THE RISE OF THE ISLAM
Geography
- limited ag.
- Hot and dry deserts
People of the deserts
- On the deserts, the Arabs nomads, called Bedouins were organized into clans
- These clans were created because they provided security and support for a life made difficult by the extreme conditions of the desert
- Bedouins ideals: courage, loyalt to family, and warrior skills
Moving
- By 600 A.D. many Arabs had chosen to settle bu an oasis or in a market town, the desert life was too tough and unpredictable
- Larger towns near the western coast of Arabis became market towns for local, regional, and long-distance trade goods
Special City
- One of these cities was Mecca
- Mecca is a holy city where Muslims pray towards
- Also it is very common for Muslims to go visit Mecca to pay homage
Trade Life
- After these people had moved into the larger cities, the trading increased as well
- Many routes because of the bodies of water that surrounded the area
- Traded many things like spices, incense, perfumes, precious metals, ivory, silk.
Monotheistic or Polytheistic
- Islamic religion is monotheistic
- They believe in one God called Allah
Muhammad
- Very infulential figure
- Was raised by his grandfather and uncle
- He received little schooling and began working as a trader
- At the age of 40, Mehammad became very interested in religion
General Info
- Islam means "submission to the will of Allah"
- Muslim means "one who has submitted."
Islam Grows
New Leader
- After Muhammad died in 632, the Muslim community needed to take the decision on who would be their nect religious leader.
- They selected one of Muhhamad's good friends named Abu-Baker to become the first caliph meaning succesor
Issues
- Not everyone was weloming of the caliph
- Sometribes around the Arabian Peninsula abandoned Islam completely
- Others wouldnt pay taxes
- Some individual even devalred thmselves to be prophets.
Attempts to resolve
- Abu-Bakr declared a jihad which has two meanings- an inner struggle with evil and an armed struggle against a non-believer
Expansion by military
- The Muslim com. began to expand under Abu-Bakr as well
- The next 3 caliphers after Abu-Bakr expanded into the Sassanid and Byzantine empires
Reason for Success
- Did very well in conquest between these empire bc they had been fighting each other for many yrs before
- Well disciplined
- Great leaders
- The two empires werent tolerant of the religions in their conquered area so their Muslims in the empires would often help the other Muslims that invade the empires
Treatment of Conquered People
- The Qur'an does not allow for Muslims to force others to convert to this religion
- Muslims allowed the Christians and Jews to practice their religions but they couldn't spread it
- They made the Christians and Jews pay a tax however bc they didnt fight for the Islam military groupd
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