Early Islamic Civilisation

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After Muhammad died, the Islamic government was called the "Caliphate" and was ruled by a "Caliph." The first four Caliphs were all taught Islam by Muhammad and were called the "Rightly Guided" Caliphs. They were followed by the first Islamic dynasty called the Umayyad Caliphate. In 750 CE, the Abbasid Caliphate took control and ruled for 500 years. The Islamic Golden Age took place during the Abbasid Caliphate. The religion of Islam was founded in 610 CE by the Prophet Muhammad in the city of Mecca (modern day Saudi Arabia). The religion soon spread throughout the region and had a major impact on the culture of the Middle East and North Africa throughout the Middle Ages.

Carvajal, José C. " Islamicization or Islamicizations? Expansion of Islam and Social Practice in the Vega of Granada (South-East Spain)." World Archaeology, Volume 45, Issue 1, April 2013, Routledge, Abingdon, U.K. Muhammad taught his followers to worship the one God from whom he received the revelations. They were to lead simple lives based on their religious beliefs and observances, and help those in need. The main religious observances later became known as the Five Pillars of Islam. Find out more on the key facts about Islam in this religious studies guide . Many of the discoveries related to medicine, including the invention of cauterising wounds, forceps for childbirth and the use of catgut for stitching wounds, all still used today. The Islamic Empire expanded throughout the Middle Ages to become one of the largest empires in the history of the world. It controlled the Middle East, northern Africa, the Iberian peninsula (Spain), and parts of Asia into India. At its peak, the Umayyad Caliphate was one of the largest empires in world history. It governed around 28% of the world's population.

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The Islamic empire was the scene of a vast number of inventions and discoveries, including the development of algebra by Al-Khwarizmi. The city attracted scholars, scientists, Muslims, Christians and Jews from all over the world. The scholars worked together to translate ancient Roman and Greek texts on subjects like algebra, medicine, astronomy. All of the works were kept in the House of Wisdom, established by the Caliph Harun Al-Rashid and his son Al-Ma'mun. As the Caliphs built hospitals, observatories, schools, universities and libraries.

They'll learn about this history topic by creating a timeline that organises the key events during the Ancient Islamic Civilisation and establishing what was happening in other parts of the world at the same time. This resource is differentiated to different ability levels too. The Islamic empire started in the Middle East in the 7th century AD. Baghdad was built in AD 752 by Caliph Al-Mansur to become the capital of the empire.Meri, Josef Waleed, ed. Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge, 2006, Abingdon, U.K.

However, powerful people in Mecca felt threatened by Muhammad’s popularity and his declarations that there was only one God, and they opposed him. He took his followers to Medina in 622, where he built an Islamic community around the mosque they constructed there. Set in the ancient kingdom of Benin, this is both a fascinating insight into an ancient way of life as well as a well-told adventure story. Robinson, Chase E. Islamic Civilization in Thirty Lives: The First 1,000 Years. University of California Press, 2016, Oakland, Calif. Help children to learn about the history and achievements of the early Islamic civilisation, including Baghdad, with this knowledge organiser containing the key knowledge and vocabulary from our PlanIt UKS2 history unit. Moaddel, Mansoor. " The Study of Islamic Culture and Politics: An Overview and Assessment." Annual Review of Sociology, Volume 28, Issue1, August 2002, Palo Alto, Calif.

Children will learn about the history of the Islamic Caliphate in the middle ages (c. AD 900) and compare its life and culture to that in London and Europe at the time. They will learn about Islamic art, as well as the discoveries of important Islamic scholars such as Al-Khwarizmi, the 'father of algebra', and the importance of the House of Wisdom. A timeline is given to support children in recognising the key events in the history of the early Islamic civilisation, including the Siege of Baghdad, and to help them put these events in the context of their knowledge of world and British history. Casana, Jesse. "Structural Transformations in Settlement Systems of the Northern Levant." American Journal of Archaeology, Volume 111, Issue 2, 2007, Boston. Muhammed lived from 570 CE to 632 CE, with the Qur'an being the main holy text. He was born in Mecca but moved to Medina with his followers to escape religious persecution. The Islamic Empire was founded in Mecca and led by Caliphs. This knowledge organiser has been designed by our teacher team to perfectly support the KS2 national curriculum for history, studying a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history. Where did the Islamic empire start? This timeline activity will help children develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history in contrast to each other, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.