faith When an individual becomes a Muslim, he or she recites the creed, “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”

Prayer Muslims pray five times a day: at dawn, at noon, at mid-afternoon, at sunset, and in the evening.

Charity, or Alms, for the Poor Observant Muslims are expected to care for others by giving a portion of their income to the poor.

Fasting Observant Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan.

Pilgrimage Muslims who are physically and financially able must make a pilgrimage to pray at the Kaaba in Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

Sunni & Shia

• Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s father-in-law)- Sunni• Caliph-Majority agreed successor to

Muhammad• United Arab Muslims under the first four

caliphs• Victory against neighboring Byzantine

and Persian Empires• 90% of modern Muslims

• Ali (Muhammad’s son-in-law)- Shiites• Believe that true successors are

descendants of Muhammad

Spread of Islam

• Muhammad dies

• Abu Bakr unifies followers

• Arab Muslims defeat Byzantines and Persians

• Umyyad caliphate established

• Umayyads- spread Islam west through North Africa as far as Spain• Conquered peoples were allowed to continue to practice their own religions

(Christianity and Judaism)

• Easternmost edge of Islam under Umayyads- Indus River Valley

• Abbasid caliphate is established

What is a caliphate?

Caliphate

• Caliphate: an Islamic state under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph, a person considered a political, religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of the entire ummah.

• Ummah- Arabic word meaning “community.” The whole community of Muslims bound together by ties of religion.

Umyyad Caliphate

Abbasid Caliphate

Muslim Innovations

• Hindu-Arabic numerals

• Algebra

• Advances in optics & surgery

• Concept of toothbrush

• Hospitals

Ottoman & Safavid Empires

• Invention of gunpowder- aided in the spread of the empires

• Ottoman leader Suleiman used diplomacy

• Christian men could advance through ranks by serving as janizaries.• Janizary- member of the infantry

• Ottomans benefited from the Jews in their empire• Jews knew about valuable technology and had financial connections

Why did Africa matter?

Africa

• Swahili- blends aspects of Bantu with Arabic

• Ghana- West African kingdom • Grew powerful, wealthy & incorporated aspects of Islam into its society

• Controlled the gold-salt routes

• Axum• Before A.D. 600- became a multicultural kingdom, with both Christian and

Jewish populations.

East Africa

• City-states along the coast developed & flourished

• Ocean travel to distant lands was possible

• Traders from as far away as Africa, China and India brought new ideas & wealth

• Region was a multicultural hub

• Swahili language represents the blending of cultures

North Africa

• Islam spread through conquest and via merchants.

• Rich land on the Mediterranean coast encouraged expansion of civilization.

• Nubia traded: gold, ivory & slaves

• Meroe’s economic & political strength rooted in natural resources: timber and iron

• Extended lineages: gave people a sense of community and shared responsibility

How did Islam affect Africa?

Africa

• Architecture of Great Zimbabwe- displays creativity, and the size suggests a strong, successful society

• Islam & Christianity spread through Africa• Islam played a significant part in government and business

• Muslim and Christian converts felt the One God was like their traditional supreme being.

• Brothers & Sons expected role in Africa’s matrilineal culture• Sons helped their mother’s brothers.

• Brothers protected their sisters.

Great Zimbabwe

Essay Prompts

• What factors led to the rapid growth of Islam following Muhammad’s death despite internal conflicts between Sunni and Shia?

• Connect East Africa’s geographic proximity to the Indian Ocean to its historic development. How might the region have developed differently if it were in an inland desert or mountainous area?