IslamIslam
Teachings and History of the
Religion
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The Beginning
• Muhammad– Born in Mecca in 570 AD– Often meditated in the hills near the city– One day, the angel Gabriel came to him and
spoke, giving him teachings– The Koran: the words the angel Gabriel
spoke to Muhammad, the holy book of Islam
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The Beginning
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The Beginning
• Muhammad was forced to leave in 622 AD for his teachings
• Went to Yathrib (Medina today)• Hejira: Muhammad’s migration
from Mecca to Medina, marked the beginning of the expansion of Islam
• Gathered an army in Medina
• He returned to Mecca in 630 and took over the city
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Teachings of Islam
• The Five Pillars of Islam1. Proclaim belief in one God, Allah, and his
prophet Muhammad
2. Pray 5 times a day, facing Mecca
3. Charity to the poor and elderly
4. Fast during the month of Ramadan (holy month)
5. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in life
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• The 6th pillar?– Jihad: has at least two meanings
1. An inner battle to achieve peace
2. An outer battle to defend Islam
Teachings of Islam
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• The Koran and its teachings– The book must be handled carefully– People of the Book: Jews and Christians
• Muslims are required to treat them with tolerance• Share all the Jewish prophets• Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, but not the
messiah– Muhammad is the last prophet, and all that he said was
fully correct
Teachings of Islam
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Teachings of Islam
• The Koran and its teachings– Muslims must live lawful, moral lives– Everyone is equal
• Islam borrows much from Judaism and Christianity, while adding its own elements
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History of Islam
• Caliph: leader of Islam– Politics and religion are one in Islam
• Sunnis and Shiites– These two sects stem from a disagreement
about the caliph• Who should become caliph after Muhammad?
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• Sunnis and Shiites– Shiites: Believed Muhammad’s son-in-law,
Ali, was the successor• Only descendents of Ali could be caliph
– Sunnis: Believe any true Muslim can be caliph
History of Islam
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• Early Islamic dynasties sent armies throughout the Middle East, converting along the way
History of Islam
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• Umayyad Dynasty– A period of
cultural discrimination
– Capital was Damascus, Syria
– Arab culture flourished
• Religion and arts encouraged
History of Islam
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• Abbassid Dynasty– Religious and
cultural tolerance
– Capital at Baghdad
– peace
History of Islam
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• Throughout history, a respect for learning allowed Islamic civilization to grow and prosper– Islam was the major rival to Western
Civilization by the time of imperialism
History of Islam
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Spread of Islam
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• Foreign Invaders– The borders of the Muslim empire were
always changing– Starting in the year 1000, waves of foreign
invaders flooded the Middle East, but were never able to fully take over the civilization
• Strong Muslim armies• Most invaders were either already Muslim, or
converted to Islam
History of Islam
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• Seljuks– Turkish Muslims– Lived in the Iranian Plateau– Captured Baghdad and weakened the current
Byzantine empire
History of Islam
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• Mongols– Came from Central Asia– Took Baghdad from the Seljuks and
destroyed it in 1258 AD– Continued to raid the Muslim civilization for
100 years– Many eventually converted to Islam and
blended into Middle Eastern culture
History of Islam
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• The Crusades– Crusade: holy war– Christian Pope called a crusade against
Muslims in 1095 AD– The goal was to capture Palestine, “the holy
land”– There were 6 crusades– Some were successful, others failed– Had only a limited effect on the Middle East
History of Islam
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• Ottoman Empire– Turkish speaking
Muslims– Sunnis– Captured
Constantinople in 1453 to end the Byzantine Empire; renamed the city Istanbul
History of Islam
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History of Islam
• Ottoman Empire– Government
• Flexible• Sultan: Ottoman
leader with absolute power
• Millets: non-Muslim communities
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• Safavid Empire– In present day Iran– Shiites– Rivals to the Ottomans– Islamic Republic of Iran today is mostly Shiite
History of Islam
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Islam in 750 AD
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Islam Today
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Review• Beginning of Islam: Muhammad• Teachings of the Koran
– 5 Pillars of Islam: a 6th pillar?
• History and Spread of Islam– Umayyad and Abbassid Dynasties– Seljuks, Mongols, Crusades– Ottoman and Safavid Empires
• Vocabulary: Koran, hejira, hajj, jihad, People of the Book, caliph, Sunni, Shiite, crusade, sultan, millets