Chapter 6Chapter 6The Rise of IslamThe Rise of Islam

GeographyGeography•Lived in the

Arabian Peninsula▫desert lands

lacked rivers and lakes▫nomadic▫moved constantly

to find water and food for their animals

The ArabsThe Arabs•Organized tribes•Sheikh: chosen

leader of a tribe•Farmers and sheep

herders•Lived on rain-fed

and oasis areas

The ArabsThe Arabs•Most were

polytheistic•Traced their

ancestors to Abraham and his son Ishmael, who were believed to have built at Makkah (Mecca) the Kaaba, a house of worship

•Recognized Allah as the supreme god

The Life of MuhammadThe Life of Muhammad•Married rich widow =

Khadija•Was troubled by

growing gap between rich and poor•Went to meditate

and was believed to have received revelations from God through the angel Gabriel

No representation of Muhammad is in any Islamic art

The Life of MuhammadThe Life of Muhammad•Believed that Allah

had already revealed himself through Moses (Judaism) and Jesus (Christianity)

•Final revelations were through Muhammad

Cave of Hira, site of 1st revelation

The Life of MuhammadThe Life of Muhammad•Qur’an - holy book of

Islam•Islam - peace through

submission to the will of Allah

•Contains ethical guidelines and laws to follow

•Islam has only one God, Allah, and Muhammad is God’s prophet

Oldest manuscript 9 c. – only 1/3 survives

The Life of MuhammadThe Life of Muhammad•Tried to convince

people of Mecca but, was persecuted•He and his 30

followers moved to Medina (“city of the prophet”)▫Journey known as

Hijrah

The Life of MuhammadThe Life of Muhammad•Won support from

the Bedouins, of Medina•Formed 1st

community of practicing Muslims•Muslims saw no

separation between political and religious authority

The Life of MuhammadThe Life of Muhammad•Muhammad

becomes political, religious, and military leader•In 630, takes force

of 10,000 soldiers to conquer Mecca (place of persecution)

Muhammad and his companions advancing on Mecca (angels also shown)

The Teachings of MuhammadThe Teachings of Muhammad•Monotheistic•Allah is the all-

powerful Creator•Gives salvation

and hope of an afterlife•Muhammad was

the prophet of Allah

The Five Pillars of IslamThe Five Pillars of Islam

Sharia: Code of LawsSharia: Code of Laws•provides believers with

a set of practical laws•applies teachings of

the Quran to daily life•does not separate

religion from politics•The Hadith warns

against imitating God by creating pictures of living things

•Muslims can NOT eat pork, drink alcoholic beverages, gamble or engage in dishonest behavior

Islamic Civilization & CultureIslamic Civilization & CultureSections 3 & 4

Prosperity in the Islamic WorldProsperity in the Islamic World•Prosperity based

on extensive trade by ship and camel▫Camel caravans

went from Morocco (Northwest Africa) to the Caspian Sea

•Items traded: ▫gold, slaves

(Southern Africa)▫ivory (East Africa)▫sandal wood, spices,

textiles (India) ▫silk, porcelain

(China)▫grain (Egypt)▫linens, dates, and

jewels (Iraq)

““The Emerald City”The Emerald City”•Large, magnificent

cities▫Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Córdoba

•Palaces & mosques•Public buildings

w/fountains, baths, and marketplaces (bazaars: covered market)

Islamic SocietyIslamic Society•Islam claims that all people are equal in

the eyes of Allah•However, in the Arab Empire, there was

a well-defined class system▫Upper Class: ruling families, wealthy

merchants, and elites▫Lower Class: Peasants and slaves▫Slaves: captives of war from Africa & Asia;

most served as soldiers; women slaves were domestic servants

Islamic SocietyIslamic Society•Women▫Quran granted

spiritual and social equality w/men

▫Women could own and inherit land

▫Still dominated by men Male guardian Secluded at home Kept from social

contacts with men outside their families

Women voting for the 1st time in Iraq (2005)

Islamic SocietyIslamic Society•Parents arranged

marriages •Men could have up to

four wives•Women had a right to

divorce, however, the right was extended only to men

•Women cover much of their body (traditional Arab practice)

ScienceScience•Observatory: scientists

studied and named many stars

•Astrolabe: helped sailors determine their location by observing the position of the stars

•Medicine: Ibn Sina wrote a medical encyclopedia; showed that unsanitary conditions contributed to the spread of contagious diseases

LiteratureLiterature•Muslims believed the Qur’an

was their greatest work of literature

•The Arabian Nights: collection of folktales, fables, and romances▫Story of Aladdin, Sinbad the

Sailor and Ali Baba and the forty thieves (“Open Sesame”) Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves

Art & ArchitectureArt & Architecture•The Great Mosque of

Samarra (Iraq)▫Minaret: tower from

which the crier, muezzin, calls the faithful to prayer 5 times a day

▫Example 90 feet high

DamascusDamascus

“Forest of Trees” – hundreds of columns

Art & ArchitectureArt & Architecture•Arabesques:

repeated Arabic letters, plants, abstract figures, and geometric patterns