Muhammad

& the Foundation of Islam

Europe

Asia

Africa

Arabian Peninsula – Crossroads of 3 Continents?

Influences came from all parts of the known world!

Israel

Influences on Islam

●1.Native Bedouins●2.City of Mecca●3.Hanifs & idea of Monotheism

Bedouins

● Nomads ● Desert Dwellers

● survive on gifts of

Oasis● Clans & Tribes● Great fighting ability● Ideals of courage &

loyalty to family influence Islam

Mecca

● Important stop on trade routes

● Pilgrims worship at ancient house of worship

● the Ka’aba● Arabs associate Ka’aba

w/Abraham● contained idols

representing polytheistic religions.

Hanifs

● Hanifs ● Arabs who believed

in only one God –

Allah – Arabic for God

● Christians & Jews also resided on Peninsula

Muhammad

● Born 570 CE to powerful Meccan family

● Orphaned at early age: raised by Grandfather & Uncle

● Worked in caravan trade

● Married woman who owned the business – Khadijah.

The Revelations● Always had interest in

religion● Age 40, voice called to him

while he meditated outside a cave

● Voice was angel Gabriel● ‘revealed’ messages of God● Muhammad to deliver

messages to people● Gabriel delivered many

messages (Revelations) to Muhammad

● Muhammad convinced he was last of the prophets

The Revelations● Allah

● one & only God ● other gods must be

abandoned● Islam = submission to

the will of Allah● Muslim = one who

submits to will of Allah● Rejection

● Fear that Mecca would be rejected as pilgrimage center

● Followers persecuted.

(5:32)

The Hijrah● Muhammad & followers

escape Mecca ● 622 - settled in city of

Yathrib● Migration called the Hijrah● In Yathrib, Muhammad found

acceptance as both religious & political leader

● Yathrib renamed Medina – City of the Prophet

● Significance? = preserves Islam

Return to Mecca● Accepted by Bedouin tribes● Muslims & Meccans

continued to fight until Mecca’s decline

● 630 CE- Muhammad & followers march to Mecca – Meccan leaders surrendered

● Muhammad goes to Ka’aba● Destroys idols● made call to prayer from

roof● Meccans accept

Muhammad’s leadership & convert to Islam

The Spread of Islam

Reasons for Quick Spread

1.Byzantine & Persian Empires had weakened

Reasons for Quick Spread

2. Christians/Jews not forced to convert, but Polytheists were… - Most willingly to do so because Islam promised “equality”

Reasons for Quick Spread

3. Muhammad called for “Jihad” (Holy War against non-believers) - motivated Arab armies

Beliefs & Practices of Islam

● 1 god – Allah● Good/Evil exists● Free Will● Final judgment day ● Heaven/Hell● Qur’an (Koran) =

Holy Book (3:36)

5 Pillars of Islam

1. Faith● “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the

messenger of Allah”

5 Pillars of Islam

2. Prayer● 5 times a day● May assemble in

Mosque – Islamic house of worship

● To bring them closer to Allah

● Pray towards Mecca

5 Pillars of Islam

3. Alms● Support of those less fortunate● Religious tax● charity

5 Pillars of Islam

4. Fasting● Holy month of Ramadan

● (9th month of Islamic calendar – month during which Qur’an was revealed)

● No drinking/eating between dawn/dusk

● Reminds Muslims of greater needs

5 Pillars of Islam

5. Pilgrimage● Also known as Hajj● Made to Mecca at

least once in a lifetime

(00:34)

Muslim way of life

● Personal lives not separated from religious lives

● Forbidden to eat pork or drink alcoholic beverages

● Friday afternoons are for communal prayer – the Mosque

● No priests or central religious authority

● Imams – prayer leaders in Mosques

Sources of Authority

1.Allah 1.expressed his will to

Muhammad through Gabriel2.Qur’an

1.Only Arabic version is true

3.Sunna1.Muhammad’s example2.Best model for proper

living4.Shari’a

1.Body of law = family life, moral conduct, business & community life

People of the BookJews, Christians, & Muslims

● Allah same God worshipped by Jews/ Christians

● Qur’an word of Allah; same as Old Testament for Jews & New Testament for Christians

● Belief in Heaven & Hell & afterlife

● All three trace ancestry to Abraham

What is a Caliph?

● “successor” or “deputy”

● 1st caliph = Abu Bakr in 632

● chosen because of connection to Muhammad

Who were the “Rightly Guided” Caliphs?

● 1st 4 leaders after Muhammad

● Named “Rightly Guided” due to close connection w/ Muhammad.

● 1st 4 Caliphs were:● Abu Bakr ● Umar ● Uthman ● Ali.

Rule in the Caliphates

● 6,000 Miles

● Because of tolerance, seen

as liberators

Internal Conflict

● 656 - Uthman murdered

● Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, natural successor

● Uthman’s son Mu’awiya challenged Ali’s succession

● belief that Ali’s supporters had murdered Uthman.

Internal Conflict

● Ali & Mu’awiya came to understanding

● Ali murdered by disillusioned follower.

● Ali’s son, in fear, refused to become caliph.

