The World of Islam Part #1

From the Internet

The World of Islam Part #1

Description of the origin, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Islam

Origins of Islam • Muhammad, the Prophet • Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula: Early Muslim cities

Spread of Islam • Across Asia and Africa, and into Spain • Geographic extent of first Muslim empire

Beliefs, traditions, and customs of Islam • Monotheism (Allah, Arabic word for “God”) • Quran: The word of God • Five pillars of Islam • Acceptance of Judeo-Christian prophets, including Moses and Jesus

Assessing the influence of geography on Islamic economic, social, and political development, including the impact of conquest and trade

Geographic influences on the origin and spread of Islam • Diffusion along trade routes from Mecca and Medina • Expansion despite great distances, desert environments, and mountain barriers • Spread into the Fertile Crescent, Iran, and Central Asia, facilitated by weak Byzantine and Persian empires

Geographic influences on economic, social, and political development • Political unity of the first Muslim empire was short-lived. • Arabic language spread with Islam and facilitated trade across Islamic lands. • Slavery was not based on race.

Identifying historical turning points that affected the spread and influence of Islamic civilization, with emphasis on the Sunni-Shi’a division, and the Battle of Tours

Historical turning points • Death of Ali - Sunni-Shi’a division • Muslim conquest of Jerusalem and Damascus • Islamic capital moved to Baghdad • Muslim defeat at the Battle of Tours • Fall of Baghdad to the Mongols

Citing cultural and scientific contributions and achievements of Islamic civilization.

Cultural contributions and achievements • Architecture (Dome of the Rock) • Mosaics • Arabic alphabet • Universities • Translation of ancient texts into Arabic

Scientific contributions and achievements • Arabic numerals (adapted from India, including zero) • Algebra • Medicine • Expansion of geographic knowledge

The Rise of IslamThe Arabs

Arose in the Arabian Peninsula and influenced Western Asia and beyond.

They were a nomadic, Semitic-speaking people who lived in the arid climate of the Arabian Peninsula.

The environment was harsh, they were organized into tribes and were led by a sheikh who was chosen from a council of elders. The tribes were independent, but worked together

Before Islam: Early Religion

Most Early Arabs were polytheistic, many recognized a chief, or supreme god who they called Allah which is Arabic for “God.” They worshiped idols.

The Ka’ba was located in the city of Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia.

Trade

The Arabian Peninsula became an important center for trade. The city of Mecca became rich from the caravan trade traffic which passed through the area.

The camel enabled traffic to cross the deserts and as empires grew up in the region trade increased greatly.

As the merchants became rich from the Caravan traffic the life of the poor people of the area suffered.

The Life of Muhammad

Muhammad was born in Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia to a merchant family. His father died before he was born, and his mother died when he was young. He ended up living with his uncle who was a merchant and he became a caravan manager.

Muhammad in

Arabic Calligraphy

Muhammad married an older widow named Khadijah.

Over time, he found the richness and corruption of the merchants and townspeople to be extremely troubling.

He decided to visit the mountain to meditate. Muslims believe that while he was meditating in the mountain he received revelations from God through the Angel Gabriel.

Muhammad’s Revelation

The Angel Gabriel told Muhammad to recite what he heard, it was believed that Allah had already revealed His message through Moses and Jesus, but now had the Final revelation for man.

This final revelation became the religion of Islam. Which means submission to the will of God.

The Quran

The revelations to Muhammad were written down by scribes and became known as The Quran, which is the holy book of Islam.

The Quran contains ethical guidelines and laws by which Muslims (followers of Islam) should live their lives.

The Nature of The QuranThe Quran is written in Arabic.

The Quran is considered to only be true when it is written in its original language. Translations are thought to lose the true meaning of the original words which are believed to be a direct Revelation from God.

The Muslim observance of Ramadhan also commemorates the recording of the holy text.

After the RevelationAfter Muhammad received his revelation he went to

his wife Khadijah, she was his first convert to the new religion.

He began to try to convert the people of Mecca to his message, but with limited success. After thirteen years he was welcomed in the city of Yathrib, which later became Medina. This flight, or migration, is known as the Hijrah and marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. This was in the year 622 CE.

Acceptance in the city of the Prophet

In Yathrib, renamed Medina (which means the city of the prophet) Muhammad was welcomed and gained followers steadily.

Two tribes which converted to the new religion of Islam were known as Khazraj and Aus. This new community became the first to practice the religion collectively.

