UNIT 6 – THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND ISLAMIC CIVILIZATIONChapter 15 –Islamic Civilization (Vocabulary & Notes)

Key Terms (Vocabulary):Section 1:

1. oasis - place in the desert where water can be found

2. Bedouin - Arab nomad3. Hijra - Muhammad’s migration with his followers

from Mecca to Medina4. Kaaba - a shrine in Mecca that is the most

important Islamic holy site

Section 2:5. Quran - holy book of Islam6. Sunnah - traditions believed by many Muslims to

come from their prophet Muhammad7. hajj - pilgrimage made by Muslims to their holy

city or Mecca8. mosque - Islamic house of worship9. Sharia - Islamic law

Section 3:10.caliph - title meaning “successor” in Arabic, used by

leaders of the Muslim community who followed Muhammad

11.Sunni - member of an Islamic religious group that supported Abu Bakr as the fist caliph and now forms a majority of the world’s Muslims

12.Shia - member of an Islamic religious group that supported Ali as the first caliph and now forms a minority of the world’s Muslims

13.sultan - title for the ruler of a Muslim country

Section 4:14.textile - woven fabric15.Sufism - an Islamic lifestyle that emphasized

controlling one’s desires, giving up worldly attachments, ad seeking nearness to God

16.Arabic numerals - the system of writing numerals we use today

17.calligraphy - art of beautiful writing

Section 1 –Origins of IslamObj: Students will Arabian geography and culture before Islam; the role of Muhammad in establishing and spreading Islam; students will be able to identify main ideas and details about the origins and spread of Islam; make decisions to choose necessary items for living in parts of Muslim ArabiaExpectations: In this section, students will read “Origins of Islam”; determine what items are necessary to live in different geographic parts o Muslim Arabia; go “On Assignment” in the earliest days of Islam and work on the chapter assignmentKey Ideas:

People began practicing Islam in Arabia, a large peninsula covered mostly by harsh desert

The prophet of Islam was Muhammad, wo preached his belief to the people of Mecca, his hometown

Muhammad moved from Mecca to the city of Medina where he built up the Muslim community

Chapter 15 – Section 1 – Origins of IslamArabia has one of the harshest climates in the world. In its vast deserts water is scarce, ad temperatures ca soar to more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 Celsius)The religion of Islam arose in this difficult region in the AD 600s. Today, Islam is the world’s second largest faith

ARABIA BEFORE ISLAMArabia:

Huge peninsula Nearly twice the size of Alaska south of modern-day Iraq across the Red Sea from eastern Africa extremely dry receives little rain has no permanent rivers much of Arabia is covered by desert the Rub’ al-Khali (Empty Quarter)

o desert what covers much of the peninsula summer temperatures some of the hottest in the world

its harsh environment helped keep foreign invaders out for most of its history

its difficult climate limited the region’s populationo its people depend on oases for watero in the past, most settlement occurred around oases in the Hijaz

a mountainous region along the western coast of Arabiao many also lived in the southwestern corner of the peninsula

today’s Yemen there is enough rain fall to support agriculture

it is surrounded on three sides by watero making Arabian sailors able to cross into East Africa, India, and China

to tradeo traders also traveled north across the desert into Meopotamia and

areas beyond it

Living in ArabiaThe Arabs –

people of Arabia practiced two different ways of life in ancient times

o Some were nomadso Others were sedentary, or settledo Both belonged to tribeso Their loyalty lay mainly with tribe and family rather than a large

nationo They were polytheist and also worshiped tribal spirits

Arab nomads:o Known as Bedouinso Lived in rural desert areaso Herded sheep, goats, and camelso Traveled from oasis to oasis with their flockso Skilled warriorso Raided other tribes for animals and goods

Sedentary Arabs:o Lived as farmers and merchantso Farmers:

Tended fields watered by oaseso Merchants:

Set up shop in oasis towns along Arabia’s main trade route Trade route:

o Passed along the western coast of Arabiao Through the Hijazo Camel caravans passed through to trade for water, food, and supplieso Trade brought wealth and attracted settlerso Jews and Christians moved to towns in the Hijaz

