440 CHAPTER 15

The Five Pillars of IslamThe most important teachings of Muhammad are summed up inthe Five Pillars of Islam. All members of the Muslim commu-nity believe in the central importance of these five religiousduties. The Five Pillars of Islam unite Muslims around the world.

TERMS & NAMESFive Pillars of IslamcaliphtheocracyOttoman EmpireConstantinopleSuleiman IJanissarySultan Mehmed V

Islamic beliefs and culture spreadthroughout Southwest Asia andmuch of the world.

Islam, the world’s second largestreligion, influences society andgovernments in most SouthwestAsian countries today.

MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW

The Prophet Muhammad today preached a sermon

to 140,000 followers who have come to Mecca from

all over Arabia on a pilgrimage. In his sermon,

Muhammad reviewed all his teachings over the years.

Many say it was the most important sermon he has

ever preached. Some fear it may be his last.

He began by saying, “O People, lend me an

attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year

I shall ever be among you again.” It is well-known

that for the past few years the Prophet has been

anxious to spread word of his religion wherever

he can.

Muslim EmpiresMuslim Empires

Place • Mecca is the holiest city in

Islam. �

MECCA, ARABIA, 9TH DAY OF DHUL HIIJAH, A.D. 622

TAKING NOTES

1. Bodies of water provideresources for people inNorth Africa and . . .

2. Complex civilizationsdeveloped religions and . . .

Generalizations Details

Use your chart to take notes about North Africaand Southwest Asia.

Muslim EmpiresMuhammad died without choosing someone to continue his work.His close associates soon selected a caliph (KAY•lihf ) to succeedhim. The title of caliph was used by rulers of the Muslim commu-nity from 632 until 1924. The caliph’s duty was to spread God’srule. In carrying out this task, the caliphs founded a new empire,the caliphate. The caliphate was a theocracy (thee•AHK•ruh•see),a government ruled by a religious leader.

Conquest, Trade, and Learning The caliphs created a vast trad-ing system throughout their empires. Islamic ideas spread asbooks were exchanged along trade routes. Metalwork, pottery, andfabrics exposed other people to new and unique Muslim artwork.

In the early Middle Ages, Muslims collected and translatedimportant books and papers in order to preserve knowledge.During the 1100s and 1200s, these texts were translated fromArabic into Hebrew and Latin. These translations helpedEuropean scholars study the knowledge of the ancient world.They could see how Islamic thinkers had further developed thisknowledge.

Islam in Europe The caliphs conquered Christian Spain andintroduced Islamic culture there. They had hoped to spread theirinfluence elsewhere in Europe. In 732, however, that hope wasdashed. Muslim armies trying to capture Tours, in what is nowwest-central France, were defeated by Charles Martel (sharlmahr•TEHL), Charlemagne’s grandfather. By 1400, however, theMuslims had succeeded in conquering parts of Europe.

North Africa and Southwest Asia: Place and Times 441

A. AnalyzingCauses How did the caliphs’trading systemlead to the spreadof culture?

The Ottoman EmpireThe Muslim Ottoman Empire controlled what is now Turkeyand parts of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and SoutheastEurope. The Ottomans made Constantinople, called Istanbulin present-day Turkey, their capital city. The rulers of theOttoman Empire were called sultans. The vast Ottoman Empireincluded people of different backgrounds. The sultans were tolerant of other religions. Christians and Jews could pay a taxthat allowed them to worship as they pleased. Some achievedprominent positions in banking and business.

Suleiman, “The Magnificent” From 1520 to 1566,Suleiman I (SOO•lay•MAHN) ruled the OttomanEmpire. Christians called Suleiman “TheMagnificent.” Muslims called him “The Lawgiver.”Suleiman published a code of laws that establisheda system of justice throughout his empire.Suleiman’s chief architect, Sinan (suh•NAHN),transformed Christian Constantinople into anIslamic capital. Sinan designed famous mosques inIstanbul and elsewhere in the Ottoman Empire. Aslong as Suleiman ruled the Ottoman Empire, it wasthe richest and most powerful empire in Europeand Southwest Asia.

Slaves and SoldiersNot everyone shared in the empire’s wealth and glory. Many peo-ple were slaves, often prisoners from conquered nations. Theyserved at court or in the homes of wealthy people. Many of themale slaves became soldiers.

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Culture • Theinfluence ofIslamic art leftits mark insouthern Spain,where Muslimsbuilt suchworks of art asthe Alhambra, a magnificentpalace. �

Region • Suleiman Iwas a 16th-centurysultan of theOttoman Empire. �

B. Forming andSupportingOpinions Do youthink Suleiman Ideserved to becalled “TheMagnificent”?

The Janissaries A special group of sol-diers loyal to the sultan, called Janissaries,developed in the late 1300s out of a smallforce of slaves. By the 1600s, they hadbecome so powerful that even the sultansfeared them. They refused to learn mod-ern ways of fighting, however, and grewweak. In 1826, a group of Janissariesattacked the sultan. Forces loyal to the sul-tan fired on the attacking Janissaries,killing 6,000. The sultan then disbandedthe force.

The Decline of theOttoman EmpireOver the centuries, the Ottoman Empire grew weak. It foughtwars constantly to hold on to its empire. By the 1800s, the empirecame close to bankruptcy several times. It also had trouble com-peting in trade with industrialized Europe. Sultan Mehmed Vfought on the losing side of World War I. After the war ended,the empire lost control of Arab lands. By 1924, the OttomanEmpire no longer existed. The modern country of Turkey hadtaken its place.

North Africa and Southwest Asia: Place and Times 443

Create an illustrated report on the religious buildings of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.

SECTION ASSESSMENT

Using Graphics2. Use a time line like this one to

record major events in the spreadof Islamic empires.

Main Ideas3. (a) How did the caliphs contribute

to the growth of Islamicempires?

(b) What regions of the world didthe Ottoman Empire include?

(c) What was Constantinople?

Critical Thinking4. Hypothesizing How might the

modern world be different ifMuslim armies had won the battle of Tours?

Think About◆ cultural change◆ religious differences

Terms & Names(a) Five Pillars of Islam (b) caliph (c) theocracy (d) Ottoman Empire

(e) Constantinople ( f ) Suleiman I (g) Janissary (h) Sultan Mehmed V

Culture • ThreeJanissaries (onthe right) standin front of theirsultan. �

632 1924

1. Explain thesignificance of: