Islam Name___________________ Geography of Arabia (Middle East) The Arabian Peninsula and Southwest Asia (often referred to as the Middle East) was a cultural bridge between Africa, Europe and Asia where goods were traded and new ideas were shared. One set of shared ideas would become a powerful change in the worldthe religion of Islam Life in the Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula is a crossroads of three continentsAfrica, Europe and Asia. At its longest and widest points, the peninsula is 1200 miles from north to south and 1300 miles from east to west. Only a tiny strip of fertile land in south Arabia can support agriculture. The remainder of the land is mostly desert and inhabited by nomadic herders. Life in the Arabian Peninsula On this desert, the nomadic Arabs called Bedouins (bedohins), were organized into tribes called clans. These clans provided security and support for a life made difficult by the extreme conditions of the desert. The Bedouin ideals of courage, loyalty to family and their warrior skills would become a part of the Islamic way of life. Life in the Arabian Peninsula By the early 600s AD, trade routes connected Arabia to major ocean and land trade routes. Merchants moved along the Silk Road for goods from the of the Empires of the east. They also carried new ideas and technologies from lands outside of Arabia. Silk Road How does the map reinforce what we know about trade in Europe at this time (570 AD)? After the fall of Rome___________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ The Holy City of Mecca During certain holy months, caravans stopped Mecca, a city on the Arabian Peninsula. They brought religious pilgrims who came to worship at an ancient shrine called the Kaaba. The Arabs associated this house of worship with Abraham, a Hebrew prophet and a believer of one God.. The concept of belief in one God, Allah in Arabic, was well known on the Arabian peninsula as many Christians & Jews already lived there. It was here in this religiously mixed environment of Mecca, around 570 A The Holy City of Mecca During certain holy months, caravans stopped Mecca, a city on the Arabian Peninsula. They brought religious pilgrims who came to worship at an ancient shrine called the Kaaba. The Arabs associated this house of worship with Abraham, a Hebrew prophet and a believer of one God.. The concept of belief in one God, Allah in Arabic, was well known on the Arabian peninsula as many Christians & Jews already lived there. It was here in this religiously mixed environment of Mecca, around 570 AD Mohammad was born. The Ka aba (House of Wisdom) What can you tell me about the city of Mecca? _______________ Many _________________ lived there The life of the Prophet Mohammed Mohammad was born into the clan of a powerful Meccan family. Orphaned at the age of six, Mohammad was raised by his grandfather and uncle. He received very little schooling and soon entered the caravan trade industry. Mohammad took great interest in religion and often spent time alone in prayer & meditation. At about the age of 40, Mohammad's life was changed overnight when a voice called to him while meditating. According to Muslim beliefs, the voice was that of the angel Gabriel who told Mohammad that he was a messenger of Allah. The life of the Prophet Mohammed Mohammad had begun to teach that Allah was the one and only God and that all other Gods were to be abandoned. People who agreed to this basic principal of Islam were called Muslims. Islam means one who submits to the will of Allah Muslim means one who has submitted. Beliefs & Practices of Islam To be a Muslim means to follow a strict moral code of behavior known as the Five Pillars of Islam. The main teaching of Islam is there is only one God, Allah. All other beliefs and practices follow from this teaching. Islam teaches that there is good and evil, and that each individual is responsible for the actions of his or her life. Pillar #1 Faith there is but one God and his name is Allah Pillar #2 Prayer Muslims are to pray five times daily facing the city of Mecca. Pillar #3 Alms Muslims are to give to those in need Pillar #4Fast During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims from sun-up to sun-down, refrain from eating to be reminded that spiritual sacrifice is more important that physical need Pillar #5 Pilgrimage A pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca is to be made if you are able to. This is to be done once in your lifetime How are the five pillars similar to the 10 commandments? _________________ _________________ Other Muslim Beliefs Carrying out the Five Pillars of Islam ensures that Muslims live their religion while serving in their community. Along with the Five Pillars, there are other customs, morals, and laws for Islamic society that affect Muslims daily lives. Muslims are forbidden from eating pork Muslims are forbidden from consuming alcohol Friday afternoons are set aside for communal prayer Islam has no priests or central religious authority( like the Pope in Christianity) Other Muslim Beliefs The holy book of Islam is the Quran. The Quran is written