Building an Arab Empire

1. Building an Arab Empire Umayyad and Abbasid Empires

2. Divisions within Islam Crisis: Who would take over for Muhammad after his death. Caliph = leader, successor to Muhammad

3. Shi’ites Shi’ite = followers felt that Muhammad had designated his son-in-law, Ali, to be his successor. They believe the true successors to the prophet are the descendants of Ali and his daughter Fatima. These descendants are called Imams or divinely inspired religious leaders. Empowered to interpret the Koran. Minority.

4. 12 imans • Infallible leaders that direct descendents of Muhammad • 12th Iman Muhammad al-Mahdi Hides outside of Samarra in 874 ce • Allah will reveal Mahdi and return to guide humanity

5. Sunnis • Sunnis believe that the Caliph position should be an elected position. • First Caliph = Abu Bakr. • First convert and father-in-law to Muhammad • Majority of Muslims • Beliefs = political leader of the religious community (sunna) • Inspiration comes from examples of Muhammad

6. Sufis • Muslim mystics • Sought communication with God through meditation, fasting, and spinning in circles (whirling dervish) • Believed to have miraculous powers

7. Rightly Guided Caliphs • The first four Caliphs • Close to Muhammad • Abu Bakr • Umar or Omar • Uthmann • Ali

8. Abu Bakr • 632-634 • Daughter Aisha married Mohammed • Unified Community • Raised an Army

9. Umar • 15th convert to Islam • 634-644 • Spread the Empire • Calendar date to the Hirja

10. Spread of Islam Under Umar, 634-644

11. Uthmann • 644-656 • Spread Islamic Empire to Mediterranean • Put together Koran • Killed 656

12. Empire Under Uthmann

13. Ali • 1st male convert to Islam • Cousin and Son in Law of Mohammad. • Married Muhammad’s daughter Fatima • Assassinated by being slashed with a poisoned sword 661 in Najaf • Shiites believe in his line of leaders

14. Tomb of Ali

15. Battle of Karbala • October 10, 680 • Husayn Ali vs. Umayyad Empire • Separates Sunni and Shia Islam • Husayn and 71 others killed buried in Karbala • Survivors marches to Damascus

16. Karbala

17. Ashura • ‘Festival’ to the fallen at Karbala • March of captives to Damascus • Banned in some Sunni • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49J6eh7kJMA&feature=related

18. Differences Similarities Belief in 5 Pillars Daily Prayer Fasting Charity Hajj Monotheism Koran = holy text Mohammad Resurrection Judgment Day No Idolatry Sunni “Any worthy man” Regardless of lineage 1st Caliph – Abu Bakr Winners Decentralized – no centralized Authority Individual 85 % of Islamic world See Shi’ites as heretics Not oppressed Wahhibism (Saudi Arabia) Moderate – Turkey Shi’ite Direct Descendant “Partisans of Ali” Losers Centralized Heirarchy Clergy Ayatollahs 15 % “Cult of Death” Ali’s son – Hussayn 680 Oppressed Iraq/Iran 12 Legitimate successors to Mohammad Aka Imams Last Imam Mahdi (874)

19. Before the UmayyadThe Byzantine Empire

20. Umayyad Caliphs661-750 A.D. • Meccan Clan • Sunni • Capital, Damascus (Syria) • Empire expanded from Spain in west to Indus River Valley (Pakistan/India) in east • 711 – Spain • 732 – France stopped at the Battle of Tours by Charles “the Hammer” Martel

21. Umayyad Caliphate

22. Charles “The Hammer” Martel

23. Battle of Tours

24. TOURS

25. Reason for Muslim Success • Weakness of Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire) and Persian Empires • Many people welcomed Arabs as liberators • Bedouin horse and camel cavalry • United a patchwork of tribes • Belief in Islam and desire to glorify new religion • Orderly system of administration

26. Conquered People Treated Fairly • Super Tax on “People of the Book” • Converts given advantages

27. Decline of Umayyad Empire • 1. Rulers had trouble adapting from living in the desert to ruling large cities and huge territories • 2. Non Arabs did not have the same privileges as Arabs - resentment • 3. Umayyad caliphs became corrupted/living in luxury

28. Rise of the Abbasids750 A.D. – 1258 A.D. • Founder and leader: Abu al-Abbas • Descendant of Muhammad’s uncle • Killed all members (except one) of last Umayyad ruling family

29. Abbasid Empire

30. Changes Under Abbasids • Create equality of all Muslims • Halted large military conquests • Empire of caliphs reached its greatest wealth and power • Muslim civilization flourished • Ended discrimination of non Arabs • Encouraged learning

31. Moved capital from Damascus (Syria) to Baghdad (Iraq) • Shi’ite • Umayyad keeps Spain

32. Muslim Civilization’s Golden AgeDuring the Abbasid Empire • 750-1350 Built vast trading network • Money economy • Partnerships • Credit • Formed banks • Bank Checks • Manufactured goods highly sought • Agriculture thrives • Social Mobility • Slave Practice

33. “Ships of the Sand”

34. Arts, Literature, Architecture • Poetry • Calligraphy – the art of beautiful handwriting • Architecture – 688 Dome of the Rock • Libraries of Baghdad – Learning Centers • Ancient philosophy and history preserved by Muslim scholars • Advances in astronomy, mathematics, medicine

35. Calligraphy

36. Dome of the Rock

37. The Muslim Empire DeclinesSeljuk Turks • 900 A.D. Seljuk Turks (from Central Asia) adopted Islam and set up and empire across the Fertile Crescent • 1055 Sultan or ruler takes over Baghdad • Pushed into Asia Minor (Turkey) • Threatened the Byzantine Empire • Preventing Christian pilgrims from entering Jerusalem • 1095 Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade to free Holy Lands of Muslim invaders

38. Seljuk Turkish Empire

39. Route Map of the 1st Crusade

40. Mongols • 1216 - Genghis Kahn led the Mongols out of Central Asia into Southwest Asia • 1258 – Grandson of Genghis Khan looted Baghdad • Killed the last Abbasid caliph • Mongols convert to Islam • Timur the Lane or Tamerlane conquers many Muslim lands

41. Mongol Empire In The Late 1400s