Rise+Of+Islam

By Gina and Clara

(Julian - sign your name above when you edit something on this page)

Rise of Islam
__Bedouin__ Map of the Middle east just before Islam
 * Nomadic people on the Arabian penninsula
 * Live in family clans
 * Clans fight for water, food, land and "pride"
 * Tribal culture supported Islam

__Life of Muhammad__: 7th century-- founded new religion
 * Born in Quraysh tribe 570 C.E.
 * Educated as merchant-- journeyed to Syria and first encountered Christians and Jews
 * Traveled to Mecca: exposed to clan rivalries and growing gap between rich and poor tribes
 * 610 C.E.: first revelations (collected in Qur'an)

__Origin of Islam__:
 * Umayyads (from Mecca) force Muhammad to flee to Medina (called hijra-- marks first year of Islam calendar)
 * Gather followers and defeat Umayyads-- create treaty with Quraysh in 628 C.E. (this proved the power of Allah to people)

__Elements of Islam Religion__:
 * **Five Pillars: Islam Principles**
 * confession of faith (Allah is God and Muhammad is his prophet)
 * pray facing Mecca five times a day
 * Ramadan fast
 * zakat - Mandatory charity
 * hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca
 * **Islam's appeal:**
 * uncompromising monotheism
 * good legal codes
 * egalitarianism (equality)
 * sense of community
 * Islam allows possibility to end feuds because of umma (community of the faithful)-- creates political unification
 * increase in Islamic conquests because of unity by channeling former tribal feuds with eachother to other civilizations
 * Ethical System: able to heal social rifts--zakat (tax for charity)
 * Muhammad respected other religions-- connected revelations with other religions like Christianity and Judaism