in Arabic, and Muslims consider only the Arabic version to be the true word of Allah. Only Arabic can be used during worship and wherever Muslims carried the Quran, Arabic became the official language of followers and scholars. What is the Quran & what how does it make Islam similar to Christianity and Judaism? The Quran is _____ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ Links to Other Religions To Muslims, Allah is the same God that is worshipped in Christianity and Judaism. Muslims view the Quran as the word of God in the same way that Christians and Jews view the Bible and the Torah. All three religions believe in the Holy land. The Spreading of Islam When Mohammad died in 632 AD, Muslim inspired by the message of Allah, believed that they had a duty to carry his word to the world. The Spreading of Islam What helped in the spread of Islam? ______________________ ______________________ The Muslim community expanded the Muslim Empire 6,000 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River. Treatment of Conquered People Because the Quran forbade forced conversion, Muslims allowed conquered people to follow their own religion. Christians and Jews were made to pay a tax each year to their Muslim rulers. THINKIs this good or bad? Muslim Trade & Culture The Muslim Empire could engage in sea trade with most of the known world and a land network of roads connected it to inner China, India, and Africa. At one end of the Muslim Empire was the city of Cordoba. The city attracted philosophers, scientists, inventors, and scholars as it boomed into a cultural center. Muslim Trade & Culture What does this international flavor represent? ________________________ Overtime, the influence of Muslims grew as the Empire attracted people form a variety of lands. The many cultural traditions combined with Arabic culture to create an international flavor. Muslim Trade & Culture Upper class-born Muslims Those who converted to Islam The protected people- Christians and Jews Lowest class- slaves The Quran also declared that men and women were equals Muslim Innovations As the city of Cordoba was growing into a a cultural center, intellectual life was growing as well, especially the love of books. The most celebrated library in Cordoba was said to have had over 400,000 books, many of which were in constant reproduction by hand copying professionals. Many books from Ancient Rome and Greece were preserved here. The widespread availability of books throughout the Islamic Empire contributed to all kinds of learning. Algebra Muslim scholar were very interested in further developing Greek mathematics. They even developed many games that were based on math including magic boxes that were grids containing numbers that added up to the same sum vertically, horizontally, and diagonally (sound familiar). One of the most famous Muslim mathematicians introduced the idea of algebra which comes from the word al jabr which means bringing together of separate parts. Algebra became a major contribution to the scientific world. 2x + y + 30 Astronomy Astronomy- the study of the skies- was an area in which Islamic scholar excelled. For centuries astronomer built off of the work of Greek scientist Ptolemy that the earth was at the center of the universe and that the sun, stars and other planets revolved around it. Islamic scientists through their own observations noted mistakes in this view of the universe. Islamic scholars also invented a new device for measuring time of day, latitude, and movement or position of the stars and planets. This was called an astrolabe. Many advances were also made in the field of medicine. Physicians and pharmacists were required to pass exams before treating patients. They setup hospitals that had separate areas for trauma cases, this is the basis for today's emergency rooms. Physicians developed treatments for cataracts, used a variety of herbal remedies, and were adept at treating a variety of injuries. Islamic pharmacists were the first to mix sweet tasting syrups with medicine, ensuring that they would be taken. A famous Islamic physician, wrote a book called Canon on Medicine, which was an encyclopedia of Greek, Arabic, and his own knowledge of medicine. This book became the foundation of medical knowledge in Europe for nearly 500 years. Medicine According to the teachings of the Qur'an, human images were not allowed in religious celebration. Therefore, they developed a style of geometric shapes and patterns that were used to decorate religious buildings called mosques. These geometric patterns usually contained verses from the Qur'an written in a stylized form of decorative handwriting called calligraphy. Geometric Design & Calligraphy Chess & Polo The games of polo and chess were introduced to the Muslim world by the Persians who had first learned of these games from the people of Asia. Chess was particularly well liked because of the intellectual challenge. The games were spread to Europe following the crusades. Polo was a technical game that utilized horse back riding that once again was a mainstay of the Asian people. The Hagia Sophia The Dome of the Rock