The Koran

1. TheKoran • To Muslims, it is the sacred word of God • Written in Arabic • Muslims believe it can only be read in Arabic

2. The Sunna • A set of rules used with the Koran • Developed from the legal codes of tribes

3. Expansion of Islam When Mohammed died, no successor had been named. Muslims chose caliphs-Islamic leaders, descendents of Mohammed

4. The First Four Caliphs 632-661

5. Abu Bakr Karem Abdul-Kaaba • 632-634 • Put down rebellion (Defeats Romans/Persians) • Brought all of Arabia under Islamic control • Collection of Koran • 63 Yrs Old (one of a kind) master of the hook shot

6. Omar(Farooq) • 634-644 • Defeated Byzantines • Captured Jerusalem Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Palistine, Iran • Master of Weapons, Wrestling, Speaking • Stabbed w/ dagger

7. Othman • 644-656 • Tried to make caliph more powerful • Murdered in 656 • Completed Text of Koran

8. Ali • 656-661 • Cousin of Mohammed, married Mohammed’s daughter (Fatima) • Assassinated in 661 w/ poison sword

9. Omayyad Dynasty 661-750 AD

10. Muawiya • Made Arabic the official language • Minted new coins, set up postal system • Made many improvements in building and transportation

11. Conquests • Islamic armies moved west, conquered North Africa and Spain • Made Islam the dominant power in Central Asia (present-day Pakistan)

13. The Muslims broke into 2 groups:

14. 1. Shiites • Loyal partisans of Ali (Mohammed’s cousin) • The believed the caliph should be descended from Mohammed’s family • They insisted the Koran was the only source of guidance for Islam

15. 2. Sunnites • Followers of Muawiya and the Omayyad Dynasty • They believed any spiritually qualified man could be elected caliph • They accepted both the Koran and Sunna • More numerous than Shiites

16. Reasons for Islam’s Early Success: • Islamic armies led by outstanding military leaders

17. Reasons for Islam’s Early Success: • Islamic armies led by outstanding military leaders • People not satisfied with Byzantine rule • Weakened Persian and Byzantine Empires

18. The Abbasid Dynasty 750-1057 AD (1253)

19. Background • Established by Abu’l Abbas • Abbas led non-Arab Moslems against the Omayyads – WHY? • Preferential treatment for Arabs (i.e. non-Arabs paid higher taxes) • Rebels overthrew Omayyad caliph and murdered 90 members of his family

20. Government • Moved capital to Baghdad • Strong centralized gov’t. similar to Byzantine Empire • Moslems paid only small tax to support Islam • Non-Moslems paid heavy taxes

21. Accomplishments • Baghdad becomes a center of learning that attracts scholars from Middle East/India • Great advances made in mathematics, science, literature, and the arts

22. Decline of the Empire • Territory becomes fragmented by rival kingdoms; conquered by Seljuk Turks

23. Islamic Civilization

24. Commerce & Industry • Muslims controlled trade routes • Musical instruments introduced to Europe • Lute, tambourine, guitar

25. Medicine Al-Razi (Rhazes) • Worked with sutures/casts • Difference between smallpox & measles Avicenna (Ibn Sina) • Persian wrote Canon of Medicine (medical encyclopedia) • Diagnosed tuberculosis as being contagious • Cancer surgery Other Achievements

26. Mathematics Advances • Al-Jabr invented form of Algebra • Borrowed numbers 1-9 and added concept of zero Al Khwarizmi Omar Khayyam

27. Astronomy & Geography • Important for religious reasons • Borrowed from Hindus & Greeks • Greek astrolabe • Improved Ptolemy’s calculations for earth’s circumference within ½ mile of present value • Al-Idrisi created maps on spheres to represent earth’s shape

28. Physics & Chemistry Al Hasan • Father of Optics • Convex and concave mirrors and light refraction Jabir • Moslem alchemist, studied oxidation, crystallization, filtration

29. History Ibn Khaldun • Wrote 7 volume Universal History • Included history, politics and econ, climate and culture

30. Art • Islamic art consists of geometric designs, flowers, leaves, and stars • No human or animal likenesses on most work