Section II: Islamic Section II: Islamic AchievementsAchievements

(Pages 180-185)(Pages 180-185)

Section II: Islamic Section II: Islamic AchievementsAchievements

(Pages 180-185)(Pages 180-185) This section is about:This section is about: How the values of Islam How the values of Islam

affected both secular and affected both secular and religious activities.religious activities.

How urban areas became How urban areas became centers of scientific and centers of scientific and cultural achievements.cultural achievements.

Persian and Spanish Persian and Spanish influences on Islam.influences on Islam.

Muslims brought Muslims brought many ideas to a lot many ideas to a lot of people with a of people with a variety of variety of backgrounds.backgrounds.

One thing that One thing that unified them: Islam unified them: Islam (( ““SalemSalem”” in Arabic: in Arabic: means peace).means peace).

Another: Arabic (the Another: Arabic (the language of Allah language of Allah and the Koran).and the Koran).

The Koran is full of instruction on how The Koran is full of instruction on how society should be organized and how people society should be organized and how people

should live.should live.(kindness, generosity, honesty, tolerance…)(kindness, generosity, honesty, tolerance…)

All Muslims are supposed All Muslims are supposed to be equal.to be equal.

But, some Muslims had But, some Muslims had slaves. slaves.

If they converted to Islam, If they converted to Islam, they had to be freed. they had to be freed.

They then might become They then might become soldiers, servants, artisans, soldiers, servants, artisans, or maybe even or maybe even bureaucratsbureaucrats (government (government officials).officials).

Muhammad told people Muhammad told people they should either treat they should either treat their slaves fairly, or set their slaves fairly, or set them free.them free.

But, if But, if allall people are equal, people are equal, where do women fit in?where do women fit in?

So, this isn’t just a religious book, it’s also a “Constitution” for their government’s laws

The Koran says women … The Koran says women … should be educated.should be educated. should be allowed to earn a should be allowed to earn a

living.living. should be able to inherit should be able to inherit

property.property. could be teachers and could be teachers and

prayer leaders (for other prayer leaders (for other women).women).

could study astronomy, could study astronomy, medicine, law, philosophy, medicine, law, philosophy, history, literature, history, literature, philosophy, etc…philosophy, etc…

But – they did have But – they did have arranged marriages.arranged marriages.

And, men could have more And, men could have more than one wife – as long as than one wife – as long as they were all treated they were all treated equally.equally.

Great cities arose in the Islamic Great cities arose in the Islamic EmpireEmpire

Caliphs built great Caliphs built great palaces and gardens palaces and gardens for themselves.for themselves.

Tax monies financed Tax monies financed mosques, schools, mosques, schools, libraries, hospitals, and libraries, hospitals, and bazaarsbazaars (marketplaces).(marketplaces).

Taxes supported the Taxes supported the army and public needs.army and public needs.

Cities were centers of Cities were centers of power, business, and power, business, and learning.learning.

A Muslim church is a A Muslim church is a mosque.mosque.

Every city has one.Every city has one. Mecca has the Kaaba.Mecca has the Kaaba. Jerusalem has Jerusalem has the the

Dome of the Rock.Dome of the Rock.

The bazaar was the main The bazaar was the main marketplace in each Muslim marketplace in each Muslim town/city.town/city.

Food, cloth, spices, Food, cloth, spices, furniture… furniture…

Each had their own Each had their own sections.sections.

Prices were fixed and Prices were fixed and inspectors made sure inspectors made sure everything was fair.everything was fair. Muslim Bazaar (but in

Malaysia)

Muslims in Baghdad hadMuslims in Baghdad had ““The House of WisdomThe House of Wisdom””

A main center of Muslim Learning.A main center of Muslim Learning. It was a great time of scientific learning It was a great time of scientific learning

and artistic achievements.and artistic achievements. Ancient texts were translated into Ancient texts were translated into

Arabic.Arabic. They could now read the works of great They could now read the works of great

thinkers of the past, such as Plato, thinkers of the past, such as Plato, Aristotle, and read/study the Koran.Aristotle, and read/study the Koran.

It also had a large library and It also had a large library and observatory.observatory.

