Muslim Civilization Section 2

The Spread of Islam

Preview
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Islam after Muhammad’s Death
• Map: Spread of Islam
• The Umayyad Dynasty
• The Abbasid Dynasty
• The End of Unity
• Quick Facts: The End of Unity
Muslim Civilization Section 2

The Spread of Islam

Main Idea
After Muhammad’s death, Islam spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula,
shaping a major empire within 100 years. While the empire eventually
broke into smaller parts, Islam continued to spread.

Reading Focus
• How did Islam evolve after Muhammad’s death?
• What were key events of the Umayyad dynasty?
• What changes occurred under the Abbasid dynasty?
• What led to the end of the caliphate’s unity?
Muslim Civilization Section 2

Islam after Muhammad’s Death

The death of Muhammad in 632 presented a challenge for the Muslim
community. Who would lead the group and keep it unified? The
answer affected the faith’s spread and its future.
Muhammad’s Priorities Expansion of
Successors Territory
• Muhammad had not • Abu Bakr focused on • Abu Bakr, successor
named successor bringing back bedouin Umar, expanded
tribes Muslim rule rapidly
• No clear candidate
• Built strong Arab • 637 early victory
• Abu Bakr, close
fighting forces to keep against Persian
companion, early
tribes under control forces in Iraq
convert, chosen
leader, called caliph, • Reunified Arabia, led • 642 victory over
“successor” forces north Persian Empire
complete
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More Expansion
More Expansion
• After Iraq, Persia, Arab army faced wealthy Byzantine Empire to west
• Byantines first lost Damascus, Syria, Jerusalem
• 639, Byzantine province of Egypt fell; 642, rest of Nile Valley under Arab rule

Empire
• Only 10 years after Muhammad’s death, followers had created empire
• Conquests continued under later caliphs
• 661, caliphate stretched from northern Africa in west to Persia in East

Internal Conflict and Division

• Deep conflict within Muslim leadership, began with choice of Abu Bakr, caliph
• Some had supported Muhammad’s cousin, Ali
• 644, Ali lost again, to Uthman, supported by powerful Mecca clan Umayyad
Muslim Civilization
Civil War
Ali’s Troubles
• Umayyads had been
Muhammad’s enemies,
converted reluctantly, were
unpopular
• Uthman killed by rebels
• Ali became caliph, but troubles
had just begun
• Civil war broke out between
Ali’s forces, Umayyad; Ali killed,
Umayyad retook control
Section 2
Sunnis and Shias
• Most Muslims accepted
Umayyad caliph, Mu’awiya
• Called Sunnis, “followers of the
Sunna,” or “way of the Prophet”
• Ali’s supporters refused to go
along with Umayyads.
• Became known as the Shia,
“party of Ali”
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The Shia and Imams

Shia believed God had specially blessed Ali’s

descendants
• Ali’s descendants, Muhammad’s true heirs
• Shia called each of Ali’s successors imam
– Imam means “leader”
– For the shia, only imams can interpret the Qur’an.
Muslim Civilization Section 2

Conflict
• Conflict deepened between Sunni, Shia after deaths of Mu’awiya, Ali
• Many thought Yazid, Mu’awiya’s son, successor, not a good Muslim
• Muhammad’s grandson, Husayn, led rebellion against Yazid
• Husayn, forces defeated in battle at Karbala, Iraq

Further Division
• Husayn killed while holding infant son, battle became known as the
martyrdom of Husayn; split between Sunni, Shia has remained bitter
• Third group developed within Islam—the Sufis
• Sufis seek mystical, personal connection with God, using range of
practices including breath control and meditation in rituals
Muslim Civilization Section 2
Muslim Civilization Section 2

Find the Main Idea

What was the result of the succession

conflict?

Answer(s): Two different Muslim groups emerged

—the Sunni and the Shia
Muslim Civilization Section 2

The Umayyad Dynasty

Under the Umayyad caliphs, Muslim rule spread. Internal problems
weakened the Umayyads, though, and led to their fall.

