CHAPTER 3

1. CHAPTER 3 ISLAM

2. Chapter 3, Lesson 1, Desert Bloom -- Caravan Cities (pp. 52-57) • I. Early Arabia • A. The Arabian Peninsula is made up of fertile ranges of mountains and coastal hills, along with a central dry region that is dotted with oases. • B. Some oases became trading centers for nomad families. • C. The nomadic families of Arabia often joined together to form tribes headed by a shaikh. • II. Towns and Trade • A. Caravan trade routes served to carry people and goods across the Arabian Peninsula and linked the Mediterranean world with the East. • B. Oases towns and seaports along the trade routes became prosperous trading centers. • C. The open-air marketplace, or suq, was a place where merchants could sell their goods. • III. The Holy City of Mecca • A. The city of Mecca was located at the crossroads of two heavily-traveled trade routes. • B. Muslims believe that Abraham and Ishmael built the Ka'bah in Mecca, a cube-shaped shrine where idols were placed over time. • C. The Quraysh tribe, by ensuring safe passage, encouraged merchants and others to make pilgrimages to Mecca to worship. • D. By A.D. 500, the city became the most successful trade center in Arabia.

3. Chapter 3, Lesson 2: Muhammad and Islam (pp. 58-64) I. The Life of the Prophet A. In A.D. 610, Muhammad had a vision of the angel Gabriel, in which he received messages from God. He and his followers came to believe that he was the last messenger in a long line of prophets sent by God. B. When Muhammad began to preach in Mecca, he taught monotheism, the belief in only one God. • C. Muhammad named the new faith Islam, which means "submission" to Allah (God). Believers in Islam are called Muslims. • D. Some people in Mecca resented Muhammad, forcing him and his followers to migrate to Medina. Eight years later, Muhammad and his Muslim army marched to Mecca and the city surrendered. • II. The Teachings of Islam A. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the word of Allah, completing the earlier revelations of Old Testament prophets and Jesus. B. Islam has close ties to Judaism and Christianity, sharing many prophets and holy people described in the Bible. • C. Muslims accept five basic duties, called the Five Pillars of Islam. These include belief in one God, praying five times a day, giving alms to the poor, fasting during Ramadan, and the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. • III. Islam as a Way of Life A. The Sunna, or guiding rules for Islam, includes not only the Five Pillars of Islam, but many additional moral standards that a Muslim must live by in everyday life. B. The Islamic term, jihad, means "to struggle." The Qur'an and Sunna only allow jihad as a means to defend against aggression and persecution. • C. The Sunna also sets guidelines for the treatment of women.

4. Chapter 3, Lesson 3: Early Islam (pp. 65-68) • I. The First Caliph A. When Muhammad died in A.D. 632, his advisers chose a caliph, or successor. B. The first caliph was Muhammad's father-in-law, Abu Bakr. As caliph, he acted as the administrator and military leader of the Muslims. • II. The Next Two Caliphs A. To succeed him as caliph, Abu Bakr appointed Umar, one of Muhammad's long-time friends and advisers. Umar's armies conquered more lands in the name of Allah. B. Uthman, who succeeded Umar as caliph, also expanded the Muslim empire, conquering Persia and other areas. • III. Early Political Division A. When Uthman was murdered, the resulting struggle for power caused a civil war in the Muslim empire. B. Eventually, Muslims split into two groups. The Shiites believe that only members of Muhammad's family could be his successors. The Sunnis believe that the election of caliphs was valid. • C. Today, Sunnis make up more than 80 percent of Muslims.