1. AP World History Notes Chapter 11 #1
Islam
AP World History Notes
Chapter 11 #1

2. The Homeland of Islam Originated on the Arabian Peninsula
Had long been inhabited by nomadic Arabs = the Bedouins
Located along important trade routes  Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, etc.
Gave rise to large commercial cities

3. Bedouins Herded sheep and camels
Lived in fiercely independent clans and tribes
Often engaged in violent wars with each other
Variety of gods and ancestor/nature spirits
Valued personal bravery and group loyalty

4. Mecca Major commercial city
Site of the Kaaba = most important religious shrine in Arabia
Housed representations of about 360 deities
Ruling tribe of Mecca = the Quraysh
Controlled access to the Kaaba
Gained wealth by taxing local trade

5. Arabia – Connections to the World
Participation in long-distance trade
Location between the Byzantine Empire (to the northwest) and the Persian Empire (to the northeast)
Result = many Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians lived among the Arabs in Arabia
Many of their monotheistic ideas began to influence the Arabs

6. The Messenger Muhammad (570 – 632 CE) Born in Mecca
From a Quraysh family
A shepherd and a trader
Troubled by the religious corruption and social inequalities of Mecca
Often withdrew into the mountains to meditate
610 CE = he had an overwhelming religious experience
(Similar to the Buddha and Jesus)
Became convinced he was Allah’s messenger to the Arabs

7. The Messenger Muhammad claimed to be the “seal of the prophets”
Meant he was the last in a long line of prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and others
Said he had God’s FINAL revelation to humankind
Wasn’t trying to start a new faith
More of an invitation to return to the old and pure religion of Abraham

8. The Message
Muhammad’s revelations began in 610 CE and continued for the next 22 years
Recorded in the Quran = the sacred scriptures of Islam
Monotheistic  Allah is the only God
All-powerful Creator
Good, just, and merciful
Rejected the other deities housed in the Kaaba
Rejected Christian idea of the Trinity

9. The Message The Quran rejected: The Quran demanded:
Hoarding of wealth and materialism
Exploitation of the poor
Corrupt business practices
Neglecting widows and orphans
Abuse of women
The Quran demanded:
Social justice
Equality
Aid to the poor

10. The Message Primary obligation of all believers = submission to Allah
Not only an individual or spiritual act, but also involved the creation of a whole new society
Umma = the community of all believers
Just and moral society of Islam
Would replace tribal, ethnic, or racial identities

11. The Message: 5 Pillars of Islam
1) Faith: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” 2) Prayer: Should be performed 5 times daily while facing in the direction of Mecca 3) Almsgiving: Supporting the poor and needy of the community 4) Fasting: Occurs during month of Ramadan; no food, or drink from dawn to sundown 5) The Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca

12. The Message: The 6th Pillar
Jihad = “struggle”
“Greater jihad” = interior personal effort to avoid greed and selfishness, and to strive toward living a God-conscious life
“Lesser jihad” = “jihad of the sword” = belief that the Quran authorized armed struggle against the forces of unbelief and evil
In order to: establish Muslim rule and defend the umma from the threats of infidel aggressors

13. Transformation of Arabia
Muhammad’s message soon attracted opposition from Mecca’s elite families; they didn’t like his:
Claim to be the “messenger of Allah”
Strict monotheism
Call for social reform
Condemnation of business practices
Disloyalty to his own tribe (the Quraysh)
Caused Muhammad and his followers to go to Medina
This is where the umma took shape

14. The Islamic Community
Muhammad = both religious and political leader; also led the military
Islamic community expanded throughout Arabia by:
Military conquest
Marriage alliances with leading tribes
Voluntary conversion
By 632 (time of Muhammad’s death), most of Arabia had come under Islamic control

15. Islamic Law No distinction between religious law and civil law
ONE LAW = the sharia
Regulated every aspect of life

16. AP World History Notes Chapter 11 #2
The Arab Empire
AP World History Notes
Chapter 11 #2

17. The Arab Empire Stretched from Spain to India
Extended to areas in Europe, Asia, and Africa
Encompassed all or part of the following civilizations:
Egyptian, Roman/Byzantine, Persian, Mesopotamian, and Indian
With the expansion of the Arab Empire came the spread of:
Islamic faith
Arabic language
Culture of Arabia

18. War and Conquest
650s = Arab forces defeated the Persian Empire and took over about half of Byzantium’s territories
Both had been weak for a long time due to fighting with each other
Early 700s = Arab forces swept through North Africa, conquered Spain, and attacked southern France
Early 700s = Arab forces reached the Indus River and took over some major oases towns in Central Asia

20. War and Conquest: Motives
Merchants wanted access to profitable trade routes and wealthy agricultural regions
Individuals wanted to gain wealth and social promotion
Expansion provided a common task for the Islamic community (umma) that was on the verge of falling apart after Muhammad’s death
Spread of Muslim faith and righteous government across the world

