Period 3: The Islamic Empire Flashcards
What are characteristics of Islam?
- monotheistic (similarly to Judaism and Christianity)
- Muslims believe that Allah (God) transmitted his words to the faithful through Muhammad, whose followers began to record those words in the Qu’ran
- Muslims believe that salvation is won through submission to the will of God, which can be accomplished by following the Five Pillars of Islam
- guided by the concept of jihad which means “to struggle” (struggle to be a better Muslim and the struggle against non-believers)
- accepts Abraham, Moses, and Jesus as prophets (but does not accept Jesus as a son of God) and holds Muhammad was the last great prophet (similarly to Judaism and Christianity)
- believe that all people are equal before God and that everyone should be converted to the faith (similarly to Christianity)
How did Islam originate?
Islam took hold in the Middle East in the seventh century.
Muhammad grew up in Mecca, exposed to different beliefs such as Judaism and Christianity. When he started preaching Islam, he came into conflict with the leaders of Mecca, who wanted to maintain the polytheistic shrines that attracted pilgrims and brought wealth to the community.
What happened after Muhammad was persecuted by the leaders of Mecca?
Muhammad and his followers fled to Medina in 622 CE, which is known as the hijra. This marks year 1 on the Muslim calendar. He found support in Medina and returned to Mecca in 630 CE. He destroyed the pagan shrines except for the Ka’aba, which became a focal point of Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. He died in 632.
What were lands where Islam was practiced known as?
“Dar al Islam” or House of Islam
What happened after Muhammad died in 632?
Abu Bakr, one of Muhammad’s first followers in Mecca, became caliph, which is both an emperor and religious leader.
What kind of government was the Islamic empire?
The Islamic empire was theocratic: a government ruled by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as being divinely guided. The empire was referred to as a caliphate because it was ruled by a caliph.
How was the Umayyad dynasty formed?
The fourth caliph, Ali, was assassinated and succeeded by his son, Hasan. However, Hasan relinquished his title under pressure from a prominent family in Mecca, making way for the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty.
What were characteristics of the Umayyad dynasty?
- intensified conflict with the Byzantine and Persian empires for a century
- capital was moved to Damascus in modern-day Syria
- mecca remained the spiritual center of the islamic world
- Arabic became the official language of the government
- gold and silver coins became the standard monetary unit
- conquered subjects were “encouraged” to convert to Islam or else they had to pay a tax
Who stopped the Muslim advance toward Paris?
Charles Martel, a Frankish leader. This caused the Islamic Empire to never flourish in Europe beyond parts of Spain and southern Italy.
What were signs of success of the Umayyad dynasty?
- the Dome of the Rock was built on Temple Mount in Jerusalem
- Córdoba, where the Umayyads ruled the southern Iberian peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal) from, was one of the most richest and sophisticated cities in Europe
What were the beliefs of the Shiite or Shia Muslims?
The Shia believed that Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, was the rightful heir to the empire based on Muhammad’s comments to Ali.
What were the beliefs of the Islamic Sunnis?
The Sunnis held Ali in high esteem but did not believe that he and his hereditary line are the chosen successors. Rather, the Sunnis thought that the leaders of the empire should be drawn from a broad base of the people.
What caused the decline of the Umayyad dynasty?
- the Shia began to assert themselves more dramatically
- the Umayyads were defeated in a battle for control of the empire against the forces of Abu al-Abbas (a descendant of Muhammad’s uncle)
- replaced by the Abbasid Dynasty around 750 in all areas except Spain
What were characteristics of the Abbasid dynasty?
- 750 to 1258 until defeated by the Mongols
- golden age in the first half of the 9th century where arts and sciences flourished
- capital at Baghdad (modern-day Iraq) which became one of the great cultural centers of the world
- used credit and itemized receipts and bills
- steel produced for use in swords
- learned how to make paper from Tang Chinese prisoners of war after the Battle of Talus River in 751 which helped them build libraries and universities
- preserved Western culture (translated classic writings of ancient Athens and Rome to Arabic, stored European history in Arabic libraries and museums when Muslims and Christians battled for control of the Levant)
How was Islam spread?
The Sufis, Islamic mystics, were effective missionaries. They stressed a personal relationship with Allah in contrast to other religions that emphasize ritual. This made Islam adaptable to different circumstances, and followers could practice their own ways to revere Allah, so many people converted to Islam.
