This presentation was developed for an AP World History class, but can be used for any class dealing with the rise and spread of Islam. I hope that you find it helpful. Please feel free to leave comments about the presentation. Thanks for watching!

1. The Creation and Spread
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Created by Katie Jones ©2015

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Islam=The Religion Muslims=Followers

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2 main branches
1. Sunni
• Believe that those who live most like the Prophet Muhammad should
lead.
2. Shi’a
• Believe only a blood relation of Muhammad can lead.

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Muhammad is the founding figure in what would become the Islamic religion.
• Lived 570-632 CE
• Author of the Quran (Koran)
• His account of the complete revelation of God given to him by the angel Gabriel.

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• Divided along political lines (many tribes).
• Region constantly at war over trade and resources.
• Local tribal wars worsened by wars between
Byzantine and Persian (Sassanid) Empires

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• Born as a member of the Quryash clan in Mecca.
• Orphaned young and raised by his uncle.
• Lived most of his life as a shepherd and merchant.
• Sometimes engaged in spiritual pursuits.
• Received 1st revelation in 610 CE while meditating in a cave.
• Angel Gabriel (Jibril) revealed principles of a life lived in
accordance with God.

8. *• Powerful people in Mecca began to see Muhammad as dangerous and
crazy.
• Monotheistic world clashed with polytheistic holy sites.
• Muhammad’s life threatened by leading clans because of lost money
from holy sites.
• 622 CE, Muhammad fled Mecca with 70 families and traveled to Medina
(aka Yathrib)
• This became known as the Hijra.
• Marks start of Muslim calendar.

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• Muhammad built religious community.
• Message of social equality and Arab unity had widespread
appeal.
• Admired for courage in battle.
• Took control of Mecca in 630.
• Died in 632.

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• Muhammad became regarded as the “perfect human”.
• Muhammad’s sayings are held as 2nd most important next to Quran (Koran).
• Muslims began to try to emulate the perfect life of the Prophet (Muhammad).
• Muhammad is believed to be God’s (Allah’s) final prophet.
• Islam would eventually spread from Europe to South East Asia and Africa to
have around 1.3-1.6 billion followers worldwide.

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Quran is the
written
record of
Muhammad’s
revelation
from God
(Allah).
Quran is
always read
in Arabic;
the sacred
language of
Islam

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• Is NOT the account of Muhammad’s life.
• IS seen as God’s own speech and his direct message to the world.
• Consists of 114 suras (“rows”, can also be seen as chapters).
• Roughly organizes longest to shortest.
• Shortest believe to be first revield.
• Contains many prophets from Judaism and Christianity.

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• 2nd most sacred literature in Islam.
• A collection of short tales and/or anecdotes about Muhammad’s life and sayings.
• Most written between 860-870s CE.
• Several different versions.
• Can seem contradictory to uninitiated.
• Sunni world has 6 recognized collections.
• Shi’a has their own collections.

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• Believers must profess faith to
others.
• “There is no God but the God
and Muhammad is his
Prophet.”
• Making a profession of faith in
company of other believers is an
acknowledgement of intent to
live in accordance with God’s law.

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• Muslims are required to pray 5 times daily.
• Must face Mecca while praying.
• If a Mosque is available, best place.
• Can pray anywhere if needed.
• Times vary depending on seasons.
• Prayer includes specific set of postures.

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• Those of material means contribute some of
their wealth to the needy.
• Helps reduce wealth disparities within
society.
• Those without means contribute labor and
goodwill.

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• Only during the lunar month of Ramadan.
• Lunar month of Ramadan moves 11-12 days every solar year.
• No eating food, drinking liquids, smoking or engaging in sexual relations
• Only from sunrise to sunset.
• Special prayers and other observances held throughout the month.
• Time to focus on God and spiritual and ethical quality of your life.
• Fasting can be overlooked in cases of illness and other extenuating circumstances.

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• Required to make at least 1 pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca.
• Requirement can be waved in exceptional circumstances.
• Pilgrimage is formal event
• Pilgrims dress in special white robes
• Must circle Kaaba 7 times.
• Touch black stone of the Kaaba.
• Symbolic stoning of Satan with small pebbles.

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• Strict set of laws to govern your life in accordance with God.
• Seen as God’s law
• God has set the path, you just need to follow it.
• Struggle to adhere to God’s law is the basic struggle behind Jihad.
• Jihad translates literally to struggle.

