Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 8
Early Medieval Civilization
600 - 900
Muslim Civilization
• Originated among nomads of Arabian Desert
• Arab world divided into tribes led by chiefs
named Sheiks
• Nomads or Bedouins were poor and depended
on grazing of their animals, chiefly camels
• Tribal raids common
• Rigid lifestyles and customs
• Practiced polytheism and worshipped nature
gods
• Mecca became a flourishing, cosmopolitan
city along a trade route, a Haram
• Bedouins usually went to Mecca annually to
worship at the Kaaba that contained a black
stone that was said to be from the Garden of
Eden
• Questions arose about the value of tradition
when Bedouins encountered such a worldly
city; change was the result
Kaaba
Muhammad
• Was seen as a religious prophet
• United the Arab world
• Born in Mecca in 570 A.D. and was soon an
orphan
• Raised by relatives who worked in trade
• Learned of other places and other religions
through trade contacts
• Became a business manager for a wealthy widow
at age 20
• Muhammad later married her
• Became introspective in his 30s
– Began to meditate in the arid mountains outside
of the city
– At age 40 he had a vision that said he was to be
the messenger of God
– From God’s revelations to him came the religion of
Islam
– Within a year he began preaching
• Stressed the unity of God – Allah
• Stressed the evils of worshipping false gods
• There was to be a judgment day
• Muhammad was told that he was the last and
greatest of God’s prophets
• All revelations were written down in their holy
book called the Qur’an (Koran)
Qur’an
• Humans were to worship using prayers of
praise, seldom with prayers asking for things
• The Qur’an was to be their guide for both
their secular and religious lives
• There was a beautiful and exotic afterlife for
those who followed the Qur’an and suffering
for those who didn’t
• Islam was the name given to the faith; it
means submission to God
• Followers would be called Muslims
• Muhammad brought the Arab world a
religious vision that was not only new to the
Arabs but that also gave them a historic
mission to spread the true religion as revealed
by Allah (God)
• Besides articles of faith, there were duties
required of all believers
5 Pillars of Islam
• There is only one God, Allah, and Muhammad
is his messenger
• Pray 5 times daily facing Mecca
• Give of your wealth to the poor (zakat or
tithe)
• Fast during the month of Ramadan
• If possible, once in a lifetime make a
pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj
• There were also strict rules regarding diet and
other things:
– No pork
– No drinking or gambling
– Demanded honesty and fair play
– Have respect for others