The Muslim World
Sec. 1: The Birth of Islam
The religion of Islam will begin in
the middle east
Close-up of the Middle East
It all began in Saudi Arabia (Arabia)
Most of the people of ancient Arabia
were nomads called Bedouins
Most Bedouins were polytheistic
Bedouins traveled in tribes from
place to place with their animals.
How did Islam start?
• The religion of Islam
was started by a man
named Muhammad.
• Muhammad was born
outside Mecca, a city
in Saudi Arabia
around AD 570.
• He was born into a
Bedouin tribe.
Mecca
• The city of
Mecca was an
important
religious and
trading center.
• Many nomadic
tribes would
worship at the
Kaaba located
in the city of
Mecca.
The Kaaba during the hajj
Old picture of the Kaaba
Another picture
The Kaaba
• It is a large cube-
shaped structure
which housed dozens
of shrines of pagan
gods, including a
black stone that was
sacred to Jews.
Black stone
• The Jews believed
that this stone
came down from
heaven
(meteorite?) and
Abraham took it to
the Kaaba.
• Muslims today still
believe that it is
sacred.
Modern picture of the Black stone
Inside diagram of the Kaaba
Trade in Mecca
• Because of the many tribes
going to the Kaaba, there
was much money to be
made.
• Many people set up
markets to sell things along
the route into Mecca.
• The more people that
traveled to Mecca, the
more things were sold by
the traders along the way.
Muhammad gets married (his 1st)
• When Muhammad
was 25, he married a
40 year old, wealthy
widow named
Khadijah.
• Some people believe
that this was so that
he would inherit her
money and have a
high social status.
One day Muhammad went to a
cave to meditate
• This was during the
lunar month of
Ramadan…where
the moon is in
crescent phase next
to a star.
The lunar month of Ramadan
Symbols of Islam today
Muhammad in the cave
• While in the cave,
he claims that the
angel Gabriel
appeared to him.
• He received the
new revelation
from the “one true
God”.
• This was the
same God of the
Jews and
Christians.
The cave where Muslims believe
Muhammad received his revelations.
He leaves the cave to spread this
new religion called Islam
• Islam: means
submission to the will
of God.
• A Muslim is someone
who follows the religion
of Islam…one who
submits to the will of
God.
• All of these revelations
were written down into
a book called the
Koran (the word
means to recite).
What were Muhammad’s
teachings?
• 1. There is only
ONE
GOD…Allah
(Arabic for God)
• 2. Muhammad
is the
messenger of
God’s new
prophecy.
• 3. Do not
worship idols.
Muhammad began to get a
following from preaching in Mecca.
• Muhammad began to
preach against the
worship of idols in the
Kaaba.
• Many people stopped
going to the Kaaba
because of this.
• Some leaders in
Mecca started to hate
Muhammad because
of this. Why?
Remember all the money that was
made as people traveled to Mecca?
• If people stopped going to
the Kaaba in Mecca,
there would be no money
made from selling goods
outside the Kaaba.
• So Muhammad became
an enemy of the rich
people in Mecca.
• Also, his wife had died at
this time.
This forced Muhammad to leave
Mecca
• This fleeing
from Mecca
to the city
of Medina
was called
the hijra
(fleeing).
Muhammad in Medina
• Once Muhammad
was in Medina, he
began preaching to
those people, trying to
convert them to Islam.
• He got a very large
following there.
Teachings in Medina
• Muhammad’s
revelations began to
change in Medina.
• The Koran depicts
more war-like verses
in Medina.
He began to lead raids against
Meccan caravans.
• Many caravans of goods
were still going to Mecca.
• Muhammad wanted to stop
the trade there.
• So he declared the 1st Jihad
or struggle against the
Meccan people who
threatened him and wanted
him dead.
• He told his followers that
Allah commanded that they
fight the infidels (non
believers) since they were a
threat to Islam.
Jihad against caravans
Battle of Badr (AD 624)
• Muhammad led 300
Muslim troops against
a caravan with 1,000
guards.
• Muhammad was
outnumbered when
they met in the city of
Badr.
Muhammad’s Muslims win!!!
• Muhammad was able to
defeat the 1000 guards
and claim victory.
• His followers believed
that this was ordained by
the will of Allah.
• This was a huge
moment in the history of
Islam…
• Now the followers of
Islam knew that God
was on their side.
It was now time to attack Mecca
• Muhammad and his
Muslim followers
attack the city of
Mecca in AD 630.
• He conquers Mecca
and goes to the
Kaaba.
Muhammad at the Kaaba
• He and his followers
entered the Kaaba
and smashed all the
idols in it.
• The only thing they
left was the sacred
black stone since it
was from the “one
true God”.
The people of Mecca were
converted to Islam.
• They were given 3
choices:
• 1. Convert to Islam
• 2. Keep your religion
(Jew, Christian) but
pay a tax and live
under Islamic rules
(Sharia).
• 3. Die
• Most people chose #1
because Muhammad
was kind to them.
Muhammad spreads Islam to all of
Arabia with his army of Muslims
What happens to Muhammad?
• He fell ill with “head
pain” and died in AD
632.