Islam After Muhammad's Death
Storyboard Text
- Who were the leaders who spread Islam after Muhammad's death?
- New Muslim Leaders Emerge
- Well, Muhammad did not name a successor or a way to select a leader. Abu Bakr spoke to reassure the Muslim community, and he was elected the first leader, or caliph. He used his military force to reunite the clans who had abandoned Islam or refused to pay taxes.
- First Four Caliphs
- How did the caliphs who expanded the Muslim empire treat those they conquered?
- The first four caliphs were Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. By Abu Bakr's death, Muslims controlled most of Arabia. Umar, the second caliph, conquered Syria and lower Egypt, along with part of the Persian empire. The next two caliphs, Uthan and Ali, completed the persian conquest. The Muslim armies let people they conquered keep their religion.
- A Split in Islam
- How did the issue of choosing leaders divide the Muslims?
- The Sunnis believed that any Muslim who follows Muhammad's example can be Caliph
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- Even though they were very successful on the battlefield, Muslims found it difficult to keep a unified rule. A group of rebels murdered the caliph Uthman, and later, Ali was assassinated. After, a family called the Umayyads took power and set up a dynasty. Because people wanted peace, they did not oppose the Umayyad rule. But, some people resisted. These people were called the Shi'a. The ones that did not oppose the rule of the Umayyads were called the Sunnis.
- The Shi'a believed that only Muhammad's decendants could be Caliph.
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