The Spread of Islam

1. The Spread of Islam Following the death of Muhammad in A.D. 632 Abu Bakr was named his successor. Abu Bakr was given and assumed the title Caliph. Caliph � means the �successor to the Prophet�

2. The Spread of Islam Abu Bakr is responsible for bringing the Arab tribes (bedouins) together and for expanding the religion into the North. Even though he ruled for only two years, expansion under his leadership was substantial

3. The Spread of Islam Pictured left is the tomb of Abu Bakr After his death he was replaced by Umar. Umar was also a strong leader and was the father-in-law of Muhammad

4. The Spread of Islam Umar is remembered more for his military leadership than his spiritual leadership. He focused on expanding the realm of Islam outside of the Arabian peninsula.

5. The Spread of Islam The first territorial conquests Umar made were in Syria, which he took from the Byzantines in 635. Damascus, an important city in Syria, fell to the Muslim forces that year Jerusalem, a city in modern day Israel considered Holy to Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike was conquered in 637.

6. The Spread of Islam The Muslim policy of tolerance towards other religions had a positive effect on the people of Syria, especially the Christians and Jews, who had been persecuted under the Byzantines. The Eastern Roman Empire became known as the Byzantine Empire after the fall of the Western Empire.

7. The Spread of Islam Umar realized the importance of creating a buffer zone around all of Arabia. While Syria was being invaded to the west, Muslim forces were also heading east through Iraq towards Persia (Modern Day Iran) in an attempt to topple the 400-year-old Sassanid Empire there.

8. The Spread of Islam Muslim forces again turned west, looking to spread the new faith into Egypt. The army had no trouble crossing the Sinai Peninsula into Egypt.

9. The Spread of Islam In 641 an ancient fortress of Babylon, south of present-day Cairo, fell to the Muslim invaders. 642 the Byzantines agreed to the surrender of Alexandria, on the Nile Delta. Christians never again ruled in Egypt.

10. The Spread of Islam Division in the Midst Umar�s successor to be caliph was murdered (his name was Uthman) Uthman (ooth-mahn) Rebels assassinated Uthman because they believed he favored his own clan (tribal family)

11. The Spread of Islam Ali was chosen as caliph however Mu�awiyah (a relative of Uthman) protested and conflict ensued. Mu�awiyah (mooh-ah-wee-ya) In A.D. 661 Ali was assassinated and Mu�awiyah becomes the new caliph

13. The Spread of Islam Sunni: At the time most Muslims agreed to accept Mu�awiyah as caliph. They became known as Sunni which means �way of the Prophet�. Shiah: Ali�s followers insist that only Ali�s descendents should become Caliphs. These followers became known as Shiah. The Shiah believe that Ali�s descendents a.k.a. Imams should decide religious and wordly manners.

15. The Spread of Islam Sunni Muslims � Branch of Islam form in 600 AD that believed agreement among Muslim people should settle religious and worldly matters.

16. The Spread of Islam Shi�ah Muslims - Branch of Islam formed in the 600 A.D�s that believed only imams should decide religious and worldly matters.

17. The Spread of Islam Imams: There are 5 recognized definitions of the title and function if this term: In law and theology, the caliph who is successor to Muhammad as the lawful temporal leader of the Islamic community The male prayer leader in a mosque A male spiritual and temporal leader regarded by Shiites as a descendant of Muhammad divinely appointed to guide humans A ruler claiming descent from Muhammad and exercising authority in an Islamic state An authoritative scholar who finds a school of law or theology

18. The Spread of Islam Imams � Spiritual leaders who, according to some Shi�ah Muslims, should be direct descendants of Muhammad.

19. The Spread of Islam Discontent and division continued during the development of Islam: Mu�awiyah�s descendants kill Ali�s son Husayn. A new group of Islamic people came into existance called Sufi. Sufi are Muslims that believed that faith in God was the only mark of a person�s worth. Mystic is synonymous with words like magical, enchanting, supernatural, extra-ordinary, marvelous, wondrous A famous Sufi was Rabi� ah al�Adawiyah (See textbook page 245 for historical reference)

20. The Spread of Islam Islam began to spread beyond the Middle East and North Africa into Southern Europe. Tariq � a Berber general from North Africa led an army of Muslims across Jabal Tariq aka Mount Tariq. (The Rock of Gibraltar)

21. The Spread of Islam The Muslims that would eventually invade Spain and conquer it�s people became known as the Moors. The artwork was done by Eduard Charlemont (1878) Shakespeare�s Othello is about a Moor that had a passionate love affair with a Spanish Senator

22. The Spread of Islam While Arab Muslims were expanding west into North Africa and north into Europe, the Turks began to convert to Islam and began building an empire of their own. The term Sultan came from the Turks and it simply means ruler and is synonymous with King or Shah. Sultan � ruler of the Turks who claimed to serve the Caliph

23. The Spread of Islam The Crescent Moon & Star The crescent moon and star symbol actually pre-dates Islam by several thousand years. Most sources agree that these ancient celestial symbols were in use by the peoples of Central Asia and Siberia in their worship of sun, moon, and sky gods. Turkey & Pakistan�s Flags

24. The Spread of Islam The city of Byzantium (later known as Constantinople and Istanbul) adopted the crescent moon as its symbol. According to some reports, they chose it in honor of the Greek Goddess Diana. When the Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, they adopted the city's existing flag and symbol.

25. The Spread of Islam Legend holds that the founder of the Ottoman Empire had a dream in which the crescent moon stretched from one end of the earth to the other. For hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire ruled over the Muslim world. After centuries of battle with Christian Europe, it is understandable how the symbols of this empire became linked in people's minds with the faith of Islam as a whole.