The largest town – Mecca Became a trading center Around 570 – Muhammad was born

o He was the first person to preach the religion of Islam

THE RISE OF ISLAMMuslims, people who practice Islam, consider Muhammad the prophet of their religion.Muslims believe that he was the messenger of God

MeccaWhere Muhammad was born

A town in Hijaz A religious center Kaaba was located there

o An important shrine where Arabs came to worship their gods

Muhammad’s Early Life Orphaned at an early age Raised by close relatives Married a wealthy, widowed merchant at 25

o Khadija Prospered in business Critical of Meccan society

o Saw greed, corruption and violence all around him Seeking peace of mind, he retreated to a cave outside Mecca

o To pray and reflectMuslims believe:

One night in 610o The angel Gabriel appeared before Muhammad in the caveo Gabriel told him to recite messages from God:

“Recite in the name of your Lord who had created—created man from cloth of bloodRecite! Your Lod in the Most Bountiful One, who by the pen taught man what he did not know”

Quran 96: 1-5

Muslims believe: Gabriel brought more messages from God Muhammad passed these on to his followers They later wrote them down in the Quran

o Islam’s holy book

Preaching a New MessageMuhammad began to preach in the streets of Mecca

Told Arabs to worship only one God and change many of their behaviors He said he received revelations from God He said this is the same God who had spoken to:

o Abrahamo Jesuso Prophetso Religious figures

Of Judaism and Christianity Muhammad respected those religions Muslims believe he was the final prophet

o He said he had the responsibility of clarifying God’s truth He began to win believers Many Meccans opposed Islam

o Feared the beliefs preached by Muhammad would reduce their status and wealth as keepers of the Kaaba

o Also feared he would anger the gods they worshipedo They began to persecute Muhammad and other Muslims

The Hijra622 –

Muhammad and his followers fled Mecca Moved to a town called Medina

o 275 miles northo This move was called the Hijra

Arab for ‘migration’ In Medina –

o Muhammad continued preachingo He became Medina’s political and military leader

Muslims of Medina fought with the people of Meccao Meccans tried to conquer Medinao Muhammad defeated themo After several key victories, Mecca’s resistance crumbled

630 – Muhammad returned to Mecca

o As its ruler Banned worship of the old gods Organized the Muslim community Destroyed statues of the gods at the Kaaba Rededicated it as an Islamic holy site

o Kaaba became a place for Muslim pilgrims to visitQuickly, the Muslims united most of Arabia under their rule632 –

Muhammad diedo Poisoned

But his death did not half the spread of his faith United by Islam:

o Arabs preached their religion and expanded their rule across Southwest Asia and to many other parts of the world

Section 2 – Beliefs of IslamObj: Students will know core beliefs of Islam; ways that Muslim daily life reflects beliefs of Islam; students will be able to summarize main ideas of Islam; describe how the Five Pillars of Islam affect Muslims every dayExpectations: In this section, students will read “Beliefs of Islam”; write and illustrate a children’s book about the Five Pillars of Islam; go “On Assignment” in Islamic civilization and work on the chapter assignmentKey Ideas:

The main sources of Islamic teachings ate the Quran and the Sunnah Islam is a monotheistic religion that requires believers to perform five basic

duties, known as the Five Pillars of Islam Prayer and right conduct are important parts of Islamic teachings

Chapter 15 – Section 2 – Beliefs of IslamIf you were visiting any Muslim city in the world, you would likely wake up a dawn hearing the call to prayer chanted from one of the city’s house of worship. In Arabic, you would hear “God is great. I bear witness that there is no God but God.I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Come to worship”

SOURCES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGSThe Quran –

Islam’s holy book The main source of Islamic teaching Muslims believe:

o It is the record of God’s revelations to Muhammad over a period of nearly 23 years

o These revelations began in a cave outside Mecca in 610 They continued for the rest of Muhammad’s life, until his

death in 632 According to Islamic tradition –

o Muhammad recited the words revealed to himo His followers memorized what he told them and wrote his messages

down Compiled them in a book called the Quran not long after his

death It has remained unchanged since them

It consists of 114 chapters in verse form The versus discuss:

o Nature of Godo Creationo The human soulo Address moral, legal, and family issues