Muhammad was both a spiritual and political leader, there was not an idea of the separation of church and state. He conquered the city of Mecca without a bloodshed, and forgave his enemies.

The Ka’baAfter Muhammad took the city

of Mecca he cleansed the Ka’ba of idols and dedicated it to God Almighty.

All Muslims are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to Mecca (known as the Haj) at least once in their life if they are physically and financially able.

The Teachings of MuhammadIslam is Monotheistic, like Judaism and Christianity.

Islam teaches a belief in an afterlife, those who hope to achieve this afterlife must submit to the will of Allah.

Muslims do not believe that Muhammad was divine, they believe that he was a man.

Islam is seen not just as a religion, but as a way of life.

Muslims believe that Islam was God’s final revelation for mankind. Muslims feel that in order to achieve salvation that they must obey the will of Allah, or God.

In order to do this they must follow the five major principles of Islam known as the Five Pillars of Islam.

The Five Pillars of Islam• 1-Declaration of Faith– Muslims must state that there is no Deity but Allah

and Muhammad is his prophet.

• 2. Daily Prayer– Muslims pray five times a day facing the Ka’ba in

Mecca. • Pre Dawn• Noon• Afternoon• Sunset• Evening

Five Pillars Continued . . .

3. Charity– Muslims are supposed to help others and donate

part of their income to charity.

4. Fasting-RamadhanMuslims must fast from dawn to sunset during the holy month of Ramadhan which celebrates the recording of the Quran.

Haj• 5. Pilgrimage: Haj– The fifth pillar of Islam is the Haj. – Once in a lifetime, if they are physically and

financially able , Muslims are to journey to Mecca (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia and perform the rituals of the Haj.

Islamic Law• After the death of Muhammad there were further

interpretations of his teachings. These are known as the Hadith. There are different versions of the Hadith for different branches of Islam.

• These teachings were further interpreted in the Shari’ah. This is a set of laws which regulate many aspects of Muslim life. It does not separate between church and state and covers family life, business, government, and moral conduct.

• Muslims are expected to practice honesty and justice in dealing with others and are forbidden to gamble, eat pork, drink alcohol, or engage in dishonest behavior.

Facts about Islam

• Quran (Koran)-Holy book of Islam

• Muslim- A follower of Islam

• Mosque- A Muslim House of Worship

• Minarets- The towers located on a Mosque from which the Mu’athin calls the faithful to prayer.

Minaret

The Arab Empire and its Successors

Creation of an Arab Empire• After the death of Muhammad, unity was difficult to

maintain.• The friend and father-in-law of Muhammad, Abu

Bakr, was chosen to be the first Caliph, or successor to Muhammad.

• Abu Bakr helped to unify the Muslim world and expanded in Arabia and beyond.

• Under the idea of jihad, or “struggle in the way of God” the early Muslims expanded their territory. The believed that defensive warfare was permitted by the Quran.

Arab Rule• The Arabs were now united and had expanded their

territory instead of fighting each other. • They defeated the Byzantine army in 636 taking the

province of Syria. By 642 they took Egypt and by 650 they controlled the Persian Empire

After Abu Bakr died Omar became the next Khalifa.

The 2nd and 3rd Khalifas were both assassinated.

After that Ali (Muhammad’s son-in-law) wasElected as the Khalifa, but five years later he too was assassinated.

Administration• Muslims administrators were fairly tolerant of

the people they defeated.

• Initially, both Christians and Jews were allowed to practice their religions because they were “People of the Book” who had written scriptures revealed to them by God before the time of Muhammad. Those who chose not to convert had to be loyal to the Muslim state and pay a special tax.

The Umayya Dynasty• At the beginning of the eighth century

Islam had expanded across northern Africa and had converted the Berbers (a pastoral people along the Mediterranean coast) to the faith.

• By 710 combined Berber and Arab forces crossed the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain and had taken most of the country by 725. In 732, however, the Muslim advance into Europe was halted at the Battle of Tours.

• By 750 the Muslim advance came to an end. The southern and eastern Mediterranean and parts of the old Roman Empire were now Muslim territory.

• The Umayyad Dynasty was centered in Damascus, in modern-day Syria and was wealthy. This was also a very diverse empire as many different peoples had been conquered in new territory.

• The diversity helped lead to a split within the Islamic faith

A Split in Islam

• Many non-Arab Muslims resent the favoritism which the Umayya Empire showed toward Arabs.

• The large empire was difficult to rule efficiently and there were financial problems as well.

Umayya Architecture

Thank you

May God Bless you.