The Islamic World

• Arabs–started on the Arabian peninsula

• Tribes– leader of each was called the sheikh–Bedouins were the dominant tribe–most were nomadic

• Bedouin Religion–Polytheistic

• They traced their roots to Abraham and his son Ishmael

• The tribes believe that they both built the Makkah (Mecca) – the black stone (Kaaba)

• There was a supreme god in their polytheism– called Allah

• Enter Muhammad–Arab’s poor and enslaved were treated

harshly–Muhammad was born into a merchant

family• married a rich widow• often meditated in the hills near Mecca• while meditating the angel Gabriel revealed a

message from Allah

• Birth of Islam– the message of Allah was written

down in the Quran (or Koran)

–Muhammad went and preached his new message• after 3 years, he had only 30 followers

–moved to Medina in 622 (year 1 of the Islamic calendar)

• Growth of Islam–Converted many desert-dwelling

Bedouins–Muhammad saw no separation between

politics and religion• he became the sole leader of his group (spiritually,

politically, and militarily)• he fought against some of the upper class from

Mecca and won

• Growth of Islam– in 630, he attacked Mecca with 10,000

men– the city surrendered and converted– took over the Kaaba, and claimed it the

primary shrine of Islam

• Message of Islam–Muhammad is not divine, but a prophet–practice the 5 Pillars of Islam– religious law (Shari’ah) – laws to

regulate daily life• keeps religious and political dealings as one • they cannot eat pork, drink alcohol, or gamble• they can have up to four wives

• The Five Pillars1. Shahada – “There is no god but Allah, and

Muhammad is his messenger”2. Salah - Pray 5 times a day3. Suam – Fasting during Ramadan from sunrise to

sun set4. Zakah – giving alms to the poor5. Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca once during your life

LA ILAHA ILL ALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASOOL ALLAH

THERE IS NO GOD ONLY ALLAH, MUHAMMAD IS THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH

• Arab Empire–successor to Muhammad was

Abu Bakr, was named caliph (king)• slowly conquered Arabia, Egypt, N. Africa, Syria,

Mesopotamia, and Persia• declared jihad on enemies. “struggle in the way of

God”• they believed they would be assured a place in

Paradise if they died in battle

• Islamic Schism–Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, took over

as the new caliph• Ali was assassinated

–Ali’s rival took over, made the caliphate hereditary• Ali’s son, Hussein rebelled

–Shiites• accepted only descendants of Ali as true believers

of Islam• live predominantly in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and part of

Lebanon– Sunnis

• accepted the Umayyad’s rule, Ali’s rivals• live in Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey,

Afghanistan, Pakistan and in SE and Central Asia, and N. and E. Africa

• Gifts of Islam–Science

• kept the sciences of the Greeks during the Dark Ages and improved on many of their inventions such as the astrolabe

• helped to chart the position of the stars to find one’s position on earth’s surface

• Ibn Buttutah was one of the first to create maps from Europe to China in the 1320s

• Muslim scholars combined the Indian number system with the Greek mathematics system

• the major medieval medical texts came from the Muslims – Avicenna/Ibn Sina

• created the first pharmacy school and learned how to treat smallpox

–Philosophy• Sufism

– Sufis believe they can find God’s love by having a personal relationship with Allah

–Literature• Omar Khayyam – famous Sufi poet• The Thousand and One Nights or

The Arabian Nights– a collection of Western and South Asian short

stories– Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Sinbad, and Ali

Baba among others were included but are not original and were added into European versions

–Architecture• Mosques

– has huge hall where people pray

– usually 4 minarets where people are called to prayer

– Mihrab is the most sacred part of the mosque that points the way toward Mecca

–Art• no people or animals

– Believe only Allah can create humans and animals or their images (if you do, then you are trying to be Allah)

• instead the use complex patterns and calligraphy