After Muhammad's death, the initial leaders known as the 'rightly-guided caliphs'—Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali—successfully expanded the Muslim empire, quadrupling its size through military conquests and by fostering unity within the community. Their leadership led to the spread of Islam across South West Asia and parts of North Africa, while the resulting Sunni/Shi'ite split emerged from disagreements over rightful succession. The Umayyad dynasty eventually took power, favoring hereditary leadership, which was accepted by most Muslims despite the controversy.

2.  Describe the role of Islamic leaders in the
spread of Islam after Muhammad’s death
 Who were the leaders who spread Islam after
Muhammad’s death?
 What role did they play in expanding the Muslim
empire and spreading Islam?

3. VOCABULARY PEOPLE
 Caliph  Abu Bakr
 Rightly Guided Caliph  Umar
 Uthman
 Ali
 Umayyads

4.  Until his death
Muhammad spread
Islam throughout the
Arabian Peninsula.
While doing so he
created a political
empire.
 He united Bedouin
tribes and brought
order, justice, and hope
of heaven to the people
of Arabia Muslim lands conquered by Muhammad
By 632

5.  Muhammad died in
632 CE of a fever
 The Muslim
community was left
without a leader

6.  Muhammad had not named a successor or told
his followers how to choose a leader
 As a result panic spread across the empire
 Some clans abandoned Islam
 Some refused to pay taxes
 Some individuals declared themselves prophets

7.  The next four caliphs, Abu
Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and
Ali, all had known
Muhammad and supported
his mission to spread Islam
 As they ruled they held
Muhammad’s example and
Islam to guide their
decisions
 They became known as the
“rightly-guided” caliphs
“rightly-guided
and their rule as a caliphate

8. Abu Bakr –
The first elected leader of the Muslim community
Muhammad’s closest companion and
Advisor
Became the first ‘Caliph” or successor. and
Ruled until 634 C.E. when he died
Umar –
Second “Rightly Guided Caliph” ruled until 644
Uthman - Ruled until 656
Close companion to Muhammad. He was with
Muhammad when he conquered Mecca –
His election was very tense – Should the leader be
Uthman or Ali?
Ali- Ruled until 661
Muhammad’s Son-in-Law – First male convert to
Islam

9. Each of the “rightly guided caliphs” played a role
in quadrupling the size of the
Muslim Empire in the 29 years after Muhammad’s Death.
Uthman and Ali
completed
the conquest of the
Persian empire
Umar expanded
the empire into
Egypt, Syria,
and parts of the
Persian Empire
All four expanded into the
Arabian Peninsula

10. In the end the empire included all of
South West Asia and part of North Africa

11.  Muslims were energized by their faith and
were willing to fight to spread Islam
 Great soldiers
 Byzantine and Persian empires were weakened
by years of fighting
 Muslim conquerors let the Christians and Jews
keep their faith

12.  Over time many of the cultures brought into
the Muslim empire converted to Islam because
of Islam’s message of equality and hope of
salvation and the tax break they would receive
by becoming Muslims.

13.  Take the quiz on Edmodo to see if you
understood main ideas!
 Describe the role of Islamic leaders in the
spread of Islam after Muhammad’s death
 Who were the leaders who spread Islam after
Muhammad’s death?
 What role did they play in expanding the Muslim
empire and spreading Islam?

14.  The Sunni/ Shi’ite split began as a result of
deciding who was the rightful leader of the
Muslim people.
 In 656, there was opposition to Ali, cousin and
son in law of Muhammad, taking power over
the Muslim community.
 Those who opposed Ali supported
Muhammad’s cousin Muawiya, Uthman’s
cousin

15.  After Uthman’s death a civil war broke out
between different groups of Islam.
 One small group of Muslims believed that the
caliph should be chosen by the Muslim
Community
 The opposing side believed that the caliph
should be chosen by hereditary
 Ali was appointed as the next caliph, but not
accepted by all Muslims

16.  After Ali’s murder the Umayyad’s took power over the
Muslim empire and set up a hereditary dynasty. The
leader would be chosen by birth right.
 The Umayyad’s moved the capital from Medina to
Damascus
 The Umayyad caliphs abandoned the simple life of the
previous prophets and adopted a more lavish lifestyle
 Because they wanted peace most Muslims accepted the
Umayyad rule
 The Sunnis believed in electing the Caliphs

17.  Ali’s supporters said that Muhammad’s family should
succeed him and that he had trained Ali as his
successor
 They didn’t accept that Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman
had been real caliphs
 They thought that the Muawiya and his followers were
more interested in power than Islam
 Ali’s supporters were called the Shi’a Ali (part of Ali)
or Shi’ites for short
 They believed that the caliphs should always be a
relative of the prophet

18.  The Shi’ites never regained control of Islam
 There were many more Sunni
 Today about 10% of Muslims are Shi’ites
 They are a powerful minority. They have
power in Iran, Pakistan, and Iraq
 They believe that one day the final successor to
Ali called Mahdi, will come to set up the
perfect Muslim state