1.+Islam

ESPIRIT CHART- Arabia before Islam.


 * E || * Women played key economic roles, from milking camels and weaving cloth to raising children.
 * Farmers and town dwellers carved out small communities in the western and southern parts of the peninsula in the classical era.
 * They basically lived in clans.
 * Trading was important for the society’s economy.
 * Arabia was a desert
 * great trade cities fell apart.
 * Mecca was the most important city. ||
 * S || * Women enjoyed greater freedom and higher status than those who lived in neighboring civilized centers, such as Byzantine and Sasanian empires.
 * Both men and women were allowed multiple marriage partners.
 * Women were not by any chance considered equal to men.
 * Their populations were linked by kinship to Bedouin peoples. ||
 * P || * The sparse population of the Arabian Peninsula was divided into rival tribes and clans that worshiped local gods.
 * Mecca was an important city that dominant its politics.
 * Lived in kin-related clan groups.
 * I || * They trade with other tribes and clans.
 * Great trading cities fell on hard times.
 * R || * Bedouin religion was for most clans a blend of animism and polytheism, or the worship of many gods and goddesses.
 * Some tribes recognized a supreme god named Allah.
 * Both spirits and gods tended to be associated with night.
 * They also worshiped nature spirits. ||
 * I || * Arab material culture was not highly developed. In the far south there was little art and architecture.
 * The main focus on the pre-Islamic era was poetry, which was composed and transmitted orally because there was as yet no written language.
 * Some poems were said to have powers. They tell of lovers and passion, war, loyalty and generosity.
 * Their culture, religion and language were much like those of the nomads. ||
 * T || * No invention of paper.
 * They were clever enough to think of ways of saving rain water from running down to the sea and of making good use of it. ||
 * T || * No invention of paper.
 * They were clever enough to think of ways of saving rain water from running down to the sea and of making good use of it. ||

3. **__Summary of "ISLAM EMPIRE OF FAITH".__**

Muslims were really dedicated to their religion and Mohamed; they believed he was the prophet sent from God, they preserved the messages sent from God through Mohamed; they started to write down those messages so future generations would know more about the religion. Mohamed was born in Mecca, he had many “fathers” and “mothers” he was basically considered a child of everybody he was a very open mind person. His uncle taught him how to be tough “in a world where even a prophet needed to learn how to survive”. Mohamed was a simple guy; people believe he was a really good merchant; at the age of 25 his talents caught the eyes of a very strong woman who later became his wife. Islam is known to be the empire of faith. Before the religion, the nation was basically divided in small groups, where each community believed in a God and they had their own religion. When Islam spread through out the nation, people came together not just to trade but they came together by the spirit of Islam. The religion brought unification, equality and the nation’s economy grew because of it. They trade with cities such as Persia Byzantium. Muhammad died in 632 A.D. He died as a result of being poisoned following his attack upon and conquest of the Jewish settlement of Khaibar.

4. __**Questions.**__

** How did the death of Muhammad lead to the Expansion of Islam? ** Well first of all Muhammad was a really good merchant therefore because of him the nation’s economy started to grew and they started to trade with other people and since the religion brought people from around the world together they would trade goods and culture and values. Also Muhammad died for what he believed in and people appreciated that, therefore they admired Muhammad as a person and because he basically brought the nation together, he unified the nation.

** What were the motivations for Islamic conquest? ** They wanted to glorify their new religion and they wanted to spread the Muslim faith around the world, plus they wanted to expand their own territory. ** How were the Umayyads able to defeat their adversaries? ** As we already know the Umayyads were the traditional enemies of the Banu Hashim – another clan of the Quraysh. And they believed that Muhhamed was not the prophet and that the Arabs should’ve abandoned the idolatry and that they should’ve believed in just one God. They fought them for 20 year but failed so they had to concede defeat, and they "accepted" Islam. ** What caused the major division in Islam? ** Different believes. The Sunni Muslims believed that Muhammad died without appointing any successor to lead the Muslim community. And they basically were those people who follow or maintain the Sunnah of Muhammad. (sunnah means the teachings and actions or examples of Muhammad). On the other hand the Shi`ite believed that those leaders who followed after Muhammad (called Imams) were chosen by God to lead the nation.

** What was the extent of the Islamic Empire under the Umayyads? ** They saw a great expansion of Islamic empire and they built an efficient system of government; they were also good at militarily and politically.

** How were people of the book treated under the Umayyads? ** They were Christians and Jews who shared the bible with the Muslims. They had to pay the jizya and both commercial and property taxes, but they were allowed to worship as they pleased. ** Explain gender structures under the Umayyads ** The adultery of both partners was denounced, female infanticide was forbidden. Women could have only one husband but men could have four wives, but they had to be treated equally. Both sexes were equal before Allah. ** What factors led to the decline of the Umayyads? ** Warriors did not receive equal booty therefore they revolted.