● Mu’awiyah & son begin new dynasty – The Umayyad

Islamic Succession

Muhammad

Abu Bakr Umar Uthman

Mu’awiyah

Ali

Shi’a

Sunni

Islamic Dynasties

1.Umayyad (661-750)

2.Abbasid (750-1258)

●Help to spread ideas of Muslim faith

●create Muslim Empire

(3:53)

The Dynasties

● Umayyad● 661-750● Began when

Mu’awiyah became Caliph

● Capital = Damascus● Set up hereditary

system of succession

● Surround themselves w/wealth (Big No-No)

● Abbasid● 750-1258● Began as protest to

Umayyad● Capital = Baghdad● Create strong

bureaucracy● Open diplomacy w/

European states

Sunni – Shi’a Split

● Sunni● Support Umayyad

Dynasty● Majority ● Imam = prayer leader

only● Any righteous

Muslim may be Caliph

● Shi’a● Followers of Ali &

family● Minority● Imam = spiritual

leader● Descendent of Ali &

Fatima must be Caliph

Sufis

Muslim mysticsFound in both Sunni & Shi’a branchesSought communion with Allah through Meditation, Fasting, & other ritualsHelped to spread Islam

End of the Spread of Islam●Battle of Tours (732)

●Frankish king, Charles Martel stops Muslim advance into Europe

●Mongols capture Baghdad (1258)

●Grandson of Genghis Khan burns city & kills last Abbasid caliph

Let’s Review!!!!

Name the founder of Islam. Muhammad

Followers of Islam saw Muhammad as which of the following: god, messiah, or prophet.

Prophet

What was Muhammad’s original occupation?

Trader - merchant

What are Muhammad’s talks with the Angel Gabriel called?

The Revelations

What is considered the holiest city of Islam?

Mecca

What is the Arabic word for God?

* Allah

What is the Arabic word for “submission to the will of Allah”?

* Islam

What is the Arabic word for “one who has submitted”?

* Muslim

What is the migration of Muhammad’s followers from Mecca to the city of Yathrib called?

* Hijrah

What became the new name of Yathrib?

* Medina – ‘city of the prophet’

What are the Basic Beliefs of Islam?

* The 5 Pillars

What is Islam’s Holy Book called?

* The Koran (Qur’an)

What are the 5 Pillars? * Faith, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, Pilgrimage

What is the term for ‘Muhammad’s example” or the model for the proper way to live?

* Sunna

What is the Islamic Law? * Shari’a

Who do Muslims call “People of the Book”?

* Jews and Christians

Sunni or Shi’aMajority of Muslims today. * Sunni

Believe the Caliph must be a descendent of Ali through Muhammad’s daughter Fatima.

* Shi’a

Imam is a prayer leader only.

* Sunni

Rebelled against the Umayyad Dynasty.

* Shi’a

Believe the Imam to be a spiritual leader.

* Shi’a

Majority of Iraqis. * Shia

Umayyad or Abbasid* 750-1258 * Abbasid

* Capital city Damascus * Umayyad

* Capital city Baghdad * Abbasid

* Led lavish and extravagant lifestyle.

* Umayyad

* Created a hereditary system of succession.

* Umayyad

* Created a strong administrative bureaucracy.

* Abbasid

* Followed the last of the ‘Rightly Guided Caliphs’.

* Umayyad

Islamic Achievement & Influence

Muslim Urban Centers● Education increased w/ creation

of Universities● Scholars preserved classical

works of Greece/Rome● Improved Indian/Persian

discoveries● Cities included:

● Baghdad (Iraq)● Cordoba (Spain)● Damascus (Syria)● Cairo (Egypt)● Timbuktu (Mali)

Cairo

Role of Women

● Rights determined by interpreters of Koran.

● “Men are managers of women’s affairs.”

● “Righteous women are therefore obedient”

● In early days, and in some places today, women could/can get an education.

● Women largely responsible for children & home

House of Wisdom

● Islamic center for scholars (University)

● Opened by Caliph al-Ma’mum in early 800’s

● Included library, academy, & translation center.

● Interpreted/translated works from Greece, Rome, India, Persia & others.

● Scholars gathered to study & analyze

Muhammad preached education as important in order to serve Allah

Medical Advances● al-Razi

● Created encyclopedia - Comprehensive Book

● collected medical knowledge from Greece, Syria, India, & Arabic sources.

● Believed that cleaner air could help recovery

● Called for good nutrition & exercise

● Wrote findings in Treatise on Smallpox & Measles

Mathematic Achievements

● Related to study of Astronomy

● Al-Khwarizmi● created a technique

Al-Jabr = Algebra● Trigonometry

developed● Arabic Numeral

System ● adopted from India

(3:16)

Scientific Achievements

● Used observation & conducted lab experiments

● Ibn al-Haytham● produced first book on

optics.● Studies led to

development of lenses for telescopes & microscopes.

Astronomy

● 5 Pillars led to Astronomical advances (Why?)

● Needed accurate Lunar calendar to observe religious periods

● Cartography (mapmaking) became prominent

● Astrolabe● scientific instrument used to

navigate on seas.

Muslim Literature●The Rubaiyat

●Collection of poems●Omar Khayyam

●Persian mathematician & Astronomer

“Yesterday & today go on without us:Tomorrow what’s the charge against me, pray?In youth, I studied for a little while;Later I boasted of my mastery,Yet this was all the lesson I learned:We come from dust, and with the wind are gone,Of all the travelers on this endless roadNo one returns to tell us where it leads,There’s little in this world but greed and need,Leave nothing here, for you will not return.”

Muslim Literature● Follows storytelling

tradition of Bedouins● Koran considered

standard for all Islamic literature.

● The Thousand and One Nights

● collection of fairy tales, parables, & legends.

Muslim Art & Architecture

● Calligraphy – the art of beautiful handwriting

Mosaics

Muslim Art & Architecture

● Much of Islamic architecture is a blending of Byzantine architecture with Muslim ideas.

The Taj Mahal

(1630-1635)

* Tomb built by Emperor Shah

Jahan as a tomb for his beloved

wife

MinaretsOnion Dome

Dome of the Rock(3:20)

Why is the Dome of the Rock significant to Muslims?

The city of Cordoba