Words to Know Caliph – A Muslim political and religious leader. Dhow – An Arabian sailing ship. Hajj – Mohammed’s flight from Mecca to Medina in 622. Islam – The monotheistic religion founded in Arabia by Mohammed during the 7 th century. Jihad – A Arab term for ‘struggle’ applied to the effort to concert or conqueror nonbelievers. Mosque – A Muslim place of worship. Quran – The holy book of Islam.

Shiite – One of the group of Muslims who broke away from the main body of Islam in the 7 th Century. Sunni – A group of Muslims who hold traditional Islamic beliefs.

1.In early times most of the people of Arabia were nomads called Bedouin. 2.Because of the harsh environment, the Bedouin had to work together to survive. They valued loyalty and bravery. 3.Before the Islam religion, the trading city of Mecca had long been thought of as a holy city. 4.Arabs traveled to Mecca to worship at the holy well and at a shrine called the Kaaba as well as a black stone

1.Born in 570 AD, Mohammed, took part in caravan trading at an early age. 2.At the age of 40, he believed he saw the angel Gabriel while meditating in the hills outside of Mecca. 3.Believing he was a prophet, Mohammed created the Islam religion (meaning surrender to god) 4. The followers of Islam were called Muslims. 5. The Qur’an is the holy book of Islam.

1. Muslims must accept Allah as the only God. 2.At least five times a day Muslims must face the holy city of Mecca and pray. 3. Muslims have a duty to be generous to the poor. 4. Muslims must fast during the holy month of Ramadan. 5.Muslims who are physically and financially able must make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca.

Links to Judaism and Christianity To Muslims, Allah is same God worshiped by Christians and Jews. Qur’an, Gospels, Torah—contain God’s will as revealed through others. Muslims, Christians, and Jews trace their roots to Abraham. All three religions believe in heaven, hell, and a day of judgment Shari’a law requires Muslim leaders to extend religious tolerance.

1.Because of his teachings, Mohammed was kicked out of Mecca finally settling in Medina. 2.In Medina, Mohammed found many followers and eventually became their leader. 3.Believing in the jihad (Holy War), Mohammed conquered Mecca in 630 AD. 4.By the time he died in 632 AD, Mohammed had successfully united the Arab tribes. 5.Abu Bakr became the leader after Mohammed death. He took the title of Caliph – political and religious leader of a Muslim state.

1.Between AD Muslim armies conquered most of the Middle East. 2.In 661 a member of the powerful Umayyad family claimed the right to rule. 3.The Muslims split into the Sunni, who supported the Umayyad’s and the Shiites who accepted only a direct descendent of the Prophet as caliph. 4. Most Muslims supported the Umayyad’s who ruled from The Umayyad’s extended the empire to include North Africa and Spain. They were finally stopped at the Battle of Tours. 6.From the Muslims were controlled by the Abbasids and moved the capital to Baghdad.

1.Although they were all Muslim, they weren’t all united 2. By the mid 800’s the Abbasid’s had lost most of their control. 3.By 1071, the Seljuk Turks were the government leaders of much of the Middle East while the Abbasid’s were the religious leaders. 4.The Crusades followed by the Mongols ended the Arab domination in the Middle East.

1.Muslims allowed monolithic religions to practice their own faith usually after paying a tax. 2.Women did gain some rights like owning property but the Islam religion did practice polygamy. 3.Education was important and universities were created in cities like Alexandria and Cordova. 4. Arab mathematicians wrote the first book on algebra. 5.Cordova had paved streets and pipes that carried water to baths.

6. The Muslims learned how to keep soil fertile by rotating crops. 7.They introduced Arabian horses to Europe, as well as rice, lemons, and melons. 8.In medicine the Muslims performed amputations, removed cancer and created anesthetics to use in surgery. 9.In literature the books included ‘The Arabian Nights’, ‘Aladdin’, and ‘Sinbad the Sailor’. 10. Mosques were Muslim places of worship