Name: Anijah Foster Period# 2nd Date: 9/11/2020

Muhammad’s Accomplishments
• Until his death Muhamad spread Islam through the Arabian Peninsula. While doing so he created a
political empire.
• He united Bedouin tribes and brought order, justice, and hope of heaven to the people of Arabia

Muhammad’s Death
 Muhammad died in 632 CE. A Jewish woman was seeking revenge for conquering her town.

After Muhammad’s Death

• Muhammad had no named a successor or told his followers how to pick a leader
• As a result, panic spread across the empire
• Some clans abandoned Islam
• Some refused to pay taxes
• Some individuals declared themselves prophets

Why did the death of Muhammad cause wide- How would you choose a new leader if you were a
spread panic throughout the Islam Empire? powerful Muslim at the time?
Muhammad was the one who created the religion, Through an election or pass the leadership onto a
so nobody really knew how to handle it. loved one or his ancestors.

Rightly Guided Caliphs

• The next four caliphs (successor)
- Abu Bakr – father in law/close friend 632-634 – died of illness
- Umar - 641-644
- Uthman – friend – 644-656
- Ali – Son in law 656-661
all had known Muhammad and supported his mission to spread Islam. As they ruled, they held
Muhammad’s example and Islam to guide their decisions
• They became known as the “right guided” caliphs and their rule as a caliphate

Caliphs Expand the Muslim Empire

• Each of the “rightly-guided” caliphs quadrupled the size of the Muslim empire over the 29 years after
Muhammad’s death through military force and treaties.
after Muhammad’s death through military force and treaties
• Ali expanded the Muslim Empire throughout most of the Arabian Peninsula

Reasons for Success

 • Muslims were energized by there faith and were willing to fight to spread Islam
• Great soldiers
• Byzantine and Persian empires were weakened by years of fighting
• Muslim conquerors let the Christians and Jews keep their faith because they were “people of the book”

Civil War
• After Uthman’s (Rightly guided Caliph) death a civil war broke out between different groups of Islam.
• One small group of Muslims believed that the caliph should be chosen by the Muslim Community
• The Opposing side believed that the caliph should be chosen by hereditary.

What is Shariah?
• Shariah (also known as Sharia or Islamic Law) are the laws many Muslims live by and Islamic
government use as a legal and penal code
• It is known as a moral code and a path for Muslims to follow and is used to guide them.
• It is considered sacred and made by God. All other laws are ‘man-made’ laws and inferior to the
Shariah. Since it is God’s law, it is perfect and holy.

Shariah Based on Muhammad’s Life

• Muhammad is considered by all Muslims, in Islamic theology, as the uswa hasana (perfect example).
Since the religion of Islam and the Shariah are based on the same sources, they are very hard to
separate.
• Shariah is based on the views and actions of Muhammad, a 7th century warrior 'prophet.' While many
systems of law have evolved with the passage of time, Shariah has not. To change it would be to go
against god’s word and God’s ‘prophet’.

What Does Shariah Include?

• Shariah governs a Muslims public and private life to varying degrees.
• Laws cover Muslim interactions with non-Muslims, sexuality, food (halal), finances, punishments,
rituals, leisure activities, dress, hygiene and more.