G.eopraphy

Scorching temperatures and lack of water are located on a hot, dry desert land called the Arabian Peninsula, or Arabia.  This pininsula is on the southwest corner of Asia and lies near three continents- Africa, Asia , and Europe.  Geographers call this place the "crossroads" location because many trade routes link through this region.  In this region, huge sandy desert with sand dunes cover large parts of Arabia.  Some sand dunes can rise to almost 800 feet high and cover hundred miles.  Rub'al-Kali is the world's largest sand dune, and it covers most of Arabia.  Oasis', or a wet fertile area, are very rare in the hot desert climate.  These places are very key in tradeing because they give traders life. . .literally.  Eventhough deserts cover most of Arabia, there are still landformes along the edges of the peninsula.  Mountains are along the southern and western coasts, while marshy land lies close to the Persian Gulf.  Daily, the region of the desert reaches 100*F.  This makes it hard for the animals and plants to survive.  These living creatures get little rain and have roots that go deep into the ground to gather water. 

R.eligion

Religion was HUGE in Ancinet Islam.  Around 570 a man named Muhammad was brought into the world.  He had it tough; his father died before he was born, his mother died when he was six.  But that didn't stop him, he went into the caravan business and later, he married Khadijah.  Often Muhhamad went alone to the hills to pray and meditate.  At the age of 40, he went to go to his retreat.  He met a person, well it was an angel.  Gabriel was his name.  He told Muhhamad to recite! recite!  Muslims believe that God spoke to Muhhamad through this angel and had made him his prophet.  Around 613 Muhhamad spread the word about his encounter in the cave.  Soon a new religion came about called Islam, and followers were called Muslims, and the messages from God to Muhhamad were collected in the Holy book of Islam, the Qur'an.  Muhhamad taught Muslims that Allah was the only God, just like Christianity, and Judaism.  On people's pilgrimage, a journey to a sacred place like Mecca, people worshiped at a very important shrine in Mecca called the Kaaba.  Muhhamad's teachings seemed to upset many Arabians in the way that merchants lost money, people didn't believe him, and have people give money to the poor.  People didn't want to do these things.

people walking around the Kaaba in Mecca

     The exact word of God and Muhammad's teachings, well that's what the Muslims believed, were collected in the holy book of Islam, the Qur'an.  This taught that there was only one God, Allah, and Muhammad was his prophet, Allah's commands, acts of worship, guidelines for behavior, rights for woman, no slaves, and the rules for social life.  But this holy book was not the only way of life for the Muslims, there was also the Sunnah.  This taught the duties and way of life of Muslims.  In here were the Five Pillars of Islam.

the Qur'an, holy book of Islam

A.chievements

There were many achievements in Ancient Islam.  Here is a table of only some of their achievements:

P.olitics

Abu Bakr was the first converts of Muhammad.  He also was the next ruler of Islam, after Muhammad died.  Under his rule, Muslims invaded and conquered many lands.  By his death in 634, Arabia had been unified as a Muslim state.  Persian and Byzantine empires were defeated by the Muslims because they were too weak while the Muslims were too strong.  The captured had to make a treaty with Muslims lands saying that they had to worship no non-muslim god and in return, the Muslims didn't attack.  They soon attacked even more people/tribes, some of them being people in central Asia, northern Italy, the Berbers, and some of Europe.  But they were soon stopped by the city of Tours.  Eventhough they were stopped, they still kept going and created a new dynasty called the Abbasids in 750.

     The Ottoman Empire, who controlled much of Europe, Asia, and Africa, was home to Muslim Turkish warriors called Ottomans.  They soon ruled land from eastern Europe to North Africa and Arabia.  Janissaries, fierce Muslim fighters who were slaves, and gunpowder was essential to their success.  Mehmed II was also key to their success.  He captured the Byzantine Empire and made their great church, Hagia Sophia, into a mosque.  Another ruler continued Mehmed's victories.  He carried his armies into the east through Anatolia, Asia Minor.  These accomplishments made the Empire a major world power.  These emperors had a valiant effort but it wasn't until 1520 when  Suleyman I ruled is when Ottoman reached its height.  He pushed his troops into the eastern Mediterranean and Europe in early 1900's.

     The Safavids gained power to the east of the Ottoman empire as they reached their height.  They encountered and argued about tow groups of people.  It was about whether who should become a caliph.  But before that, in 1501 the leader conquered Persia and as king, he made Persians follow his religion- Shia.  He eventually wanted everybody to become Shia but he ran into a brick wall when he tried to convert the Ottoman's to Shia, they were Sunni.  Under 'Abbas, leader in 1588, the Safavids took back Uzbeks from the Ottomans'.  He led them into great achievements.

     The Mughal empire lay east of the Safavid empire.  These people were Turkish Muslims form central Asia.  Babur ounded this empire.  He tried to make an empire for years but he finally did in 1526.  Akbar grew the empire in the mid-1500's.  He believed that no single religion had all answers so he made it so everyone could have their own religion.  The police helped to keep things in order.  The Munghals tried to expand their empire to almost all of India.  This was not a peacefull time.  But in the late 1600's, a new ruler came about.  He was not as gracious as Akbar.  He persacuted non-Muslim and made them pay a special tax.  This led to a revolt which then led to the collapse of the Mughals.

Mughal Empire at death of Akbar (1605)

S.ocial Structure

The social structure for Ancinet Islam is that of Islamic followers, the Muslims.  They followed Muhammad's teachings and stayed true to their religion.  There were different types of Muslims and/or people in Arabia.  There were nomads, people who traveled from place to place, and there were towns people who traded and were mercahnts.

     In the Ottaman Empire the society was divided into two classes.  The first were the judges and people who advised sultan on legal and military matters belonged to the ruling class.  These people had to be loyal to sultan, practice Islam, and understand Ottoman customs.  But the other class was made up of people who didn't meet these requirements.  Jews and Christians from conquered lands were many of this community.  Like all the other places, this society limited woman's rights.  Woman had to live in a harem.  Thus taking them apart form the men and public life.