Life of the Bedouin

1
Life of the Bedouin
2
No Center

• A Bedouin is a nomad who lives in the desert. He
  belongs to a family, a clan, and a tribe.
• He lives in a tent and migrates from place to
  place. There is logic to his movement
• He moves from one oasis to another. An oasis is
  land that lies atop an underground river or lake.
  An oasis has grass. Grass feeds his livestock.
• His is, after all, a herder of livestock. Above
  all, he prizes his camels. Below that, he values
  his sheep and goats.

3
The Center

• The people of the Arabian Peninsula were
  scattered in the desert. There was nothing to
  unify the Arabian tribes. There was no center.
  Muhammad appreciated the fact that the Jews and
  Christians both had a book another unifying
  factor.
• Muhammad provided the center Mecca.
• Muhammad provided the book Quran
• From then on, people recited its verses. Every
  day, five times a day, the Bedouin faced Mecca to
  pray. Once in his lifetime, he made a religious
  pilgrimage to Mecca.

4
Spreading Outward from the Center

• From then on the religion of Islam spread outward
  in all directions
• Muslim armies conquered land and carried Islam
  with them.
• Muslim merchants sold goods and carried Islam
  with them.
• Muslim merchants were the center of the Silk
  Road. They were the middle men between Europe
  and China. (middle-men in the middle-east)
• Overland Camel caravans traveled in all
  directions. To china. To Europe. To North Africa.
  
• By Sea Arab merchants became a seafaring people.
  They sailed down the coast of East Africa.