Continued Expansion Military Conquests

• Umayyads strengthened rule
after death of Husayn
• Achievements:
– Established Arabic as official
language
– Made coinage uniform
throughout empire
– Began first great work of
Islamic architecture, Dome of
the Rock in Jerusalem
• Armies conquered territory to
borders of China, Indus River
Valley, to east
• Took northern Africa, most of
Spain, to west
• Conquests spread Muslim
faith, while allowing religious
freedom for People of the
Book; some restrictions, taxes
for Non-Muslims however
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Ruling the Empire

• Umayyads strengthened central government as caliphate grew in size
• Arab Muslims became ruling class, with power, privilege unavailable to those
they conquered
• Creation of privileged class conflicted with strong Muslim ideal of equality
• Wars over succession also upsetting to many faithful, unhappy with
emphasis on political ambition

End of the Umayyads Rebellion

• Displeasure with Umayyads
widespread
• Shia continued opposition
• Also unrest among conquered
people, some Arab tribes
• Umayyads weakened by
discontent, time ripe for rebellion
• Abbasids, led by descendant of
Muhammad’s uncle, united many
Umayyad opponents by appearing
to support their causes
• Abbasids wiped out Umayyads in
series of battles, late 740s
• Caliphate entered Abbasid dynasty
Muslim Civilization Section 2

Sequence

What events brought about the end of the

Umayyad dynasty?

Answer(s): A family called the Abbasids took

advantage of discontent with the Umayyads and
established a new caliphate.
Muslim Civilization
The Abbasid Dynasty
Baghdad
• Abbasids relocated capital of
caliphate; rulers lived in
splendor
• Chose Baghdad, on Tigris
River, in present-day Iraq
Government
• Rulers cut off from people
• Caliph hidden behind screen in
throne room, could not be seen
• Used Persian officials; vizier,
deputy, oversaw affairs of state
Section 2
Persian Influence
• Move to Baghdad beginning of
end of Arab domination of
Muslim world
• Abbasids adopted Persian style
of government
Change in Islam
• Nature of Islam changed
• Abbasids invited all to join in,
turned Islam into universal
religion, attracted people of
many cultures
Muslim Civilization
A Changing Culture
Importance of Trade
• Islam spread through trade
• Muslim traders journeyed from
end to end of caliphate,
exchanging goods and
information
• Exchange brought Islam to
West Africa, Southeast Asia
Section 2
Funding for Change
• Trade helped fund cultural
achievement
• Most prominent Abbasid caliph,
Harun al-Rashid, helped bring
culture to great heights, 786 to
809
• Support of scholarship helped
produce lasting achievements
of Islamic arts, sciences
Muslim Civilization Section 2

Contrast

How did the Abbasids differ from the

Umayyads?

Answer(s): The Abbasids focused more on

prosperity and cultural advancement than on
empire expansion.
Muslim Civilization Section 2

The End of Unity

As early as the 800s, Abbasid political power weakened. By the 900s, a
number of small, independent states broke away from the caliphate.

Challenges from Europe Problems from Egypt

• European Christians weakened
Muslim rule
• Christian armies began to drive
Muslims out of Spain, 1000s
• European Christians began
Crusades
– Wanted to make Holy Land
Christian, won at first
– Muslims eventually retook
Jerusalem
• 969, serious threat, Fatimid
dynasty established in Egypt
• Claimed descent from
Muhammad’s daughter Fatimah
• From Egypt, controlled
Mediterranean, Red Sea
• Disrupted Abbasid trade
• Fatamids soon richer, more
powerful than Abbasids
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Seljuk Turks and Others

Seljuk Turks
• Many non-Arabs among peoples of caliphate, including Turks
• 1055, Turkish Seljuks rose to power, took control of Baghdad
• Seljuks were Sunni Muslims, supported Abbasid caliph

War Against Byzantine Empire

• Seljuks defended Abbasids against Fatimids, went to war against Byzantine
Empire, defeated Byzantines at Battle of Manzikert
• Seljuks would go on to create own empire

Mamluks and Mongols

• 1200s, Mamluks took power in Egypt, Syria
• 1258, Mongols destroyed Baghdad, killed Abbasid caliph; caliphate finished
• Islam still a vital force, spread to India, Central and Southeast Asia
Muslim Civilization Section 2
Muslim Civilization Section 2

Summarize

What forces ended the unity of the

caliphate?
Answer(s): Abbasids lost political power when
small independent states broke away.