Written in a poetic style To Muslims, it is the word of God

o They recite passages during daily prayers and special occasionso Believe it must be studied in Arabico Throughout the world, Arabs recite the Quran only in Arabico The Arabic language of the Quran unites all Muslims

Muslims treat the Quran with great devotiono Take special care of copies of the booko Commit passages to memory

Children often first learn reading and writing from the Quran

The SunnahAnother key source of Islamic thought

Means tradition of MuhammadIt refers to the words and actions of Muhammad

Muhammad is considered the best role model It provides Muslims with guidelines for living a proper life It also helps believers interpret difficult part in the Quran

It is based on accounts from people who knew Muhammad during his lifetime They recorded his sayings and actions This collection of writing is called the Hadith

o The written record of the Sunnaho Many of its passages deal with Islamic lawo Others promote moral or ethical concepts

“He who eats his fill while his neighbor goes without food is not a believer” - Hadith

BELIEFS ABOUT GODA number of core beliefs are central to Islam.They are stressed in the Quran and in Islamic tradition

MonotheismIslam’s principal belief is there is only one God.

He created the universe and all things in it Muslims believe this is the same God of the Jews and Christians Muslims refer to God as Allah, God in Arabic Muslims believe Muhammad was:

o A propheto God’s messengero No divine, or godlike power himself

Muslims believe in important Jewish and Christian religious figures:o Abrahamo Moseso Jesus

All who were also prophets Unlike Muslims, Jews and Christians do not believe that Muhammad was a

prophet Unlike Christians, Muslims view Jesus as a human prophet Most Christians believe Jesus was both God and man

Submission to God’s WillThe word Islam means “submission” in Arabic

Muslims submit to God’s will Muslims try to please God by following his teachings

The Soul and AfterlifeLike Christianity, Islam teaches:

Each person has a soul that keep living after a person dies Each person also has the freedom to choose between good and evil The choices a person makes affect what happens to their soul after death

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAMMuslims have five key religious duties. These are known as the Five Pillars

The first pillar –o Belief

Belief that there is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God

The second pillar –o Prayer

Religious duty to pray five times a day The third pillar –

o Charity Giving charity to the needy Muslims must share their wealth with the less fortunate Devout Muslims give 2.5% of their wealth each year, though

many give more The fourth pillar –

o Fasting Ramadan – a month on the Islamic calendar

Fasting between daybreak and sunseto This tests Muslims’ commitment to God and

reminds then of hunger of the poor Eid al-Fitr – marks the end of Ramadan

Festival of the Breaking of the Fast – this is an important holiday

The fifth pillar –o Pilgrimage

The hajj or journey to the holy city of Mecca The Quran instructs every Muslim to make the hajj at

least once, if possible The hajj strengthens the global community of Muslims

PRAYER, PILGRAMAGE, AND LAWIslam plays a large role in the daily lives of Muslims.It helps shape society in Muslim-majority nations

WorshipPray and worship are key elements of daily life for Muslims

Five times a day they stop what they are doing to pray Before praying, they;

o Remove their shoeso Wash their hands and feet

This is called ablutiono They may bow several timeso Then, facing the direction of Mecca, they kneel and pray

Muslim house of worship is called a mosque. The community participates in group prayer and other religious activities Usually at the heart of Muslim-majority towns or cities Their features may differ, but all mosques contain:

o A prayer hall facing the direction of Meccao Usually with a special place for the religious leader to stand during

sermons Imam

o Minarets – Towers from which a man called a muezzin sings the call to

prayer On Friday –

o Muslims may gather at a mosque for group worship and to hear a sermon

The HajjA pilgrimage to Mecca

During the hajj, pilgrims take part in many rituals Most important:

o Walking in a circle around the Kaaba Kaaba

A cube-like building in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Mecca

