WHI: SOL 8b

Spread of Islam

Geographic influences on the origin and spread of Islam

• Diffusion along trade routes from Mecca and Medina

• Expansion despite great distances, desert environments, and mountain barriers

• Spread into the Fertile Crescent, Iran, and Central Asia facilitated by weak Byzantine and Persian empires

Geographic influences on economic, social, and political development

• Political unity of the first Muslim empire was short-lived.

• Arabic language spread with Islam and facilitated trade across Islamic lands.

• Slavery was not based on race.

Diffusion• Diffusion of Islam– Mohammed declared a jihad—a holy war undertaken

by Muslims against unbelievers. – Islam claimed Mecca and portions of Arabia. – Expansion continued after Mohammed’s death, but

Islam also spread through trade and travel, not just through conquest.

• Division of Islam– After the prophet’s death, there was division between

the Sunni and the Shi’a over the issue of who should rule.

Shiite (Shi’a)

• Strict Islamic followers• Believe the caliph MUST be a direct blood

descendant of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Son-in-law Ali

• Predominantly in modern day Iran

Sunni

• Believe any devout Muslim can be caliph• Does NOT have to be a direct descendant of

Muhammad• Use Sharia as a basis but not followed exactly• Most Muslims are Sunni****

Islamic Empires• Umayyad (Sunni)• Abbasid (Shiite)• Seljuk (Sunni)• Mongols (from Mongolia, converted to Islam)

• Ottoman (Sunni- Turks)• Safavid (Shiite- Persia)

Umayyad Empire

Abbasid Empire

Seljuk Empire

Mongols

Ottoman

Safavid