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Ch 11 Sec 1 Rise of Islam

I. The Prophet MuhammadA. Geographic Setting

1. Arabian peninsula mostly desert but farming is possible through

irrigation or in scattered oases (fertile areas in a desert, watered by a

natural well or spring)2. Many Arab clans occupied Arabia at the time of Muhammad

3. Nomadic herders (Bedouins) used camels to cross the scorching desertin search of pastureland

a.) Raids for scarce grazing land led to frequent warfare

b.) The Bedouins formed the backbone of the armies that conquered a

huge empire in the 600 and 700s4. Mecca Oasis town

a.) Bustling market town at the crossroads of 2 main caravan routes

b.) Arabs came to pray at the Kaaba (ancient shrine)c.) The pilgrim traffic brought good profits to local merchants

B. Muhammads Vision (born in Mecca about 570)

1. He led caravans across the desert and became a successful merchant

2. When he was 25 he married Khadija, a wealthy widow who ran aprosperous caravan business

3. He was troubled by idol worshop and moral ills of society

4. According to Muslim belief, he went to the desert and heard Recite inthe name of your God, the Creator, who created man from clots of

blood

a.) he believed this to be the voice of the angel Gabriel calling him tobe the messenger of God

5. His wife became the first convert to Islam (Arabic for submission)

6. He spent the rest of his life spreading Islam and urging Arabs to give up

their false gods (Allah is Arabic word for god)

C. The Hijira : A Turning Point1. At first, few people listened to his teachings

2. In 622 he and his followers left Mecca for Yathrib (renamed Medina), ajourney known as hijira

3. 622 became the first year of the Muslim calendar

4. Thousands of Arabs adopted Islam and the Muslims attacked Meccancaravans and defeated them in battle

5. In 630, Muhammad returned to Mecca where he destroyed the idols in

the Kaaba6. Today Islam is one of the worlds major religions

II. Teachings of Islam monotheistic (one God). The Quran is the sacred text that

teaches that God is all-powerful and compassionate and that people are responsiblefor their own actionsA. Five Pillars All Muslims accept 5 basic duties

1. Declaration of faith. There is no god but God. Muhammad is the

messenger of God2. Daily prayer. After a ritual washing, Muslims face the holy city of

Mecca to pray. They often pray in mosques (houses of worship)

3. Giving charity to the poor4. Fasting from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan

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5. Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims who are able are expected to

visit the Kaaba at least once in their lives6. Some Muslims look onjihad (struggle in Gods service) as another

duty. Some have focused on a spiritual effort to overcome immorality

other have engaged in warfare to defend Islam.

B. The Quran1. To Muslims, it contains the sacred word of God as revealed to

Muhammad2. It is the final authority on all matters3. Emphasizes honesty, generosity, and social justice with harsh penalties

for crimes such as stealing or murder

C. People of the Book1. Muslims profess faith in the same God as Jews and Christians

2. The Quran teaches that Islam is the final and complete revelation and

that the Torah and Bible contain partial revelationIII. A Way of Life

A. Sharia Islamic system of law

1. Regulates moral conduct, family life, business practices, government,

and other aspects of a Muslim community2. Helped unite the many peoples who converted to Islam

3. Does not separate religious matters from criminal or civil law

4. Applies the Quran to all legal situationsB. Impact of Islam on Women

1. Before Islam, some women took a hand in religion, trade, or warfare

2. Most women were under the control of a male guardian and could notinherit property

3. Islam affirmed the spiritual equality of women and men

a.) Women therefore won greater protection under the law

4. The Quran prohibited the killing of daughters

5. Inheritance laws guaranteed a woman a share of her parents orhusbands property

6. Muslim women had to consent freely to marriage and had the right to aneducation

7. In Persian and Byzantine lands, Arabs adopted the practice of veiling

upper-class women and secluding them in a separate part of the homea.) There they managed the affairs of the household but seldom ventured out