THE RISE OF SPREAD OF ISLAM Chapter Six AP World History Ms. Tully

The PostClassical Period: Faith and Commerce  Spread of major world religion  Development of systematic international trade  Three Big Concepts

Pre-Islamic Arabia  Bedouin culture based on kin/clan/tribal networks  Shayks – clan/tribal leaders  Fierce interclan rivalries and struggles for resources  Towns and long-distance trade  Mecca & Medina

Pre-Islamic Arabia  Status of women varied by clan  Little art/architecture – focus on poetry  Bedouin religions – blend of animism & polytheism

The Life of Muhammad & Gensis of Islam  Born around 570 CE  Merchant, married Khadijah  One of many prophets concerned about life in Arabia  610 CE – Muhammad receives revelations from angel Gabriel  Qu’ran  basis of new religion

The Fight for Islam in Arabia  Umayyads in Mecca saw Muhammad as a threat  Muhammad flees to Medina  Hijra  620s – Conflict between Muhammad’s Median forces & Umayyad controlled Mecca  Destroyed old idols, Mecca now under Islamic faith

The Appeal of Islam  Monotheism dominated any tribal or class divisions  Umma – Community of the faithful  Provided ethical system  Qu’ran  Similarity/unity with other Semitic religions

The Appeal of Islam  Five Pillars of Islam  Profession of faith  Pray 5x day  Fast during Ramadan  Pay Zakat for charity  Perform a Hajj

Muhammad’s Successor?  Died in 632 – who should succeed him?  Creation of Caliph – political and religious successor to Muhammad  Ali – Muhammad’s son-in- law?  Abu Bakr – Muhammad’s close friend  Ridda Wars  military campaigns against rebel Arab clans

Spread of Islam  New sense of unity & strength  Booty came from conquests  Jihad theory of conquest not true  Sasanian empire weak  overthrown by 651  Byzantines weakened by Arabs, but not destroyed  Rise of naval supremacy

Rivals to Islamic Expansion

Spread of Islam

The Sunni-Shi’a Split  The main division between Sunni and Shia Muslims is originally not a religious one, but a political one.  Sunni Muslims: Abu Bakr was the best choice as caliph; caliphs should be chosen from the umma (Muslim community). (85%)  Shia Muslims: Ali should have been picked as caliph (successor should have been kept in the family). They do not recognize the authority of Sunni Muslim leaders. (15%)  Over centuries, differences in belief and law develop which contributes to many major disputes in the region until this day

Geographic Distribution of Sunni/Shi’a

Caliphs & Caliphates  Caliph = Islamic religious and political leader  Caliphate = dynasty of Islamic caliphs  Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliphs ( )  Abu Bakr; Umar; Uthman; Ali  Umayyads ( , centered in Damascus)  Abbasids ( , centered in Baghdad)  Córdobas ( , Iberia)  Fatimids ( , North Africa, Shi’a)  Almohads ( , North Africa, Iberia)  Ottomans ( )

Umayyad Caliphate  Political center moved to Damascus  Small Arab & Muslim aristocracy ruled over empire of non- Arabs/Muslims  Mawali – Non-Arab Muslim converts  Dhimmi – people of the book

Umayyad Caliphate  New expectations for women & marriage  Umayyads addicted to luxury – big reason for downfall  Revolts in empire began in 740 CE  Rise of Abbasid challenge  Abbasid defeated Umayyads in 750  hunted down all members of Umayyad family  ‘Abd al-Rahman escaped  formed caliphate in Cordoba

Abbasid Caliphate  Moved capital to Baghdad  Bureaucratization of empire  Wazier  Full integration of converts  Rise in the status of merchants  Growth of cities  Translation and preservations of classical texts  Key to development of great trade routes