Islam was revealed following the Axial Age (800-200BCE) of human history and spread through many different cultures from its origins in the Arabian peninsula. Islamic societies fostered centers of learning that drew from and furthered the existing knowledge of the time. Nowadays, Islam has a different character in the many communities in which is is practiced, from the Americas to Asia.
Key Terms:
Thumbnail: “Enjoy the Sunshine,” Penang Island, Malaysia. Photo Credit: Ah Wei (Lung Wei), 2016. CC BY-SA 2.0.
Learning Materials:
2.1.1 Geographies and Horizons Video
As Islam spread, it encountered and engaged different cultures. (Stylommatophora/ "Selimiye Mosque, Dome")
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2.1.2 Venture of Islam
Marshall Hodgson was arguably one of the most important historians of Islam in the 20th century. (Topkapu Saray Museum/"Das Kräuterbuch")
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2.1.3 Why Is Islam So Different in Different Countries?
Why is Islam practice differently in different places and at different times? (British Museum/"11th Century North African Qur’an")
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2.1.4 Spread of Islamic Culture
Explore the spread of Islam through trade routes and architecture. (Ali Mansuri/"Supplicating Pilgrim")
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2.1.5 Ibn Khaldun and Islamic History and Polities
Ibn Khaldun traced the importance of geography on state power and Islam's spread. CC BY-NC 4.0 CA (Khamseh of Nizami/"Sultan Sanjar and the Old Woman")
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