Muslims believe that in ancient times, Abraham and his son Ishmael built the Kaaba as a place

to worship God During the hajj,

Muslims visit the place where Muhammad gave his last sermon

It reminds Muslims of:o Abrahamo Ishmaelo Muhammad

It connects Muslims to their religious history

LawMuhammad taught that everyday life was no different from religious life.Living a proper life meant following:

God’s laws as revealed in the Quran and the Sunnah The laws are collected in the Islamic law code known as the Sharia

o Sharia means “the way” in Arabico The Quran and Sunnah served as sources for the Sharia

They could not cover every situation that might come up Religious scholars used reason to judge new situations

By the 900s – Muslim scholars had established the Sharia as a fixed set of laws

o Used by Muslim societies for centuries1800s –

Governments in some Muslim lads began replacing parts of the Sharia law with law codes based on European models

Other parts of the Sharia were reformed.Today –

Law codes in some Muslim nations are closely based on Sharia Others are more secular (non-religious)

Rules of Proper ConductThe Sharia provides Muslims with specific rules of personal conduct.The most important:

The basic duties of ever Muslim – the Five Pillars of IslamOther rules list things that Muslims should not do:

Gambling Stealing Eating pork Drinking alcohol

The Sharia also includes rules for resolving family issues and for doing business ethically.

Section 3 – Muslim EmpiresObj: students will know ways that Muslim rule expanded and faith spread; important Muslim empires and dynasties; students will be able to sequence expansion of Muslim political rule and Islamic religious influence; make an illustrated timeline of Muslim empiresExpectations: In this section, students will read “Muslim Empires”; illustrate important Muslim empires in historical order; go “On Assignment” to early Muslim empires and work on the chapter assignment Key Ideas:

After converting to Islam, the Arabs conquered may lands and built a uge empire in a very short span of time

Muslims became divided over the issue of who should follow Muhammad as the leader of the Muslim community

After the Arab Muslim empire collapsed, Muslim empires, including the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires rose up

Chapter 15 – Section 3 – Muslim EmpiresAt the time of Muhammad’s death in AD 632, many tribes of Bedouin warriors had converted to Islam. United by devotion to Islam, these Arab tribes formed a powerful and skilled army. They began an expansion of Arab Muslim rule across three continents

THE ARAB MUSLIM EMPIRE AND THE SPREAD OF ISLAMArab Muslim armies began to conquer new territory in Arabia itself.After Muhammad’s death, some Arab tribes rebelled against Muslim rule, but the Muslims were able to defeat them

Early ConquestsAfter securing their hold on Arabia, Muslim soldiers:

Defeated larger rivals in nearby lands600s –

They conquered Persia and much of the Byzantine empire Arab Muslims took:

o Mesopotamiao Palestineo Syriao Egypt

o Persia They then moved into Afghanistan and northern India They conquered North Africa and Spain

By the 800s – The Muslims ruled a vast empire

Islam SpreadsAs the Arab Muslims built their empire:

Islam spread peacefullyThis happened at different speeds in different regions:

Most western North Africans were quick to convert to Islam Most Egyptians remained Christian for centuries The Arabic language spread along with Islam

o Merchants traveled outside the empire to many new landso Missionaries spread Islam often accompanied traders to preach their

faith Overtime, many people in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and African turned to

Islam

Reasons for SuccessEarly Arab Muslims built a massive empire in a short period of timeSeveral factors:

The decline of the Persian and Byzantine empireso Years of warfare left these empires weak and vulnerable

The ability and devotion of Muslim warriorso Had fighting skillso Their religion gave them an edge, believing God was on their side

Religious tolerationo Muslims did not force their religion on the Jews and Christians, once

their lands were conqueredo This policy made people less likely to rebelo It set the Arab Muslim empire apart from the Byzantine empire

Which persecuted Jews and non-Orthodox Christians A final factor –

o The appeal of Islam itself Offered followers a direct path to God and salvation Emphasized equality of all believers

Stressed fairness and justice For these reasons many non-Muslims chose to convert

to Islam

SOCIETY IN THE ARAB MUSLIM EMPIREIslam stressed the equality of all believers. Still, social division existed in the Arab Muslim empire

