 Sunni and Shiite Sunni  Follow custom of community (sunna). Believe inspiration comes from example of Muhammad  90% of Muslims Shiite  True descendants are of Ali and Fatima’s children  Live in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen

  No successor named after Muhammad died  Abu Bakr-Muhammad’s father-in-law and 1 st caliph. Reunited Muslims and converted last Arab tribe to Islam  After Ali died a Meccan clan set up Ummayyad (caliphate). Dynasty of Sunni caliphs ruled Muslim empire until 750. After Muhammad

  Weakened Byzantine and Persian empires  Welcomed Arabs as liberators  Fighting method-Bedouin camel and horse cavalry-mobile and aggressive  Tax on non-Muslims in conquered areas  Many converted- equality, simple, no hierarchy Factors for Success

 Fall of Umayyads and Rise of Abbasids Umayyads  While conquests wealth went to Umayyads. When they stopped tensions built between wealthy Arabs and those who had less  Criticized and wanted ways of early caliphs  Considered illegitimate rulers of Islamic community Abbasids  Abu al-Abbas founder  Captured Damascus 750 and dynasty lasted until 1258  Had member of Umayyad family killed.  All but one escaped and went to Spain where they were more tolerant and thrived

 The Crusades  900-Seljuk Turks came from Central Asia to Middle East  1055-Suljuk sultan controlled Baghdad and kept caliph as figurehead  1095-Pushed into Asia Minor and prevented Christians from going to Jerusalem.

  Muslim scholars reintroduced knowledge of Greco-Roman civilization to later Europeans.  United diverse cultures-translated Greek, Hindu and Buddhist text  Social Mobility Up, slavery common but Islamic law encouraged freeing slaves as act of charity.  Religion shaped arts and literature; banned idol worship and artists could not portray God or human figures in religious art Muslim Golden Era

  Architecture-domed mosques, adopted from Byzantine buildings; symbolic of Muslim architecture  Artists skilled in calligraphy-decorated on buildings  Poetry- oral tradition, wrote about desert journeys, battles, joy of clans, chivalry and romance of nomadic life

  Mathematics- al-Khwarizmi pioneered study of algebra. 800s-wrote book that was translated into Latin. Became standard textbook in Europe.  Medicine-Based knowledge on Ancient Greeks. Physicians and pharmacists had to pass test. Set up hospitals Muslim Golden Era

 India  Muslims mingled with Indians and each civilization absorbed elements from each other.  550-Gupta empire fell and India split, princes battled for control  1000-Muslim Turks and Afghans moved to India  Low caste Hindus converted to Islam

  1200s-scholars and adventurers fled Baghdad to India. Brought Persian and Greek knowledge  Tamerlane invades India, enslaved thousand artisans to build Samarkand  Delhi slowly recovered. Sultans no longer controlled empire and India split. Rival Hindu and Muslim states Muslims in India

  Hinduism-ancient religion evolved over thousand years. Sacred texts, prayed before statues representing gods/goddess. Caste system; celebrated with music and dance  Islam-newer faith with single sacred text; monotheistic. No religious hierarchy. Did not celebrate with music and dance. Hindus and Muslims in India

 Taj Mahal  Over time Delhi sultans grew more tolerant of Hindu subjects. Allowed to practice, paid a poll tax.  Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal as tomb for her when she died. Greatest monument of Mughal empire.