Chapter 9: Islamic Empires of Western Asia and Africa, 600-1258

caliph: successor, exercises political authority b/c muslim religious community had its own government and army

• southern edge of the two empires = Arabian peninsula: mostly desert and had small oases where locals spoke Arabic

• Bedouins: nomadic residents, tended to flocks of sheep, horses, camels divided into clans

• Kaaba: at Mecca, large black rock in a cube-shaped shrine (associated with Abraham)

all Arabs, whether nomadic or urban, worshiped protective deities that resided in a tree, group of trees, or rock with a weird shape

• Arabs believed they were descended from Abraham’s son Ishmael and Jews believed they were descended from Isaac (refrained from pork)

Muhammad/Muslims

• founded on belief in this event is called Islam, meaning “submission” or “surrender”, allah = God

• each person had the power to decide to worship God or to turn away from God