Religion Comparison For this assignment, develop an essay comparing one of the following groupings: • Islam and Christianity • Islam and Judaism, OR • Christianity and Judaism

The Birth of Islam

In Unit 5, we will focus on the rise of Islam and the development of an Arab-Islamic Empire. We will explore the life of Mohammed as well as the religion he founded, Islam, whose religious ideals and ideas are outlined in the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an. As a result of conquest and expansion, Islam quickly spread across the globe, from the Middle East through North Africa and into Spain. Exploiting the weaknesses of the Persian and Byzantine Empires and growing wealth from international trade routes, the early Islamic Empire flourished.

The Islamic Empire was a theocracy ruled by a series of caliphs, originally centered in Damascus and then Baghdad. During the Abbasid Dynasty (750 - 1258 CE), Islamic culture flourished and fueled not only Arab scholarship, but the revival of ancient Greek and Roman texts. As the Islamic Empire grew, it came into increasing conflict with other groups, including Christian Europe and invading Mongol armies from the Eurasian steppes. In 1258 CE, a grandson of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol empire, destroyed Baghdad, ending a golden age in Arab-Islamic history.

From the thirteenth century, the center of a new Islamic Empire, governed by the Ottoman Turks, developed in Anatolia (modern Turkey). At its height, the Ottoman Empire not only conquered the last Byzantine territories, including Constantinople itself, renaming the city Istanbul, but extended their rule throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and southeastern Europe. The Ottoman Empire would remain a formidable force in history until the early twentieth century. As we seek to understand the historical context of the Islamic religion, it is also important to understand how the religion has influenced political and social development, and how the Islamic society itself has evolved over time.

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Describe the origins of Islam and the development of a new Islamic society, including the difference between the Sunni and Shi’ite sects.

2. Explore the expansion and spread of Islam, including the early Arab conquest, Turkish and Mongol invasions, and Islamic influence in Africa, India, Central and Southeast Asia.

The image to the left is linked to an interactive map where you can see the approximate geographical location and learn more information about the civilizations discussed in this unit. If you are accessing this course from the Blackboard mobile application, you will need to visit the link or open the Interactive Map pdf listed below.•  Unit 5 Interactive Map•  Unit 5 Interactive Map Text Transcript

Topic 1

Unit Topic 1 - The Rise of Islam

In the deserts of Arabia a new religion was born in the seventh century CE. Led by a prophet named Mohammed, Islam emphasizes submission to Allah and the practice of the five pillars of the religion: to confess faith, to pray, to fast, to be charitable, and to make a pilgrimage.

• Wallech, S., Daryaee, T., Hendricks, C., Negus, A. L., Wan, P. P., & Bakken, G. M. (2013). World history volume I: A concise thematic analysis (2nd ed.). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

• • Chapter 12: The Rise of Islam- The Ancient Near East Becomes the Middle East, pp. 233-245

Overview of the Islamic religion and the birth of the Islamic Empire.

Watch Video

Islam, the Quran, and the Five Pillars All Without a Flamewar: Crash Course World History #13

User: CrashCourse - Added: 4/19/12

YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpcbfxtdoI8

Unit Topic 2 - Islamic Empires

During the seventh and eighth centuries CE, Islamic armies exploded out from the Middle East, conquering Persia, North Africa, and Spain. Islamic expansion was successful because of the weakness of the militaries and economies of the Byzantine and Persian Empires as well as the willingness of many people to convert to Islam.

• Shepard, W. E. (2009). Islam, the ebook: An online introduction. Providence, UT: Journal of Buddhist Ethics Online Books.

• • Chapter 4: Expansion and Flowering of Islam, pp. 40-55

Comparison of medieval European feudalism with the cultural and economic achievements of the Abbasid Islamic Empire.

Watch Video

The Dark Ages...How Dark Were They, Really?: Crash Course World History #14

User: CrashCourse - Added: 4/26/12

YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7CanyzhZg

Unit Topic 3 - Islam in Africa, India, and Central and Southeast Asia

During Mohammed’s lifetime, disciples were sent southwards, and by the thirteenth century, major Islamic empires existed in North and West Africa. Additional non-Arab populations were brought into Islam when the religion spread into India, culminating in the Mughal Dynasty, and Central and Southeast Asia.

• Wallech, S., Daryaee, T., Hendricks, C., Negus, A. L., Wan, P. P., & Bakken, G. M. (2013). World history volume I: A concise thematic analysis (2nd ed.). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

• • Chapter 14: India and Islam- An Era of Political Chaos, pp. 280-293
  • Chapter 16: Islamic Africa- A Complex Pattern of Cultures, pp. 339-353

Overview of Islamic kingdoms in Africa and their impact on the history of the continent.

Watch Video

Mansa Musa and Islam in Africa: Crash Course World History #16

User: CrashCourse - Added: 5/10/12

YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvnU0v6hcUo

Unit 5 Assignment 1-3 pages see attached, please

Religion Comparison

For this assignment, develop an essay comparing one of the following groupings:

• Islam and Christianity
• Islam and Judaism, OR
• Christianity and Judaism

 See the file attached for the specific directions and expectations used for grading this assignment.

 Please used the below reference for APA Style with Citations

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/