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• Arabian unity achieved by Muhammad threatened by tribal tensions.
• Muhammad’s followers came together to select a ruler (Caliph).
• Area ruled by Muslims knows as the Caliphates.
• This selection process was the basis for divide between Sunni and Shi’a.
• Caliph (kalifa) translated loosely means God’s deputy.
• Title of Caliph became a hereditary position.
• Arab military forces practiced highly organized and mobile for of warfare.
• Forces united by faith and heritage.
• Byzantine and Sassanid empires exhausted
• Result of long wars with each other in the 7th century CE.
• Populations of both dissatisfied with heavy taxes and harsh leaders.
• Muslim armies and leaders didn’t forcibly convert others to their faith.

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• 1st four caliphs were political and religious leaders.
• 632-661 CE.
• Commonly known to Sunni world as the Rightly
Guided Caliphs.
• Chosen by predecessors or elected by council.
• Chosen for prestige in community and relationship
with Muhammad (the Prophet).
• 1st caliph was Abu Bakr (632-634)
• 2nd caliph was Umar (634-644)
• 3rd caliph was Uthman (644-656)
• 4th caliph was Ali (reigned 656-661)
• Is the first caliph that both Sunni and Shi’a agree on.
• Was cousin of Muhammad.

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• Muawiyah took control 661 CE.
• Cousin of caliph Uthman.
• Took control after defeating Ali.
• Moved capital to Damascus, Syria.
• Began Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE).
• Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258 CE)
• 1st caliph of Abbasid was Abu al-Abbas.
• Was a descendant of Muhammad’s uncle.
• Lead rebellion against Umayyad Caliphate.
• Killed all members of Umayyad clan except 1.
• Moved capital to Baghdad in 762.
• Began the golden age of Islam
• Era in which arts, sciences and general culture flourished.

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• Caliphs
• Were secular rulers.
• Were supposed to provide socio-political environment for proper religious life.
• Some caliphs tried to impose religious doctrine, but failed.
• The scholarly class (the ulama)
• An intellectual elite.
• Authority derived from community consensus.
• Interpreters of religious law and theology.
• Tensions with caliphs concerned with worldly matters (wealth and power).
• Emerged after Abbasid caliph al-Mamun tried to impose a unified doctrine of
the Quran on social and governmental leaders (800s CE).

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• More concerned with God’s law rather than the nature of God.
• God revealed law, not his nature in the Quran.
• Concerned with how much society should enforce God’s law.
• If God judges perfectly after death, should the state interfere at all?
• Some say no role for government in religion.
• Some say the government should enforce an atmosphere of virtue and
piety.
• Places that use government to enforce religious law are said to be
under Sharia Law.
• Can cause major human rights issues if not kept in check (Iran, Syria)

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• Shi’a (means partisans of Ali)
• Believe Muhammad designated Ali, his cousin and son-in-law, to succeed
leadership of religion.
• Emerged as distinct variety of Islam after 12th Imam
• Around 900 CE.
• Focus on authority vested to individuals by God.
• Leaders called Shi’a Imams (supreme spiritual leaders).
• Shrines and graves of Imams became holy sites.
• More emotional and passionate than Sunni.
• Sunni
• Place importance on key religious texts and scholarly consensus of text
meanings.
• No need for intermediaries between God and believers.
• Caliphs only political leaders of community.
• Emphasize order within communities.
• An orderly community that promotes Islam will help people find salvation.
• Main job of politicians to defend and advance Islam
• Politicians don’t have to be personally saintly or virtuous.
• Believe that humans can find salvation through Islamic practices.

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• From around 9th through 15th centuries, the House of Islam was center of
intellectual advancements.
• Advances in science, mathematics, geography and technology.
• Scholarly class expanded to other areas from their original specializations.
• Arab conquests encompassed areas of Greek and/or Persian traditions of learning.
• Many works translated to Arabic from pagan Greece.
• Astronomy and geometry of pressing importance.
• Needed to make sure mosques were in proper direction for prayer.
• Needed to calculate:
• Times of prayer
• Month of Ramadan
• Other aspects of religious calendar.
• Developed algebra (al-jabr) under Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (780-850)
• Al-Kwarizmi’s book translated into Latin in 1145 CE.
• Al-Kwarizmi also credited with the creation of Arabic numerals.
• Scholars translated and built on Greek medical books.
• 14th century, Muslim physicians figured out some epidemic diseases were
contagious.
• Idea clashed with religious beliefs and was only mentioned in passing.
• Poetry and literature also flourished during this time.

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• All images accessed via Google Images.
"Google Images." Google Images. Accessed November 5, 2015.
http://images.google.com/.
• Content adapted from World Civilizations: The Global Experience.
Stearns, Peter N., Michael Adas, Stuart B. Schwartz, and Marc Jason
Gilbert. World Civilizations: The Global Experience. 6th ed. Vol.
Combined. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Longman, 2011. 244-311.
Created by Katie Jones ©2015