Warm Up:

What do you know about the religion of Islam?Muslim people?

Chapter 8

The Rise of Islam 600-1200

I. The Origins of Islam

A. The Arabian Peninsula Before Muhammad

1. Geography• Only a small strip of

fertile land in south of Saudi Arabia

• Few oases• The rest is desert

I. The Origins of Islam

2. The Arab People• Farmers, sailors, pastoral

nomads (Bedouins)• Bedouins provided

camels, guides and safe passage across Arabian desert

• Caravan trade linked Arabian Peninsula to Mesopotamia and Mediterranean

I. The Origins of Islam

3. Beliefs• Nomads were polytheistic• Worshipped natural forces and celestial bodies• Familiar with other religions, including

Christianity, & Judaism

I. The Origins of Islam

4. Mecca• Caravan city between

Yemen and Syria. • A religious center • attracted nomads to

worship the idols enshrined in a small cubical shrine called the Ka’ba.

I. The Origins of Islam

B. Muhammad and Mecca1. Early Life• born in Mecca in 570, • grew up as an orphan • involved in the caravan trade

I. The Origins of Islam

2. Revelations • In 610 he began receiving revelations • Others in his community believed that he

might be possessed by a spirit.• Revelations continued until death in 632

I. The Origins of Islam

3. Development of Islam• The message of Muhammad’s revelations was that

there is one god, Allah, • all people ought to submit to him. • At the final judgment, those who had submitted to

Allah would go to paradise; those who had not, to hell. • Muhammad’s revelations were considered to be the

final revelations, - following and superseding the earlier revelations of

God to: Noah, Moses, and Jesus.

I. The Origins of Islam

4. Islam• Islam = the will of God• Muslim = one who submits to God

I. The Origins of Islam

5. The Five Pillars of Islam• What does it mean to be a Muslim?(1) Belief in one God, with Muhammad as his prophet (2) Five Daily Prayers (3) Charity for the needy(4) Fasting from sun up to sun down during the

month of Ramadan(5) Pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj, for those who are

physically and financially able

The Hajj

I. The Origins of Islam

C. The Formation of the Umma1. The Hijira• Mecca’s leaders feared Muhammad and his

followers• Muhammad and his followers fled to

Medina, 215 miles north• This marks the beginning of the Muslim

calendar (Year 1 AH)

I. The Origins of Islam

2. Medina• The leaders of Medina agreed to protect

Muhammad and his followers• Formed a single umma, a community based

on acceptance of Islam• Muhammad’s followers conquered Mecca in

630• Removed polytheistic idols from the Ka’ba

Warm Up:

• What does it mean to be a Muslim?

Read The Last Sermon

Answer questions on a separate sheet of paper

I. The Origins of Islam

3. Crisis• Muhammad died in 632 • Muslims now had to find a new leader• Muhammad did not name a successor

I. The Origins of Islam

4. Caliph• Muslims chose Abu-Bakr who was a loyal

friend of Muhammad• He became the first caliph• Caliph – (kay-lif) means successor or deputy• The caliph ruled over a caliphate

I. The Origins of Islam

5. Abu-Bakr• Organized Islamic religious practices- Five Pillars of Islam- Organized the revelations of Muhammad

into the Quran

I. The Origins of Islam

• After Muhammad died some Muslims:–Refused to pay taxes– Said they were prophets themselves– Some tribes abandoned Islam

• Abu-Bakr used the military to gain authority.

I. The Origins of Islam

6. Divisions • Dispute over succession to the caliphate• 3rd caliph, Uthman was assassinated in 656• Ali, nominated to be Caliph - first cousin to Muhammad and husband to

Muhammad’s daughter, Fatima• Ali’s nomination was opposed- civil war broke out

I. The Origins of Islam

• The governor of Syria, Mu’awiya, kinsman of Uthman led the resistance to Ali

- Umayya clan• Arbitrators tried to settle dispute• Ruled that Uthman did not deserve death, Ali

had should not have accepted the Caliphate- Ali rejected ruling• Ali was assassinated by one of his own followers

for agreeing to arbitration

I. The Origins of Islam

7. Umayyad Caliphate• Mu’awiya chose his own son, Yazid to succeed

him• Umayyad Caliphate

I. The Origins of Islam

8. Sunni – Shi’ite split• Shi’ites believed Ali was rightful successor to

Muhammad• Imam – leader of the Muslim community• Believed that Caliph was a secular position,

Iman was a religious position• Imam should be descendants of Ali• Believed in a messiah, the Hidden Imam, would

return before Final Judgment

I. The Origins of Islam

8. Continued• Those who supported the first three Caliphs

became known as Sunnis• Consider the Caliph to be Imams