Chapter 14

Islam
Beginning in the a.d. 630s, people called Arabs created a
new empire in Southwest Asia. The driving force behind
their empire was the religion of Islam.
Water is available only at scattered springs and water
holes. Such a spot is called an oasis At an oasis, trees
and other plants grow.
Long ago, many Arabs were nomads who herded animals
and lived in tents. These nomads are called bedouins.The
bedouins raised camels, goats, and sheep and traveled
from oasis to oasis. The bedouin ate mainly fresh or dried
dates and drank milk. On very special occasions they ate
goat or sheep meat.
To survive the harsh desert climate, early Arabs formed
tribes whose members were loyal to one another. The
leader of each tribe was called a sheik. Arab tribes raided
other tribes to take camels and horses.
Merchants carried goods by camel across the desert to
different markets. For protection against bedouin raids,
some made journeys in caravans or groups of traveling
merchants and animals.
As trade grew, Arab merchants built towns along the trade
routes in Arabia. The most important town was Makkah also
known as Mecca.
Makkah was also an important religious site. In the center
ofthe city was the kaaba. This was a low, block-like building
surrounded by statues of Arabian gods and goddesses. The
people of Arabia worshipped many deities, but the most
important was Allah.They believed that Allah was the creator.
Arabs believed that a large stone inside the Kaaba came
from heaven.
Islam grew from the preachings of a man named
Muhammad. Muhammad was born into a merchant family
in Makkah in a.d. 570.
Muslim tradition says that in a.d. 610, Muhammad had a
vision in which a voice called him to preach Islam. Islam
means "surrendering [to the will of Allah]." In the Arabic
language, Allah is the word for "God." Three times the
voice said, "Recite!"
He taught that there was only Allah to
worship, the one true God. He said they
must destroy their false statues of fake
gods. All people were equal in Gods eyes
and the rich should share their wealth with
the poor. He also preached God valued good
deeds.
The first people to become muslims, or followers of
Islam, were Muhammad's family members. Slowly,
Muhammad won the support of the poor, who were
attracted to his message of sharing.
In a.d. 622, Muhammad and his followers believed
Makkah had become too dangerous. They moved to
Yathrib Muhammad's departure to Yathrib became known
as the Hijrah. The people of Yathrib accepted Muhammad
as God's prophet and their ruler. They renamed their city
Madinah which means "the city of the prophet."
Islam shares some beliefs with Judaism and Christianity. Like
Jews and Christians, Muslims are monotheists. Muslims
believe in one all-powerful God who created the universe.
They believe that God decides what is right and wrong.

LikeJews and Christians, Muslims believe that God spoke to

people through prophets. For Muslims, these prophets include
Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. In Islam,
Muhammad is seen as the last and the greatest of the
prophets.
The Quaran is the holy book of Islam.
Over centuries, Islamic scholars created a code of law
called the Sunna. Shari'ah is based on the Quran.
According to shari'ah, Muslims may not gamble, eat pork,
or drink alcoholic beverages. The sunna also guides
Muslims. It is a set of customs based on Muhammad's
words and deeds.
A group of Muslim leaders chose a new type of leader called
the caliph or "successor.
The first four caliphs were close friends or relatives of
Muhammad. The goal of the caliphs was to protect and
spread Islam.
Expansion continued under new caliphs known as the
Umayyads. The Umayyads governed the Arab Empire from
the city of Damascus in Syria. They ruled from 661 to until
they lost power in 750.. Under the Umayyads, Muslim rule
extended farther into Asia and Africa.

Section 2
Muslim warriors entered Spain from North Africa in the
early 700s. They brought their religion, customs, and
traditions. Spanish Muslims made the city of Crdoba a
center of Islam.

Spainwas home to many of Islam's greatest thinkers.

2.__________, also known as Averros practiced law
and medicine in Crdoba.
.Some Muslims used preaching to win followers to their religion. A
group called Sufis won followers by teaching Islam.

Muslim merchants built trading posts throughout Southeast Asia

and taught Islam to the people there. Today, the country Indonesia
has more Muslims than any other nation in the world.

