HIST 261 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Trans-Saharan Trade, Abbasid Caliphate, Nevi'Im
Origins and Foundation of Islam
• Begins with the revelations of Muhammad, 610 CE
• Muhammad’s wife helps him to become a successful merchant
o (e experience a vision in his 30’s; Gabriel angel affirms there is only
one god and he should spread the word of the one god; he needs to
reform the religion (monotheism/Christianity)
o He preaches the ideas and his wife becomes his first follower; Ali
(cousin) becomes his 2nd
o Little following but strong following
o Teachings are transmitted orally
o Quran considered to be the true, uncorrupted word of god
o Recognize all of Christian and Jewish prophets; recognize Jesus but
not as the Messiah but as a prophet
o The teachings of Muhammad are the most updated words of god
o Acknowledge Abraham as the first prophet and claim him as the first
Muslim
o They believe Abraham built the Kabahd
• Five Pillars of Islam
o Shahada- faith
o Salat- prayer
o Zakat- charity
o Sawm- fasting
o Hajj- pilgrimage
• Hijra to Median, 622 CE
• Conquest of Mecca, 630 CE
• Growth of the umma
o He not only becomes the religious head but also a political head in
Medina
o He gets a military
o He wants to conquer territories starting with Mecca
o He gains a lot of followers and support with his conquest over Medina
• Spread of Islam
• Muhammad dies, 632 CE with no heir= debate over next caliph (not just
religious but political state)
• Meccas- origin of Islam and controlled by a lot of different clans
• Declared Abu Bakr (r.632-634); his father in law
o People thought it should be a blood relative (Ali- his cousin)
o Split in the community that leads to Suni and Shia sects
• Umar I (r.634-644)
o Great military leader
o Starts conquering lands
o By his death the Islamic empire had extended into mid-North Africa
• Uthman (r.644-656)
o Continues expansion and is then assassinated
• Ali (r.656-661)
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Document Summary
Begins with the revelations of muhammad, 610 ce. Muslim: they believe abraham built the kabahd, five pillars of islam, shahada- faith, salat- prayer, zakat- charity, sawm- fasting, hajj- pilgrimage, hijra to median, 622 ce, conquest of mecca, 630 ce. Growth of the umma: he not only becomes the religious head but also a political head in. Invasion of the mongols: politically a muslim clan leader is no longer in power but islam had already spread and is alive in well, mongols are very religiously tolerant. It is difficult to navigate a desert, and they can now do it because they start domesticating: why is there 900 years between the silk-road and the trans-saharan trade, rainforests arent" the camels. Camels handle the sand, desert, and they"re big (100 bce). Takes into sub-saharan area to spread religion to a place where it hasn"t gone yet. It is another 800 years because of the kharijites (they provide the motivation).