Social DivisionsEarly society –Muslim society split into four main groups –

At the top:o Arab Muslims

Next:o Non-Arab Muslims

Then:o Jews and Christians

Last:o Slaves

Slaves were usually non-Muslims that were captured in war. They did not have the rights of free people

o Islam required they be treated kindly and encouraged freeing slaveso Many served as soldiers or key government officialso Some even became rulers themselves

Men and WomenThe Quran and Sharia laid out clear roles for men and womenMen:

Support their families Conduct their business in public

Women: Customarily stayed at home

o Though some rose to important positions In general, women had few rights Occupied an inferior position

Still, Islam improved conditions for womenBefore Islam, women had virtually no rightsUnder the Sharia, women and men had religious equality

Jews and ChristiansArab Muslim empire somewhat tolerant to Jews and Christians

They regarded their scriptures as sacred They respected them as “people of the book”

o They allowed them to practice their faiths and govern themselveso They had to pay special tax and faced other restrictions

THE CALIPHSMuhammad was the first Muslim leaderAfter he died, rulers called caliphs led the Muslim community and then the empire.

Caliph means “successor” in Arabic A government run by a caliph is called a caliphate

The Question of SuccessionThe choice as to who could be good enough to follow Muhammad divided the Muslims into two competing groups.

Sunnis –o They held the Sunnah in high regardo They believed that the community needed a leader with political

skillso This was the majority

Shias –o Supported Ali, Muhammad’s relationo They believed that only Muhammad’s relatives should become calipho This was the minority

The split between the Sunni and Shias till exists today 85% Sunnis Shias are the largest minority Islamic group (Shiites)

The “Rightly Guided” Caliph Four caliphs ruled Arab Muslim empire during its earliest years. Each had close ties to Muhammad Each was guided by Muslim principles For these reasons:

o Sunni Muslims came to refer to these leaders as the “right guided” caliphs

o They ruled from the city of MedinaMuhammad’s cousin, Ali, favored by Shias

Finally became the fourth caliph in 656 He had enemies He was assassinated in his fifth year of reign After that the caliphate passed to the powerful Umayyad family

The Umayyad DynastyThey founded the first Muslim dynastyThey moved the empire from Medina to Damascus, an ancient city in SyriaUnder the Umayyads:

The Arab Muslim empire reached its greatest size Muslim armies conquered North Africa and Spain Expansion brought Muslims in contact with other cultures

Many non-Arabs adopted Islam Some began to speak Arabic Over time, a distinct Muslim civilization emerged that blended these

influences

The Abbasid Dynasty750 –

rebel Arab forces overthrew the Umayyads installed a caliph from the Abbasid family

o they built a new capital called Baghdad in present-day Iraq

o it became the center of art, science and learning as Islamic civilization flourished, the Abbasids were losing control of their

empire756 –

Spain became an independent Muslim state under its own caliphsLater –

Shia Fatimid dynasty seized control of Egypto Founded Al-Azhar university in Cairo

It is still a center of Muslim learning900s –

Turks migrated into Muslim landso Those in Central Asia became Muslimo Abbasid caliphs hired them as soldierso Eventually they would gain control of Baghdado They allowed Abbasid caliphs to remain on the throne

Stripped them of all real power1250s –

Mongols invaded Muslim landso Destroyed the city of Baghdad in 1258o Slaughtered tens of thousands of peopleo Killed the Abbasid caliphs

NON-ARAB MUSLIM EMPIRESThe Mongol invasion ended the caliphate and the golden age of Islamic civilizationIndividual Muslim states survived, ruled by non-Arab dynastiesLeaders of many of these states called themselves sultans

The Ottoman EmpireThe largest of these states became the Ottoman empire

Lasted into the 1900s They were Turkish dynasty Founded in Asia Minor – present-day Turkey

1300s – Ottomans attacked the Byzantine empire in Asia and Europe 1453 – captured Constantinople Went on the conquer southeastern Europe, Arabia, and northern Africa It was powered by a strong military

o Janissaries Boys taken from the Christian provinces of southeastern

Europe, raised as Muslims, and trained as elite soldiers

The Safavid Empire1500s –

This empire rose up in Persia and challenged the Ottomans Persian culture developed even after the Persian empire fell After Arab conquest most converted to Islam but kept the Persian language