Some Muslim merchants crossed the Sahara to trade with powerful

kingdoms in West Africa. In the 1300s, the West African city of
Timbuktu became a leading center of Muslim culture and learning.
While Arab Muslims created an empire, rival groups
within Islam argued about who had the right to succeed
Muhammad as caliph. Muslims divided into two groups,
the Sunni and the Shia. This split still divides Muslims
today. Most Muslims are Sunni.
The Shia believed that Ali Muhammad's son-in-law, was
his rightful heir. They also believed that all future caliphs
had to be Ali's descendants. According to the Shia, the
Umayyad caliphs in Damascus had no right to rule. The
Sunni, who outnumbered the Shia, disagreed. They
recognized the Umayyad caliphs as rightful rulers, though
they did not always agree with their actions.
The Abbasids focused on improving trade and culture.
They made Baghdad their capital city. Baghdad's location
along the Tigris River was on trade routes that connected
the Mediterranean Sea to East Asia. By the 900s,
Baghdad was one of the world's most beautiful and
prosperous cities.
Around this time, the Seljuk Turks of central Asia began moving into
Abbasid territory. The Seljuk Turks were nomads and great warriors.
In 1055, the Seljuks seized Baghdad. The Seljuks took control of
the government and army but allowed the Abbasid caliph to manage
religious matters. The Seljuk ruler called himself sultan or "holder of
power."

For 200 years, Seljuk sultans ruled with the Abbasid caliphs. Then,
in the 1200s, people from central Asia, known as the Mongols,
swept into the empire. In 1258 they stormed into Baghdad. There,
the Mongols burned buildings and killed more than 50,000 people.
After the Arab Empire ended, other Muslim groups created their own
empires. These empires included the Ottoman Empire based in what
is now Turkey, the Safavid Empire in Persia, and the Mogul Empire
in India.

During the late 1200s, Turkish clans settled part of Asia Minor. They
called themselves Ottoman Turks, after their leader named Osman.
The Ottomans conquered much of the Byzantine Empire. In 1453,
the Ottoman ruler Mehmet II, known as "the Conqueror," seized the
Byzantine capital, Constantinople. The Ottomans renamed the city
Istanbul and made it their capital.
The Ottoman empire began in Turkey and allowed
religious freedom.The Ottoman leader was called a
sultan, like the leader of the Seljuks. The most famous
Ottoman sultan was Suleiman I. He ruled during the
1500s. He was called Lawgiver" because he organized
Ottoman laws. Suleiman also built many schools and
mosques throughout the empire.
In 1501, a Shia leader named Ismail proclaimed himself
shah, or king, of Persia. Ismail founded the Safavid
dynasty, which ruled Persia until the 1700s.
During the 1500s, the Moguls set up a Muslim empire in
India. Under Akbar the Mogul empire prospered. He
allowed people to practice their religions. After the
Moguls lost power the British took control of India.
Muslim trade flourished for several reasons. Muslims
spread the religion of Islam along with the Arabic
language. As a result, Arabic became the language of
business and trade in much of Asia and Africa. Muslim
rulers also helped traders by providing them with coins to
use for buying and selling goods. This was an easier
trading method than bartering for goods.

Section 3
Muslim cities generally had narrow streets separating
closely packed buildings. The main buildings were
mosques and palaces. Mosques are Muslim houses of
worship. They also served as schools, courts, and centers
of learning.
Another important feature of every Muslim city was the
bazzar or marketplace. Like shopping malls today,
bazaars were full of shops and stalls where goods were
sold. They were often covered to protect merchants and
customers from the scorching sun. Nearby inns provided
travelers a place to eat and rest.
People in the Muslim world were divided into social
groups based on their power and wealth. Government
leaders, landowners, and wealthy merchants held the
greatest power. Below them were artisans, farmers, and
workers. Enslaved people held no power.

As in other civilizations, slavery was common in Muslim

lands. Many enslaved people were prisoners of war.
Arabic was the most widely spoken language in the
Muslim world. The use of Arabic helped with the
exchange of goods and ideas among the different Islamic
peoples. For example, in a.d. 830 the Abbasid caliph
Mamun founded the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. At this
research center, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian thinkers
translated Greek, Persian, and Indian works into Arabic.
Muslim astronomers improved the Greek astrolabe
Sailors used this tool to determine their location at sea.
Muslim scientists used the astrolabe to measure the
distance around the Earth.
One of the most famous Muslim chemists was Al Al- Razi
was the first scientist to label substances as animal,
vegetable, or mineral.
ThePersian poet Omar Khayyam wrote Rubaiyat the
Many consider it one of the finest poems ever written.
Muslim cities were known for their beautiful buildings.
Mosques dominated the skylines of Baghdad, Damascus,
Cairo, and Istanbul. The most prominent features of a
mosque are its minaretsThese are towers from which an
announcer calls Muslims to prayer five times each day.
Another famous Muslim building is the Taj Mahal in Agra,
India. The Mogul ruler Shah Jahan built it as a tomb for
his wife.