The Rise of Islam

• About 1/5 of the world’s people are Muslims

• Islam is the 2nd most widely followed religion in the world today

• The divisions between Islam branches continues to cause disagreement today

• It has given us cultural contributions as well– Algebra! Well…

WHAT IS ISLAM?

Pause in History

• Many of the things we have and will talk about are all going on at the same time

• We are “pausing history”

What is the Arabian Peninsula?

• Crossroads of 3 continents– Africa, Europe, and Asia

• Good for land?– Only a tiny strip of fertile land – the rest

desert

• So what does Arabia need?– Trade!

1. Why is Arabia’s location a good one for trade?2. Why was the location of Mecca ideal for the spread of ideas?

Allah

• Allah = One God (in Arabic)• Judaism and Christianity were

practiced• And now…570 A.D. Muhammad was

born

Muhammad, Part I

• Born into Meccan family

• Worked in the caravan trade when very young

• Heard the voice of the angel Gabriel– Believed he was the

last of the prophets

Muhammad, Part II• Began to teach:

– Allah was the one and only God (monotheistic)

– Islam = “submission to the will of Allah”– Muslim = “one who has submitted”

Muhammad, Part III• Because of hostility, he left Mecca to

go to Medina– Became known as the “Hijrah”

• Became a huge political, religious, and military leader in Medina

The Culmination of it All• Muhammad and 10,000

followers marched to outskirts of Mecca

• Mecca’s leaders surrendered• Destroyed the idols in the

“Ka’aba” and made a call to prayer from the roof

• Many pledged their loyalty and converted to Islam

• Muhammad died 3 years later

Ka’aba

Beliefs and Practices in Islam

• Only one God – Allah• In order to be a Muslim, all believers

have to carry out five duties– “Five Pillars of Islam”

Faith

• Must testify to this statement of faith:– “There is no God but Allah, and

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Prayer

• Muslims pray 5 times a day and face toward Mecca to pray

• May assemble at a mosque – Islamic house of

worship

Alms• Giving money to the poor through a

special religious tax• All Muslims have a responsibility to

support the less fortunate

Fasting• During the Islamic holy

month of Ramadan, Muslims fast between dawn and sunset – Ended Aug. 18

• Simple meal is eaten at the end of the day

• Spiritual needs are greater than their physical needs

Pilgrimage

• All Muslims who are physically and financially able perform the “hajj” or pilgrimage to Mecca at least once

• Pilgrims wear identical garments so that all stand as equals before Allah

Qur’an (or Koran)

• Holy book for Islam– Written in Arabic

• While Muhammad lived, his followers memorized and recited the revelations he received from Gabriel

Struggle for Power

• http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1592849,00.html

• “they agree on most of the important tenets of the faith, like the infallibility of the Koran, and they venerate the Prophet Muhammad.”

• “Sunnis and Shi'ites are fighting for a secular prize: political domination.”

SPREAD OF ISLAM

Muhammad’s dead…now what?• Muslim community

elected a loyal friend of Muhammad– Abu-Bakr became the

first caliph

• 4 “rightly guided” caliphs stretched the Muslim Empire 6,000 miles

• How did they get it so big?

• Ali was next in line• But assassinated

Islam Split into two sections

• Sunni v. Shi’a• What do you think they disagreed

about?• Who should be the next leader.