Chapter 8 Section 2

Sunnis and Shiites 90% of Muslims are

Sunni Shiites lives in Iran,

Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen

Other groups• Sufis

Mystics who sought communion with God through meditation, fasting, etc.

Quiz1. Successors to Muhammad are referred to

as what?2. Who was the first successor to

Muhammad?3. In what structure did Muhammad ascend

to heaven in?4. What are the two major divisions of

Islam? (Name the two groups)5. The vast majority of Muslims belong to

which of those groups?

Umayyad Umayyad caliphate

• Dynasty of Sunni caliphs that ruled until 750 Vastly expands empire

Conquered People Muslim leaders

imposed a special tax on non-Muslims

Tax supported troops

Conversion Easy religion to convert to No hierarchy Simple and direct message

Decline of the Umayyad Caliphate Vast wealth led to

luxurious lifestyles Abandoned the

simple ways of life Limited rights to

non-Arabs

Abbasids Founder was Abu

al-Abbas Shiite – descendant

of Muhammad’s uncle

Abbasid dynasty ruled until 1258

Changes Equality of Muslims Moved the capital to Baghdad

• “City of Peace, Gift of God, Paradise on Earth”

Minarets Slender towers of

the mosques Five times a day,

muezzins climbed to the top to make a call for prayer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF47Ec5wBK4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MooqSi8a5LA