Islam: Empire of Faith

Vocabulary

  1. Nomad 2. Oasis 3. Clan 4. Allah 5. Monotheism 6. Pilgrimage 7. Islam 8. Muslim 9. Hijrah 10. Qur’an 11. Mosque 12. Caliph 13. Shi’a 14. Sunni 15. Coerced 16. Sacred 17. Dinar 18. Conceal 19. Stipends 20. Regime 21. Nobles

Life on Arabian Peninsula

  • The Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia is a vast area that is mainly a desert.
  • For centuries Arab people have lived as nomads.
  • There is little farmland, people travel looking for an Oasis.
  • Groups of people organize themselves into clans.
  • Peninsula is the crossroads of 3 continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe).
  • Trade Cities grow (map on pg. 87)
  • Merchants traded for animals, textiles, metals, crops, and spices such as pepper and saffron.
  • Many merchants and their caravans stop in Mecca, an important religious center.
  • Arabs associate the Ka’aba(88) with Abraham, an important figure in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions.
  • Abraham and his son Ishmael built the Ka’aba as a temple to God, Allah.
  • Islam is a Monotheistic religion.
  • Islam requires a journey to the sacred place of Mecca, called pilgrimage.

Islam and Muhammad

  • Muhammad was born around 570 C.E.
  • Was an orphan as a child and had to work the caravan trade.
  • At 25, he married a wealthy business woman (Khadijah).
  • People who believe in basic principles of Islam are called Muslim.
  • God spoke to Muhammad (around 40 years of age) through the angel Gabriel.
  • Message to Muhammad was “there is only one God and his name is Allah.”
  • In Arabic Islam means: peace through submission to the will of God.
  • Hijrah is the migration to Medina (Yathrib) in 622 C.E. when Muhammad and his followers fled Mecca after being persecuted.
  • Qur’an is the scriptures of the recited revelations from Allah toMuhammad.
  • Five pillars of Islam (Faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage).
  • A Mosque is the place (building) where Muslims gather for worship.
  • Muslims call Christians and Jews “people of the book,” because of their belief in one God and their book “the Bible.” Muslims believe the Qur’an is the final book and Muhammad the last prophet.
  • Religious tolerance.

Islam after Muhammad’s death

  • Muhammad dies in 632 C.E. without naming a successor and crisis begins.
  • Abu Bakr becomes first Caliph, title that means “successor.”
  • Some clans abandoned Islam and others refused to pay taxes.
  • Abu Bakr uses military force to reunite the Muslim community.
  • Abu Bakr dies in 634 and Ulmar rules until 644, his swift and disciplined armies conquered Syria and Lower Egypt-which were part of the Byzantine Empire.
  • Uthman and Ali expanded Muslim territory and completed the conquest of Persia.
  • By 661 the Empire included all of southwest Asia and stretched into North Africa.
  • Jews and Christians as people of the book received special treatment. Qur’an does not allow Muslims to force people to convert.
  • Many were attracted by message of equality and hope for salvation. Also, Muslims did not have to pay certain taxes.
  • In 656 the Umayyads seize power.
  • The Umayyads set up a hereditary dynasty. Moved the capital from Medina to Damascus. This creates a division in Islamic community.
  • Those who believe that the Caliphs should always be a relative of the prophet are called Shi’a, those who accepted the rule of elected Caliphs are called Sunni.