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The Rise and Spread of Islam

Geography The Arabian Desert is harsh and dry Very difficult life for people living there

People of the Arabian Peninsula Nomad – person with no permanent home…..Followed their food source in area they live Bedouin – Nomadic people that llived in the Arabian Desert. Acted as guides and traders along trade routes.

Bedouins

Trade Caravan

Trade Routes Mecca was a “Crossroads for Trade” in the Arabian Desert. Traders would travel to the Mediterranean Sea or across the desert to Iraq (very dangerous route)

Spices (Asia) Gold (Africa) Ivory (Africa) Perfume (Asia) Silk (Asia) Trade Goods Spices (Asia) Gold (Africa) Ivory (Africa) Perfume (Asia) Silk (Asia)

Bedouins Lifestyle was very rough. Little to look forward to in life. Bedouins would often raid trade caravans in the desert. Merchants had to provide security for their goods which cost them money. (Merchants had to find a way to stop the raids)

Islam is the Answer Merchants learn of Islam in the cities (Mecca) Bedouins and merchants come to an agreement: Merchants will provide Islam and allow bedouin’s to pray at the Kabah….. Bedouins will agree not to raid caravans

Salvation Islam offered bedouins the one thing they needed most….salvation (afterlife) Islam gave meaning and significance to their lives (difficult life, but hope for salvation)

Islam Spreads Traders would preach the religion of Islam to bedouins as they traveled. People were eager to accept the religion because their lives were hard and they were fearful of the Byzantine & Persian Empires Islam united the Arabian Peninsula

Islam A tolerant religion that accepted Christians and Jews as “Protected People” Islam recognizes the prophets and holy people of the Bible and Jewish scripture. People saw Islam as a tolerant, peaceful, forgiving, and sensible religion.

Islam Islam unified the entire Arabian Peninsula. Arab world no longer worried about other empires The Muslim Empire would begin to grow.

Muhammad Known as ‘The Prophet’ Born in 570 to a poor family, was an orphan at age 7 and was raised by an uncle. He worked in the caravan trade and traveled throughout the region. He visited the Byzantine Empire and was exposed to a Monotheistic religion.

Muhammad Because of his travels he was exposed to many different types of people and the daily problems they faced. He became very tolerant of different people and different beliefs. He married Khadijah, a wealthy widow, and managed her family caravan business.

Muhammad He would often walk alone in the hills outside Mecca praying about the problems he saw. During one of these walks an angel commanded him to spread the word of God and Islam was born.

The Hijra Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Yathrib (Medina) The traders in Mecca did not like Muhammad’s message and saw him as a threat to their wealth. They thought a new religion would weaken Mecca’s value as a trade city. They persecuted Muhammad and his followers

The Hijra In 622, Muhammad was FORCED to flee Mecca and go to Yahtrib where he was welcomed as the Prophet. Hijra means, Migration and the year 622 becomes year 1 on the Islamic calendar. Yahtrib was renamed Medina which means, ‘City of the Prophet’

Muhammad Returns to triumphantly to Mecca in 630 and dies in 632. By this time, the entire Arabian Peninsula was Islamic. Within 100 years of his death Islam spread to North Africa, Southern Europe, and Northern India and China.

Grand Mosque - Mecca

Kabah