1. The Spread of Islam: Fill out YOUR WORKSHEET AS WE GO!

2. The First Three Caliphs Copy all underlined text on the back of your worksheet
After Muhammad’s death his followers had to choose a new leader to preserve the Muslim community.
The first few caliphs who followed Muhammad greatly expanded the lands under their rule despite struggles over leadership and even civil wars.
Along with the Arabic language, the acceptance of Islam helped unify this vast empire.
The first caliph (the highest leader of Islam) was Abu Bakr, one of Muhammad’s first converts.

4. Caliph Abu Bakr
First Box: Second Box
*A political and military leader, but not a religious leader.
* Used military campaigns against Arab tribes who did not follow Muhammad’s teachings.
* Through many battles he unified Arabia for the first time as a Muslim state.
* The new Arab army quickly conquered the Persian and Byzantine empires
* Made Treaties with non-Muslims who lived in the captured territories
* Non-Muslims could exist, but only under a list of rules
* Created a new idea of religion
* Died in 634 C.E.

5. Caliph Umar 634-644 First Box: Second Box
Expanded the Muslim empire through military efforts
Included lands in Iraq, Persia, the eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa.
Set up governments and tax systems
Continued religious tolerance allowing Jews and Christians to worship as they liked
Non-Muslims were required to pay religious taxes
Died in 644 C.E.

6. Caliph Uthman 644-656 First Box: Second Box
Member of the Umayyad clan.
Moved the Muslim capitol from Medina to Damascus and continued to expand the empire
Took over lands in Central Asia and in northern India
Gained control of trade in the eastern Mediterranean and part of North Africa, moving into Spain (Muslims continued to rule parts of Spain for another 700 years)
Awarded high posts to his relatives
Killed in 656 C.E.

7. Caliph Ali (Muhammad’s cousin)
reluctantly agreed to become the fourth caliph
Some Umayyad clan members challenged his rule creating civil war
Ali was murdered in 661 C.E.
New caliph from the Umayyad claimed leadership
Muslim leadership splits – Sunni and Shi’a

8. Sunni - Shi’a (Shiites)
Muslims who believed caliphs did not have to be related to Muhammad
Accepted the first four caliphs
Believed everyone has a direct relationship with God
Make up 80% of all Muslims
Shi’a
Muslims who believed only members of Muhammad’s family could be caliphs
They believed that Ali’s should have been chosen over Abu Bakr
They denied the first three caliphs
Make up 20% of Muslim population
Both believe in Allah
Both believe in Muhammad
Both still exist today
Both support the Qur’an as word of Allah