1. Rise and Spread of Islam

2. Arabic Culture (pre-Muhammad)
Arabian Peninsula
Mecca is the largest town
Located on the West Coast
Present Day Saudi Arabia
Populated primarily by people called Bedouins

3. Religion Worshiped hundreds of gods and spirits
Spirits, called Jinn, were thought to live in rocks and other natural objects
Mecca was home to the most sacred of these rocks
Black Stone of Mecca was (still is) embedded within the wall of shrine called the Kaaba
Pilgrims would flock to Mecca during holy months

4. Muhammad Born 570 Orphaned at age 6
Raised by grandfather and uncle
Likely never learned to read or write
Grew up around communities of both Jewish and Christian faiths
Age of 40 Mohammad reports a religious vision

5. Muhammad Continued
Praying alone in a cave outside of Mecca he reports that the Angel Gabriel appears with messages from Allah (Arabic word for “God”)
This is the first of several visions
Believes that the message came from the same God worshipped by the Jews and Christians
Muhammad becomes convinced that he was the last and greatest of the prophets (others include Abraham, Moses, and Jesus)
By 613, he begins to speak publicly in Mecca

6. Islam His religion becomes known as Islam “surrender to God”
Believers known as “Muslims” – “The surrendering ones”
Following his death in 632, New Islam leader Abu Bakr orders that the words of Muhammad be written down.
The Qur’an (Koran) is the Holy Book
Worship in Mosques
No Idols

7. Caliph Dispute/Split Caliph – successor to the Prophet
1st Caliph – Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s oldest friend and early convert to Islam
660 Islam splits into two sects during controversy over new Caliph
Sunni
Majority (Present day Saudi Arabia, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan)
Shiites
Minority (less than 10%) (Present day Iran, southern Lebanon, southern Iraq)
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