The Rise of Islam

-Muslims: followers of Islam; came from Arabian Peninsula (desert)

-Bedouins: nomadic herders
Muhammad Becomes a Prophet
-Mecca: market, pilgrimage center, Arabs prayed @ Kaaba (ancient temple), safe place
for businesses
-Muhammad early life- shaped by desserts & trade centers, led caravans->successful
merchant
-25: married Khadija- wealthy widow, ran caravan business
-Known for honest business, devoted husband/father
-Troubled by Meccan society ills (greed) -> meditate
-40: heard angel Gabriel calling to be messenger of God -> wife encouraged to accept->
she became first convert to faith Islam
-Islam: to submit to God
-Urged Arabs to submit to Allah
-622: faced w/ threat murder -> ;eft Mecca for Yathrib (journey to Hijra)-> Yathrib
remained Medina (city of prophet); first year of Muslim calendar
-Hijra: turning point; in Medina Muslim converts welcomed Muhammad -> community
of Muslims (umma) -> created rules that governed -> throusands of Arabs adopted Islam
-Muslims attacked several caravans -> Meccans prepared for war
-630: battles w/ Meccans, Muhammad returned to Mecca
-Destoryed idols Kaaba- temple that he believed Abraham built to worship 1 true God
-Rededicated Kaaba to Allah -> became most holy place in Islam
-Died in 632 but faith still spread
-Islam is one of the worlds major religions
Teachings of Islam
-Islam: monotheistic- based on the belief of one God
-Quran: the sacred text; states God is all powerful and compassionate, people responsible
for own actions
-Believe God has sent other prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, but Muhammad
was the last and greatest prophet
-Quran: sacred word of God, teaches Gods will and provides guide to life; emphasize
honesty, generosity, social justice; harsh penalties for crimes
-Quran is direct, unchangeable
-All Muslims, including converts to Islam learn Arabic
-Perform Five Pillars of Islam: make a declaration of faith, pray five times daily, face
holy city of Mecca to pray (usually pray in masjids or mosques-muezzin calls the faithful
to prayer), give charity to the poor, fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of
Ramadan, make the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)
-Jihad- struggle in Gods service, personal duty for Muslims
-Muslims, Jews, Christians worship same God; Quran teaches Islam is Gods final and
complete revelation; Muslims consider Jews and Christians to be People of the Book
Islam: A Way of Life
-Both a religion and a way of life

-Sharia: body of law that includes interpretation of the Quran (examples of behavior from
Muhammads life and Muslim traditions); does not separate religion from criminal lawapplies religious principles to all legal situations
-Some communities- women active in religion, trade, politics
-Most societies- women had limited rights
-Arab women- cant inherit property, obey male guardian, unwanted daughters killed at
birth -> Quran prohibited killing of daughters, granted women an inheritance, and
allowed women to reject a marriage offer, encouraged education for men and women
-Men and women had different roles and rights
-Womens lives varied according to region and class
-Peasant women had to work