The Spread of Islam

Muhammad died in 632 and named no successor. His followers developed an election system for choosing the next leader of Islam. This leader would not be a “prophet” as was Muhammad, but a “Caliph” which means “Deputy” or “Successor” in Arabic.

The Era of the Right Guided Caliphs After Muhammad’s death, many Bedouins renounced Islam. They faced the sword and were conquered. Islam expanded rapidly along trade routes from Mecca and Medina. First, Islam expanded across the Arabian Peninsula despite desert environments. Later it would spread across the Fertile Crescent, Iran (Persia), and Central Asia including parts of the Byzantine Empire.

Why did Islam Spread? The Arabic Language helped traders trade goods and ideas, especially Islam. The Byzantine Empire and Persia had been fighting each other for years—both were weakened allowing Muslim warriors to conquer much of these lands.

Conquered Peoples: Voluntarily converted and served in the Army (Males) or Did not convert, paid taxes and were exempt from military service Qu’ran forbids forced conversion to Islam

Non-Arabs were not treated equally to Arabs, but Christians and Jews (“People of the Book”) were not forced to convert. They could not build new churches or temples. They could not Evangelize within the empire. Many welcomed Islam and converted because of its belief that all were equal in the eyes of Allah.

Islam Divides Shi’as Sunnis Islam Divided into two branches Muslims fought Muslims over the third Caliph’s Successor Shi’as Sunnis Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, was elected and then killed in 661 CE Mu’awiya, from the Umayyad clan, then became Caliph. Sunnis – Believe Muhammad’s followers should elect the next Caliph Islam Divided into two branches Shi’as: believe that Muhammad’s relatives should lead Islam

The Umayyads 661-750 CE Moved the capital to Damascus Established a dynasty Expanded into North Africa and Spain Were halted in 732 at the battle of Tours by Frankish King Charles Martel. The Umayyad Great Mosque, Damascus

Moorish Architecture in Coѓdoba, the capital of Spain in 717 Coŕdoba Mosque, Spain

conquered by Muslims who later fought Crusaders for control. The Abbasid Caliphate 750 – 1258 CE Capital was moved to Baghdad Jerusalem was conquered by Muslims who later fought Crusaders for control. Became the Golden Age or the Empire of Islam Courtyard of the Abbasid Palace in Baghdad

Abbasid Era Economic Prosperity Baghdad major trade center in emerging global trade New technologies and advancements included the Astrolabe, paper from China, use of Arabic numbers, medical advancements, Algebra

The Abbasids’ control weakened and by the eleventh century, the Seljuk Turks controlled Baghdad. The Mongols invaded and destroyed Baghdad in 1258.

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