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Building a Muslim Empire. Can it be done after the death of Muhammad?. Early Challenges to Islam. Muhammad dies without naming a successor Eventually the community agrees to Abu Bakr- Muhammad’s father-in-law and early convert to Islam, should be the first caliph , or successor to Muhammad.
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Building a Muslim Empire Can it be done after the death of Muhammad?
Early Challenges to Islam • Muhammad dies without naming a successor • Eventually the community agrees to Abu Bakr- Muhammad’s father-in-law and early convert to Islam, should be the first caliph, or successor to Muhammad. • Bakr tells the faithful, “If you worship Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. If you worship God, God is alive.”
Arabs Unite under Islam • Some Arabs refuse to follow Abu and withdraw their loyalty to Islam. • Battles between tribes begin but Abu is able to reunite the Muslims. • Now they begin military campaigns to convert the remaining Arab tribes to Islam.
Early Victories • Byzantines and Persians (2 great empires) fighting for control of Arab lands. • But now with the Arabs united they conquer parts of the Byzantine empire and defeat the Persians. • The Arabs take over Palestine and Jerusalem.
Sunni Believe any good Muslim could lead the community. Later compromise that the leader should come from Muhammad’s tribe. The successor is called a caliph. This compromise group is the majority of Muslims today.90% Shiite Believed that Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, should be his successor. He and his wife are divinely inspired religious leaders. 10% Divisions emerge within Islam I need to know this!!
Same Believe in the same God. Look to the Quran for guidance. Follow the Pillars of Islam. Different Religious practice- amount of prayer Law- Sunnis more liberal and want leaders to be elected Daily life- marriage rules and inheritance What divides them?
Another group- Sufis • Sufis- Muslim mystics who sought communion with God through meditation, fasting and other rituals. • Carried the faith to remote villages. • Whirling dervishes dance as a form of prayer. • Let’s watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AglGJYby_pQ
Umayyad Caliphs Build an Empire • After death of Ali, a Meccan clan sets up the Umayyad caliphate- a dynasty of Sunni caliphs that will rule the Muslim empire until 750. • Many conquests from Spain to India.
Expanding the Muslim Empire • Conquer N. Africa • 711- conquer Spain • 731- parts of France • Fail to take over the Byzantine capital of Constantinople.
Reasons for Muslim Success • Persian and Byzantine empires weakening. • Muslims seen as liberators from older harsh empires. • Bold fighting methods with the camel and horse cavalry. • Muslim armies had a desire to glorify their religion.
Conquered People Are Treated Fairly • Taxed non-Muslims • Christians, Jews allowed to practice their own faith and follow their own laws. • Jews and Christians play key roles as officials, doctors and translators. • But they urged Arab settlers to separate themselves and this created an Arab upper-class. • People liked the idea that there was equality of all believers, regardless of race, gender, class and wealth
Decline of the Umayyad Caliphate • Problems • Had to adapt from desert living to ruling large cities. • Arabs given more privileges • Problems between rich and poor • Lavish lifestyle of the caliphs
Rise of the Abbasids • Discontented Muslims find a leader in Abu al-Abbas. • Captures Damascus • Kills Umayyad family • He then founded the Abbasid dynasty which lasts until 1258.
Changes • Dynasty based on equality of all Muslims • Stopped military conquests • Discrimination of non-Arab Muslims ended • Encouraged learning • Capital moved to Baghdad
Baghdad- the new capital • Walls formed a circle with the palace in the middle • Big in size and wealth • Many markets, gardens and mosques. • Domes and minarets- slender towers of the mosques loomed overhead • 5 times a day they climb to the tops of the minarets and call the faithful to prayer.
Muslim culture in Spain • One surviving member of the Umayyad family goes to Spain and starts an independent Muslim state • Tolerant of other religions • The fortified palace of Alhambra built
Muslim Empire Declines • Power fading in Egypt and elsewhere • Shiite’s coming to power in places • Invasions leading to chaos
Seljuk Turks take control • Moving in from central Asia • Seljuk sultan- ruler controls Baghdad • Conflicts develop and prevent Christian pilgrims from traveling to Jerusalem • This leads to the first Crusade
Now it’s the Mongols • 1216 the Mongols and Genghis Khan move across SW Asia • 1258 Baghdad burned and looted • Mongols would later adopt Islam