Developments in DAR AL-ISLAM 1.2

Abbasid Empire & Islam

Dar Al-Islam

House of Islam/Islamic World

Muhammad

c. 570-632

Born in Mecca, Orphaned

• Located in the middle of the Mediterranean-Indian Ocean trade route

610 - experiences first relevation from God

622- Muhammad fled to Medina, Hijra

• Year 1 of Muslim Calender

Umma

community of believers of Islam

Beliefs of Islam

Believe that Islam is the third in a progression of monotheistic religions; Judaism to Chistianity, Christianity to Islam

Muslim

A person who follows the teachings of Muhammad

Quran (Koran)

The holy book of Islam

• Gives the story of creation & founding of Islam

Hadith

Sayings of Muhammad

Sharia

Islamic Law

The Five Pillars of Islam

1. Statement of Faith

   - There is no God but Allah & Mohammad is his Prophet

2. Prayer: Five times a day, facing Mecca

3. Fasting during the month of Ramadan

4. Charity/Alms to the Poor

5. The Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca once during a lifetime

Caliph

Religious & Secular Leader

Head of army, government, and faith

Islamic Empire is a Theocracy

The Rightly Guided Caliphs

Caliphs Preceding Muhammad

Schism

A split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief

Sect

A group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs from those of a larger group to which they belong

Difference between Sunni & Shia

Main differences are in how Sunni or Shia practice their faith

The Split Shia/Shi’ite

Believe Ali is the rightful heir to Muhammad as his son-in-law

Authority comes from the Quran & then Imans (Priests)

• Imans are infalliable (always right)

The Split Sunni

Larger of the two groups

Rule over empire should NOT be hereditary

Political/Religious Authority comes frim the Quran and then the Umma

Sufis/Sufism

Mystical Beliefs In Islam

Goal: Become closer to Allah in paradise

Main missionaries of Islam

Ascenticism

abstinence from worldly pleasures

Early of Spread of Islam

Spread by military conquest

633 - The Arabian Peninsula was Islamic

700’s - North Africa to Iberian Peninsula and France

• Battle of Tours, 732

Umayyad Caliphate

661-750

Arab Indentity more important than being Muslim

• Did not convert conquered people due to the tax placed on non-Muslim people

Dome of the Rock

Sight of Muhammad’s Night Journey

Abbasid Caliphate

750-1258

Golden Age of Islam

• Capital @ Baghdad, Iraq

Abbasid Achievements

Trade between Mediterranean & China

Credit = not carry coins

Universities in Baghdad & Cairo

Epic Literature: The Arabian Nights

Algebra, Geometry, & Trigonometry

Fall of the Abbasid Caliphate

Empire had grown large & difficult to administer

• Cumulative effect of the Crusades

Mongolian hordes sack Baghdad, 1258

Islam & Other Faiths

Generally tolerant of people of other faiths

Jews & Christians - allowed to practice their faith

• “People of the Book”

Jizya

tax for Non-Muslims

Dhimmi

meaning “protected person” by paying Non-Muslim tax

• Legally a 2nd Class Citizen

Women in Islam

Low status & few rights

Quran: although still below men, women were equal in the eyes of Allah

• Not equal in Islamic Courts

Women could keep dowry in a divorce

Veils in public became law in some places