The Late 1500s -The Safavid dynasty took power in Persia

Claimed Muhammad’s cousin Ali as a ancestoro They were Shias and made Shia Islam he official religion of Persiao Today:

Persia is called Iran It remains a majority Shia country

Under the Safavid dynasty: Persian painting, architecture, carpet weaving, and metalwork all

blossomed. So did astronomy and mathematics

ISLAM IN INDIATraders introduced Islam to India as early as the 700s. Some 200 years later, Turks invaded northern India, beginning a long period of Muslim rule

The Delhi Sultanate1206 –

Turkish leader formed the Delhi sultanate in the north of India During the next 300 years:

o Many Indians converted to Islamo The Delhi sultanate ruled much of India

Hind rebellions and Mongol invasion tool their toll One Mongol ruler, Timur, destroyed Delhi, the capital

The Mughal Empire1526 –

Muslim Mongols and Turks overran what remained of the Delhi sultanate Leader Babur, founded the Mughal empire

o Mughal is another word for Mongol Mughal leaders expanded Muslim rule over nearly all of India Scholars, writers, and artists migrated to India from the west, especially

Persia

The Founding of Sikhism1500s –Mughal India

A new religion developed Sikhism

o Influenced by both Hinduism and Islamo Teaches monotheismo Believe in reincarnationo Its founder was a guru, or religious teacher

Nanako Nine gurus followed himo The Sikh holy book is considered the final teacher of the community

The Guru Granth SahibThe Sikh community fought the Mughals1801 –

Sikhs founded a powerful kingdom in northern India under the rule of Maharaja (king) Ranjit Singh

It lasted until 1849Today – there are about 24 million Sikhs in the world, mostly in India

Section 4 – Muslim AchievementsObj: students will know key features of Muslim culture; intellectual achievements of Muslim scholars; students will be able to analyze effects of spreading Muslim culture; synthesize information in a class schedule for Muslim learningExpectations: In this section, students will read “Muslim Achievements”; describe potential school courses about Muslim achievements; go “On Assignment” in Islamic civilization and work on the chapter assignment Key Ideas:

Cities were central to the economies of Muslim empires which grew through trade

Art, architecture, and literature flourished under Muslim empires Muslims made important advance in mathematics, philosophy, science, and

other field of learning

Chapter 15 – Section 4 – Muslim AchievementsAs Islam spread to many different lands, a distinctive Muslim culture developed.Muslims in different regions combined Arab culture and Islam with the Persian, Byzantine, Indian, and other cultures that existed before the coming of Muslim rule.

GROWTH OF CITIES AND TRADEThe expansion of Muslim rule and the spread of Islam united many peoples.Under the protection of a strong central government, trade flourished and cities grew.Even after the end of the Arab Muslim empire, cities continued to play an important role in maintaining a flourishing Islamic civilization

An Urban Economy 1000 –

o Muslim culture thrived in: Mecca Medina Damascus Baghdad

o Other cities prospered Cordoba in Muslim Spain

Cairo, Egypto Outside of China, the Muslim empires had the largest, most

developed cities in the world A strong economic foundation Muslim cities flourished:

o Farms supplied food, wool, ad other basic goodso Traders brought exotic goods from distant landso Cities produced a wide range of trade goods

The Muslim civilization gained fame for its fine textileso They included:

Cotton cloth from Egypt Beautiful wool carpets from Persia Finely crafted steel swords from Damascus Beautiful leather goods from Cordoba

Trade and Trade RoutesGeography helped make lands ruled by Muslims a center for trade.

