BIG Idea

Struggle for RightsThrough Islamic teaching says that all people are equal under Allah, this was not strictly the

case in the Arab Empire.

Prosperity in the Islamic World

• Extensive trade

–Within Islamic world, China, Byzantine Empire, India, Southeast Asia, Morocco and countries beyond the Caspian Sea.

–Trade was carried by ship and camel caravans.

The Role of Cities• Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus were

the centers of administrative, cultural, and economic activity for their regions.

• Aside from these capital cities, travelers did not find Islamic cities to be especially grand, thought the cities did outshine those of mostly rural Europe.

• Islamic cities had a distinctive physical appearance– Impressive palaces for caliphs or local

governors and mosques for worship

– Public buildings with fountains and courtyards, bazaars and marketplaces• Bazaars are open markets where

customers could compare prices and seek the best bargains

• Strict rules were enforced to guarantee high quality

The Abbasid Palace in Baghdad

The Great Palace in the ruins of Anjar, a city founded by Omayyad Caliph Al-Walid lbn Abdel Malek, in the early 8th century

Mosque

Bazaar

Islamic Society• According to Islam, all people are equal in

the eyes of Allah.

• In reality there was a well-defined upper class– Ruling families, senior officials, nomadic

elites, and wealthy merchants.

•There was also a large number of slaves

--Most slaves came from Africa and non-Islamic areas of Asia, generally they were

prisoners of war

Slaves in Islam• Most served in the

army• Many (especially

female slaves) were used as domestic servants

• Slaves were sometimes permitted to purchase their freedom

Women in Islam• The Quran granted women spiritual and

social equality with men.

• Islamic teaching did account for differences between men and women in the family and social order. – Men were dominant in Muslim society

• Every woman had a male guardian.

• Men were required to pay a dowry to their brides– A gift of money or property

Women in Islam• After the spread of Islam, older customs

eroded the rights enjoyed by early Muslim women.

• The custom of requiring women to cover virtually all parts of their bodies when appearing in public was common in the cities and is still practiced today in many Islamic societies.– These customs are more traditional Arab

practice than dictations from the Quran.

• Even today the rights and customs related to Islamic women are still under debate.

Hijab

Chador

Burka

BIG IdeaIdeas, Beliefs, and Values

Islamic achievements in philosophy, science, history, and

the arts had an important influence on European civilization

Philosophy, Science and History

• Muslim scholars studied the relatively unknown Greek Philosophers.

• Muslims helped preserve other cultures by translating their work and making those translations available.

• Muslim contributions to math and science were passed on to the western world.

• An Arab mathematician developed algebra.

Philosophy, Science and History

• Muslims perfected an instrument used by sailors to determine their position at sea by using the stars. This invention make it possible for Europeans to sail to the Americas.

• Muslim scientists studies how diseases could be spread and created a medical encyclopedia.

Literature• Some of the most

familiar works of Middle Eastern literature are Rubaiyat and The 1001 Nights.

• The earliest stories were told orally and recorded later in Arabic and Persian.

Art and Architecture

• Islamic art is a blend of Arab, Turkish, and Persian traditions.

• The best expression of Islamic art is found in the way magnificent Muslim mosques represent the spirit of Islam.

The Hadith, an early collection of Muhammad’s sayings, warns against imitating God by creating pictures of living beings. As a result, no representations of figures, including the prophet Muhammad, appear in Islamic religious art.

MUHAMMAD’S VISION and a Powerful New Faith

• In A.D. 622, Muhammad began preaching a new religion—Islam

• Arab leaders persecuted Muslims, but Muhammad led an army against them.

• The revelations of Allah to Muhammad are written down in the Quran.

ARAB MUSLIMS Build an Empire

• In time, issues about who should be the successor to Muhammad resulted in a split between the Sunni and the Shia Muslims.

• Islamic territorial ambition led to a vast empire.

• The Seljuk Turks established a new Islamic dynasty in 1055, and in 1071 they defeated the Byzantine rulers, who asked the European states for help.

ISLAM Focuses On All Aspects of Muslim Life

• Commerce and scholarship flourished in Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus.

• Social classes existed, but women and merchants had more status than in other cultures of the same era.

• Muslim scholars preserved Greek and Roman learning, made advancements in math and medicine.

• Architectural innovation is apparent in mosques and palaces.