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EQ: What are some characteristics of Islam?. Arabian Peninsula. Mostly desert Occupied by Bedouins Mecca was central trading city. Muhammad the Prophet. Read p. 252 Married rich widow 15 years older than him Went to cave and heard Allah’s voice
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Arabian Peninsula • Mostly desert • Occupied by Bedouins • Mecca was central trading city
Muhammad the Prophet • Read p. 252 • Married rich widow 15 years older than him • Went to cave and heard Allah’s voice • Was illiterate – family members wrote down his revelations • Began teaching what he heard • Travelled to Mecca and destroyed the idols Before Islam, religions of the Arabian Peninsula were polytheistic.
Islam - Doctrine • Five pillars, or tenets • Declaration of Faith • Pray 5 times a day facing Mecca • Tithe – 2% of income • Jihad – spiritual struggle • Hajj – to Mecca • Quran, also spelled Koran, is main holy book • Believe Jesus was prophet but not God • Holy day is on Friday – like Jewish Sabbath Call to Prayer
Women and Islam • Sharia – Islamic law • Quran treats men and women with equality • In practice, similar to how women were viewed according to Christianity, some Muslim women were highly subjugated, or inferior to men, in ancient Islamic societies
Islamic Schism • Muhammad died, he had no sons • Leaders argue over who should take over as caliph • Sunnis say the leader should be elected • Shiites say the leader should be a blood relation of Muhammad • This led to religious wars between the two
Spread of Islam – Umayyads 650-750 A.D. Later Umayyad caliphate rulers • Muhammad dies – 632 A.D. • 1st caliph, Abu Baker, spreads Islam through series of wars • First four caliphs conquered Byzantine and Persian territory • Tolerant conquerors – didn’t force conversion • Conquer Modern day Spain Muhammad’s caliphate
Spread of Islam – Abbasids 750-1250 A.D. • A new family of Sunni leaders take power • Baghdad becomes their powerful Arab capital • This is the Golden Age • Arabs invent Algebra, advances in mathematics and medicine
Effects of Islamic Empires • Create learning centers in Cairo, Cordoba Spain, and Baghdad • Trade network closely links Europe and the Arab world • While Europe was in Dark Ages, preserved learning from Ancient Greeks and Romans
Decline of Islamic Empires • 850 A.D. Ottoman Turks conquer most of the Byzantine empire • 1099 A.D. Christians attack Jerusalem in the Crusades – attacks lasted nearly 200 years • 1216 A.D. Genghis Khan leading the Mongols attacks