They needed to study the stars to know They needed to study the stars to know when Ramadan would occur. Muslim when Ramadan would occur. Muslim months occur according to the phases months occur according to the phases and position of the…and position of the…

In ancient times, sickness and disease was a big part In ancient times, sickness and disease was a big part of everyoneof everyone’’s life, but Muslims had it better than most s life, but Muslims had it better than most

others.others.

They had clean hospitals (with They had clean hospitals (with skilled doctors) that were free skilled doctors) that were free to the public.to the public.

Muslim doctors were the first Muslim doctors were the first to figure out how many to figure out how many diseases were spread.diseases were spread.

Muslims doctors had to pass Muslims doctors had to pass tough tests to become a tough tests to become a doctor.doctor.

Some Muslim doctors became Some Muslim doctors became famous. famous.

Some wrote books so others Some wrote books so others could learn what they already could learn what they already knew.knew.

Muslims opened up the first Muslims opened up the first ““drugstoresdrugstores”” (herbs, tonics, (herbs, tonics, and ointments).and ointments).

Lets read: Page 185: History and Medicine

Some of the many famous Islamic writers and Some of the many famous Islamic writers and poets:poets:

A Thousand and One Nights / A Thousand and One Nights / The Arabian Nights: with The Arabian Nights: with stories of stories of ““AladdinAladdin”” and and ““Sinbad Sinbad the Sailorthe Sailor”” (the greatest stories (the greatest stories in Muslim literature).in Muslim literature).

Omar Khayyam: wrote poems Omar Khayyam: wrote poems about nature and love.about nature and love.

Caliphs: wrote heroic tales of Caliphs: wrote heroic tales of great warriors who conquered great warriors who conquered land for the Muslims.land for the Muslims.

Ibn Khaldun: wrote history Ibn Khaldun: wrote history books of the time (and how books of the time (and how empires rise and fall in cycles). empires rise and fall in cycles). But: he warned people to trust But: he warned people to trust sources sources ““only after a thorough only after a thorough investigation had been investigation had been conducted.conducted.””

Ibn Sina: wrote medical Ibn Sina: wrote medical encyclopedias, philosophy encyclopedias, philosophy books, astronomy books, and books, astronomy books, and math books (and also math books (and also memorized the whole Koran memorized the whole Koran when he was 10). when he was 10).

Muslim buildings were often designed Muslim buildings were often designed to glorify Allahto glorify Allah

Muslims decorated with wooden Muslims decorated with wooden carvings, carpets, glass lamps, carvings, carpets, glass lamps, tiles, and mosaics.tiles, and mosaics.

No humans or animals though No humans or animals though - ?????- ?????

Artists also developed Artists also developed calligraphycalligraphy (elegant writing) – especially to (elegant writing) – especially to write the words of the Koran (the write the words of the Koran (the words of Allah).words of Allah).

Muslims/Arabs/The Middle east are Muslims/Arabs/The Middle east are still known for their carpets and still known for their carpets and designs.designs.

Muslims used some of the style of Muslims used some of the style of the Byzantines and Persians, but the Byzantines and Persians, but also their own styles.also their own styles.

The most important building – The most important building – always a always a mosquemosque –a Muslim –a Muslim church…………church…………

Only Allah can create life

A Mosque - in 4 minutes

(not a vocab. Word)

ItIt’’s easy to confuse Persians, Arabs, and s easy to confuse Persians, Arabs, and MuslimsMuslims

(but they are all different cultures)(but they are all different cultures) The Persians had a big The Persians had a big

influence on Muslims influence on Muslims (literature, court manners, (literature, court manners, government, traditions, government, traditions, architecture, and crafts).architecture, and crafts).

Until 1492, Spain was also a Until 1492, Spain was also a center of Islamic culture.center of Islamic culture.

Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III encouraged scholars, poets, encouraged scholars, poets, philosophers, historians, and philosophers, historians, and musicians to move to Spain musicians to move to Spain (and he paid them well).(and he paid them well).

He hired book buyers to find He hired book buyers to find books in Alexandria, books in Alexandria, Damascus, and Baghdad and Damascus, and Baghdad and built a library of 400,000 built a library of 400,000 books.books.

By the late 1200By the late 1200’’s, the only s, the only part of Spain that was part of Spain that was strongly Islamic was strongly Islamic was Granada. Granada.

Top 10 Muslim inventions