Asia Africa Europe

Muslim traders had access to the Mediterranean and Indian OceansOverland routes to and from East and South Asia passed through Muslim territoryMuslim merchants traveled by land and sea

Created a network of trade routes that linked three continents They traveled two main ways:

o Crossed the seas in small sailing ships called dhows Sailed from Arabia south to Africa and east to India

o On land, they traveled by camel caravan Silk Road

Linked Baghdad to China From Asia:

o Chinese silk and dishes From India:

o Spices, gems, coconuts, and tropical woods From Africa:

o Gold and salt From northern Europe:

o Amber and furs

Ideas and inventions also spread along the trade routes. Chinese compass Making paper

Importance of MerchantsMerchants played a key role in the urban economySome lives centered on the souk

Arabi work for “marketplace”Other merchants traveled along well-worn trade routes, carrying manufactured goods to distant Muslim lands and beyondSocial mobility allowed merchants to move up in societyMany merchants became important figures in Muslim lands

PHILOSOPHY AND MEDICINEMuslim rulers prized learningThey built libraries and academies were scholars could study and exchange ideasMuslim scholars collected and translated works of:

Greeks Persian Indian

o ThinkersThey merged ideas from these cultures with their own knowledgeThe also created original works

PhilosophyBrilliant philosophers were produced from Islamic civilization

Ibn Rushdo Studied the ideas of Aristotle and other Greekso Combined the principles of Greek logic with Islamic faith

MedicineAlso studied works by ancient Greek scholarsThey improved on Greek medical practicesMuslims made their own contributions to medical scienceIbn Sina –

Muslim’s greatest doctor Known as Avicenna in Europe

Wrote many books on:o Medicineo Philosophyo Other topics

His most famous work was a medical encyclopediao It became the standard medical text in Europe for hundreds of years

Skilled Muslim doctors performed difficult operations including cancer and brain surgeries

LITERATUREAs with medicine, Islamic culture put a high value on literatureThe ability to read came through religionMany Muslims learned to read in order to study the Quran.Some writers wrote down folk talesOthers wrote lyrical poetry about love and nature

History and GeographyMuslim scholars wrote about history and geographyIbn Khaldun –

Author Wrote a famous history of the world that tried to explain the rise and fall of

dynastiesIbn Battuta –

Wrote about his travels throughout Muslim countries

Folk TalesMuslim folk tales came from a long tradition of storytellingSome featured animalsOthers described great heroes and their adventuresThese stories provided scholars with helpful information about life in early Muslim times

PoetryLike folk tales, Muslim poetry began as an oral art form.Arab nomads used spoken verse to praise their tribes and mock their enemiesPoetry was central to early Arab cultures

This oral tradition gave rise to many written forms

Rumio A Persian poeto Wrote about religious themeso Practiced Sufism

An Islamic lifestyle that emphasized Controlling one’s desires Giving up worldly attachments seeking nearness to God

MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCEMuslim scholars made important advances in various fields of science.Some of their main contributions were in mathematics and astronomy

MathematicsDesign and CalligraphyBefore Islam:

Arabs worshiped images of their godso Islam opposed the worship of images and discouraged art that

showed humans or animals In time, some painting of images was allowed It never became as important as the decorative arts in Islamic civilization

In Islamic civilization – Calligraphy merged art and religion Decorative writing Artists recreated verses from the Quran Through trade and travel, the various Muslim decorative styles found their

way to Europe1300s –

Italyo A new artistic age begano Muslim styles and techniques were applied to:

Glassware Metalwork Other forms of art

ArchitectureMuslim architects built striking mosques, fountains, gates, gardens, baths, and palacesDomes and arches were common features used in Muslim architecture.Islamic civilizations included many cultures that had long histories

Byzantine and Roman influences Persian styles were also influential Spread to many Muslim lands, including India and East Africa

PRESERVING ANCIENT CULTURESMuslims helped preserve Greek and Roman cultural achievements.

The passed these advances on to later European civilizations Benefited from Muslim advances in

o Mathematicso Chemistryo Other

Many areas ruled by Muslims had been influenced by Greco-Roman cultureMuslim rulers and scholars gathered works and:

Translated them into Arabic Studied them Made their own advances Preserved any original texts

After the fall of the western Roman empire, many of these works had been forgotten in EuropeMuslim scholars wrote about these worksTranslated them into Latin

This made the works accessible to Europeans