The main beliefs, leaders, and aspects of Islam including geography and its spread.

1. The Growth of Islam
Ian Terz
for Mr. Haskvitz

2. History of Islam
• The history of Islam centers around one person,
Muhammad.
• As he grew, he became dissatisfied with polytheism and
came to believe in one God, Allah.
• Muhammad's new faith was not widely accepted in his
hometown of Mecca.
• The main body of Islam known as the Sunnis and other
numerous sects including the Shi'a and the Sufis. The
Sunnis are the majority in Islam today.
• Therefore, he and his followers moved to Medina which
means "City of the Prophet".

3. Spread of Islam
• Mecca is where the Prophet Mohammad was and where he
began to spread the religion of Islam
• Every year, people flocked to Mecca from all over the
European peninsulas.
• Muhammad himself had
successfully established the new faith through conversion and
conquest of those who stood against him.
• Muslims believe that Islam is the basic monotheistic faith
proclaimed by prophets throughout history.

4. Life on the Peninsula
• The Deserts of the Arabian peninsula cover thousands of
square miles.
• There are long stretches of coastline along the Persian Gulf,
the Arabian Sea, and the Red Sea, with several major oases in
the east.
• The Arabian Peninsula comprises the modern countries of
Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Qatar, Bahrain,
and Kuwait.
• From 500 to 1000, the Arabian Peninsula is critical to the east-
west trade and is in close contact with Byzantium and
Ethiopia.

5. Life on the Peninsula
• Because of it’s desert climate, only a small amount of land is
useful for agriculture.
• The region is very arid.
• It receives little rain and is covered by deserts.
• Farmland is found in the southern mountains and along the
coastline
Continued…

6. Nomads and
Sedentary ways of life.
• For centuries, Arab herders called Bedouins have adapted their
life’s to arid land.
• Bedouins are nomads because there is little farmland, nomad
move from place to place instead of settling permanently.
• The path they followed affected factors as the landscape, they
crossed without rainfall.
• One geographical factor is the location of the oasis.
• Bedouins traveled within a specific area seeking water and
grazed land.

7. Nomads and
Sedentary ways of life.
• They travel on camels
Medium sized caravans, with a about 4
families in a group
Travel from oasis to oasis
Bedouins are nomads because there is little
farmland,
Nomads move from place to place instead of
settling permanently.
Continued…

8. Origin of Islam
• Muslims trace beginnings of their religion to Abraham.
• To Muslims, Allah is the God worshiped by Christians and
Jews.
• Muslims call both Christians and Jews “people of the
book”.
• Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last prophet.
• All three religions believe that there is hell, heaven and
final judgment day.
• However, Muslims view Jesus Christ as a profit, not the
son of God.
Continued…

9. Origin of Islam
• The name of this religion, Islam, is derived from the Arabic
word "salam," which is often interpreted as meaning "peace."
• The origin of Islam can be traced back to 7th century.
• Islam is the youngest of the great world religions.
• The prophet Muhammad (circa 570-632 A.D.) introduced
Islam in 610 A.D. after experiencing what he claimed to be an
angelic visitation.
• Muhammad dictated the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, which
Muslims believe to be the perfect words of Allah.
•

10. Qur'an
• The Qur'an is a Message from Allah to humanity.
• After Mohammad's death his followers collected the Qur'an
into a written book in Arabic.
• The Qur'an is the Muslim holy book.
• All Muslims, Sunni or Shia use the same Qur’an
• The Qur'an is organized into separate chapters is called
surahs
• After the death of Muhammad, the text of the Qur'an was
written down in the caliphate of Abu Bakr.

11. Muslims Daily Life.
• Relations among the members of an Islamic society are based
upon two fundamental principles: awareness of the strong
bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.
• They need to pray at least 5 times a day, praying to Allah and
worshiping him.
• They cant eat any meat except the meats that has prayed on
life meat, chicken or and life being animal of a food from a
animal.

12. Expansion of Islam
Expansion of the Islamic state was understandable since
Muhammad himself had
successfully established the new faith through conversion and
conquest of those who stood against him.
• United by their faith in God and a commitment to
political consolidation, the merchant elite of Arabia succeeded
consolidating their power throughout the Arabian peninsula
and began to launch some exploratory offensives north toward
Syria.
• The Spread of Islam began shortly after the death of the
Islamic prophet Muhammad in 632.

13. Expansion of Islam
• The Islamic state expanded very rapidly after the death of
Muhammad through remarkable successes both at
converting unbelievers to Islam and by military conquests
of the Islamic community's opponents.
• During the reigns of the first four caliphs (632-661), Islam
spread rapidly.
Continued…