7th Notes: Chapter 3.1 What will I learn? – I will learn how the religion of Islam developed and the ways it influenced the lives of people throughout the Islamic Empire.
Why Does It Matter to Me? Islam shaped and changed societies as it spread across Southwest Asia and North Africa. The society you live in today is also shaped by systems of belief. Our beliefs influence our ideas about something as simple as what we eat for breakfast to who we vote for in an election. It is important to understand how beliefs can shape society.
Bedouin Life – It was difficult for nomadic people to carry fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead, they carried rice and flour. They made the flour into fresh bread every day. Bedouin drank tea and later added coffee as one of their traditional drinks. They also ate dried fruits such as dates. Bedouin fetir is a type of flatbread made with flour, water, and salt. It is cooked over an open fire.
Traditional Bedouin tents were made from women goat hair. Goat-hair tents provided the Bedouin with shelter and a place for hospitality, an important value in Bedouin society. Tents could be set up and taken down easily as the Bedouin moved through the desert in search of food and water for both themselves and for their herds. Each tent was divided into three sections by using curtains: the men’s section, the family area, and the kitchen.
The Bedouin wore layered, flowing robes that absorbed the sun’s heat but allowed for breezes to cool them as well. Another Bedouin tradition was for women to cover much of themselves in loose flowing robes, head scarves, or veils. This style of dress and tradition of modesty continues throughout much of the Middle East today.
Arab Life • The Arabian Peninsula, the homeland of the Arab people, is also the center of Islam.
• The Arabian Peninsula was surrounded by civilizations, but its climate and deserts kept it somewhat isolated.
• Desert Arabs lived in nomadic tribes that competed for land and water. Town Arabs settled around oases or in mountain valleys as farmers and merchants.
• As trade increased, towns grew up along the trade routes. The most important town was Makkah (Mecca), which was also an important religious site.
7th Notes: Chapter 3.1 Muhammad (570-632 C.E.) The tomb of the prophet Muhammad is a holy place to Muslims. During Muhammad’s lifetime, he was well known for fairly resolving disputes among his followers. According to Islamic tradition, when Muhammad was asked to resolve which tribe would have the honor to place the holy black stone in the corner of the rebuilt Kaaba, Muhammad put his cloak on the ground with the stone in the center and had each tribe lift a corner to bring the stone to the correct height to be placed in the Kaaba. Muhammad’s legacy has made a major impact on the world.
The Kaaba
Muhammad and His Message • In the 600s C.E. the teachings of Muhammad, the religion of Islam, arose in the Arabian Peninsula.
• Muhammad taught that people were equal in God’s sight, God values good deeds, and people should share their wealth with the poor.
• Wealthy merchants and religious leaders in Makkah thought Muhammad was trying to destroy their authority; Muhammad and his followers fled.
• Muhammad formed an army and regained Makkah, making it the holy city of Islam.
7th Notes: Chapter 3.1 Beliefs and Practices of Islam • Muslim, Christian, and Jewish religions share some beliefs, but Islam considers Muhammad the last—and greatest—prophet among many sent by God. • Muslims believe the hold book of Islam, the Quran, is a collection of messages Muhammad received from God to guide people, • The Five Pillars of Islam are the guidelines for Muslim religious life. • Islamic scholars created a code of law based on the Quran, called shari’ah law.
Chapter 3.1 Summary - • In the 600s c.e., Arab people on the Arabian Peninsula created a new empire that eventually spread to Southwest Asia.
• To survive the harsh desert climate, Arabs formed tribes. The tribes settled towns, such as Makkah (Mecca), around desert oases. Towns brought trade to Arabia. Trade brought change to tribal customs and a new religion arose.
• The new religion, called Islam, grew from the preachings of a man named Muhammad. Muhammad lived in Makkah. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was called by God to preach Islam in 610 c.e.
• Muhammad preached there was only one God, Allah; that God valued good deeds, not wealth; and that the wealthy should give to the poor. Many people in Makkah did not like that.
• Muhammad went to Madinah (Medina) where people accepted him as a prophet of God and their ruler. He formed an army and built an empire. When he died in 632 c.e., the entire Arabian Peninsula was part of the Islamic state.
• Islam shares beliefs with Judaism and Christianity. Islam teaches there is one God and that it is important to obey the laws of God in order to have a happy afterlife.
• Makkah is a holy site in Islam and the place of the Kaaba, a holy structure. The Quran is the holy book of Islam. It provides guidelines on how to live and forbids murder, lying, and stealing.
• Followers of Islam, called Muslims, follow the Five Pillars of Islam: belief, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. Islam encourages followers to make a pilgrimage to Makkah, if possible, in their lifetime.