Change and Continuity in Islam

1. Islam and Islamic Civilization
Spread, Change, and Continuities

4. The size & strength of the Islamic Empire fostered trade!
•There were few borders
and relative stability!
•Trade was safer and
taxed less.

5. The Islamic empire took control of . . .
• Mediterranean trade
• part of the Silk Roads and Trans-Saharan Trade
Routes
• Muslim merchants gained increasing control of
Indian Ocean trade

7. • Banks were set up in cities
throughout the Islamic
empire.
• Textiles and paper were an
important part of regional trade and
manufacturing
• Horses, medicine, and sugar were
important exports

9. Spread & CHANGE
• As Islam and Arabic culture
spread into other regions it
influenced cultures.
• New cultures, like Persian,
also influenced elements of
Islam and Arabic culture.
• Islamic learning centers (like
the House of Wisdom)
collected learning from
around the empire.

11. Continuities in Islam
• Monotheism &
Muhammad
• Quran – the revelation of
God in Arabic
• Caliph – political / religious
leader of Islam
• Umma – idea of one
community

12. Sunni and Shia Split
After Muhammad’s death,
• Sunnis wanted the leader to be
chosen.
• Shia’s wanted the leader to be a
blood relative of Muhammed.

13. • 5 Pillars of Islam –
Statement of Faith
Prayer
Fasting (during Ramadan)
Giving to those in need (Zakat
/ Alms / Tithe)
Pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj)
Jihad – holy war or internal
struggle

14. Continuities in Islam
• Arabic Language
• Hadiths – Life and teachings of Muhammed
• Sharia – Law code (interpretations of Quran
and Hadith and ?)
• Ulama – Islamic jurists (scholars) who
interpret Sharia law