Chapter 10 Ancient Arabia

1
Chapter 10Ancient Arabia

• Lesson 1
• And
• Lesson 2
• Lecture Notes

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Thinking about history and geography

• 300 B.C. Arab traders in a camel caravan are
  making a stop at Petra
• Petra is located just east of the isthmus that
  links Asia to Africa, with the mediterranean to
  the northwest and the Red Sea to the south.
• A.D. 622 Medina is located about halfway down
  the Arabian peninsula, inland from the Red Sea
• Muhammad moved to Medina, and the Islamic
  calendar began.

3
Thinking about history and geography (CONTD)

• A.D. 762 Baghdad is located on Asia
• Caliph Al-Mansur established it as a capital city
• A.D. 1000 Isfahan is located in relation to
  Baghdad and also in relation to the Arabian
  peninsula, to the east of Baghdad and north of
  the Arabian Peninsula

4
Geography of Arabia

• Arabia a huge peninsula in the southwestern
  part of Asia
• Arabias neighboring lands Egypt, Mesopotamia,
  India, Palestine
• Arabia is a peninsula b/c it is bounded on three
  sides by water east Persian Gulf and Arabian
  Sea south Arabian Sea west Persian Gulf
• Farming is only possible in spots along the
  eastern coast and Persian Gulf

5
(contd)

• Desert is the kind/type of land that is mostly
  covering this peninsula
• Arabias desert environment varies b/c of it
  partly being rocky cliffs and part is a great
  stretch of sand
• Oases are important to people in a desert
  enviroment b/c offer pockets of water and fertile
  land that can support life, even towns

6
(contd)

• Many Arabians settled in the southwestern part of
  this area b/c of farming being possible and also
  herding. Its seacoast location allowed trade
  with the Egyptians
• Others favored the area along Petra b/c of water
  being supplied by aqueducts
• Petra grew into a major city b/c of its water
  supply, its location as a gateway to Egypt and
  the Fertile Crescent

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Beginnings of Islam

• The word Islam means summit to the will of God.
• In other words it means to follow Gods laws
• Muslim is one who submits to Gods will as taught
  by Islam
• Quran is the sacred book containing the teachings
  of Islam

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(contd)

• Muhammad was born in Mecca in about A.D. 570
• He learned his work as a trader by working for
  his uncle
• Mecca is such a busy city b/c it was the center
  of trade as a crossroads of trading routes
  and of religion, as home of the Kaaba, a temple
  to gods and goddesses

9
(contd)

• Muhammad began teaching in Mecca with his
  revelation that he received
• The city leaders reacted to his teachings by
  opposing Muhammad b/c he preached monotheism and
  a different way of life.
• Hijra means migration
• Muhammads hijra was his migration from Mecca to
  Medina
• Hijra marked a turning point in Islamic history
  b/c it gave Muhammad a base of support from which
  to spread Islam

10
(contd)

• Muhammad used a kind of siege technique to gain
  control of Mecca by cutting off Meccas lifeline
  to its source of wealth trade
• A look at before and after (Meccas surrender to
  Muhammad)
• -- Before center of polytheism
• -- After center of monotheistic Islam and a
  holy Muslim city

11
(contd)

• Quran contains the teachings Allah gave to
  Muhammad
• The Quran says that Allah is the one universal
  God, that is the same God and both offer guides
  for living
• The Five Pillars of Islam
• -- Belief in one God
• -- Prayer 5 times a day
• -- Giving to the Poor
• -- Fasting during Ramadan
• -- Pilgrimage to Mecca

12
(contd)

• Many Voices Primary Source
• -- this excerpt praises Allah b/c it refers to
  Allahs power, kindness, mercy, and worthiness of
  worship
• This asks Allah for guidance and a favor
• People should honor and obey their powerful and
  good God

13
(contd)

• Muhammad died in A.D. 632
• The legacy that he left for the next 100 years
  was the spread of Islamic faith from Spain to the
  Indus Valley
• Islam spread Arab influence and united people
  under it b/c it gave its followers a common
  language Arabic and a common book of
  teachings and laws to guide them the Quran

14
(contd)

• In todays world there are more than one billion
  Muslims
• In the United States there are about 5 million
  living here
• The one thing that they all have in common is the
  belief in the 5 Pillars