21. War and Conquest
Conversion to Islam not forced on anyone in the Arab Empire
In fact: Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians all considered “people of the book” and were given the status of dhimmis (protected subjects)
In the 400 years following Muhammad’s death, millions of individuals and many whole societies with the Arab Empire adopted Islam

22. Widespread Conversion to Islam – WHY?
Not such a dramatic change for many Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians
Already familiar with ideas of: monotheism, heaven, hell, final judgment, divine revelation, fasting, ritual prayer, etc.
Islam sponsored by a powerful state  Wealth and prestige of Arab Empire attracted people
Successful conquest called into question the power of old gods; perhaps Allah really is all-powerful
Many incentives for converting
Ex: Didn’t have to pay jizya = tax on non-Muslims
Ex: Could hold official positions; social mobility

23. Divisions and Controversies
The “Rightly Guided Caliphs” (632 – 661)
First 4 caliphs after Muhammad
(Caliph = the political and religious leader of the Islamic community)
Close companions of Muhammad
Chosen by Muslim elders of Medina
Division surfaced almost immediately
Sunni vs. Shia Muslims
Abu Bakr
The 1st Rightly
Guided Caliph

24. Sunnis vs. Shi’ites
Believe the caliph is the rightful political and military leader of Islam
Believe the caliph should be chosen by the Islamic community
Believe the caliph can be any devout Muslim
Religious authority comes from the larger Islamic community; particularly ulama = religious scholars
Believe that the leader of the Islamic community should be a blood descendant/relative of Muhammad
Religious authority comes from prayer leaders called imams
Imams = only ones that can correctly interpret divine revelations and Islamic law

25. Islamic Caliphs
As the Arab Empire grew, caliphs were transformed from modest Arab chiefs into absolute, all- powerful monarchs
Elaborate court rituals
Complex bureaucracy
Standing army
Centralized systems of taxation and money
2 major ruling dynasties came to control the Arab Empire during this time = Umayyad dynasty and Abbasid dynasty

26. Umayyad Dynasty (661 – 750) Vast expansion of Arab Empire
Caliphs became hereditary rulers
Empire’s capital moved from Medina to Roman/Byzantine city of Damascus in Syria
Ruling class = Arab military aristocracy
The Dome of the Rock
Built in Jerusalem in 691 CE
Built by Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik

27. Umayyad Dynasty (661 – 750) Overthrown because:
Non-Arabs resented their status as second-class citizens
Shia Muslims believed Umayyad caliphs were illegitimate
Many Arabs protested the luxurious living of their rulers

28. Abbasid Dynasty (750 – 1258)
And no, we can’t watch Aladdin OR Mulan in class.
Built up a new capital for the empire in Baghdad
Non-Arabs now played a prominent role
Persian culture became the culture of Islamic elites
Political unity = didn’t last long
By the mid-800s = many local governors or military commanders asserted autonomy over their regions
Islamic world fractured into multiple “sultanates”
Dynasty officially ended when conquered by the Mongols in 1258

29. Central Question in the Empire: What does it mean to be a Muslim?
Answer = strict adherence to the sharia = Islamic religious and civil law
Sharia created based on the Quran, the life and teachings of Muhammad, deductive reasoning, and the consensus of the ulama (Muslim scholars)
Sharia addressed virtually every aspect of life; Examples:
Guidance for prayer and ritual cleansing
Treatment of slaves
Rules for political life
Rules for marriage, divorce, and inheritance
Rules for business and commercial practices

30. Sufis
Muslims who believed that the wealth and success of Islamic civilization was a deviation from the purer spirituality of Muhammad’s time
Searched for a direct and personal experience with the divine
Rejected the material world
Meditated on the words of the Quran
Believed teachings about the law and correct behavior didn’t bring people closer to Allah

31. Sufis
Believed many ulama had been corrupted by their association with worldly and corrupt governments
Often challenged the religious authority of these ulama and charted their own course to Allah

32. Women and Men in Early Islam
According to interpretations of the Quran made by Muslim scholars:
Spiritually  men and women are equal
Socially (especially in marriage)  women are inferior to men and should obey them
The Quran provided a mix of rights, restrictions, and protections for women

33. Women and Men in Early Islam
Examples of rights & protection for women within the Quran include:
Rights to dowries and some inheritances
Control over their own property
Marriage = must be consensual
Women could divorce men

34. Growing Restrictions Occurred during the Abbasid dynasty
Arab Empire grew in size, wealth, and splendor
Result = role of women became more limited
Applied to upper-class women
Lower-class women = didn’t have servants; had to leave the house for shopping or work
These restrictions stemmed from the traditions and cultures within the Arab Empire; NOT the Quran itself

35. Examples of the Growing Restrictions
Women now expected to pray at home instead of in public mosques
Veiling and seclusion of women became standard practice
Separate living quarters in wealthy homes for women
“Honor killing” = women killed by male relatives

36. The Hadiths
The Hadiths = traditions about the sayings or actions of Muhammad
Became an important source of Islamic law
Negative view of women  weak, deficient, etc.