The awesome building of the Dome of the Rock dominates the city of Jerusalem Although Jerusalem is now under Israeli control it is a special holy place for Muslims Jews and Christians Only Muslims are allowed to worship at the Dome of the Rock Early History of the Arabs The Arabs are an ancient people An early Arab civilization settled along the Nile River valley some 6,000 years ago The people grew crops and domesticated animals Some settled along the Euphrates 6
Tigris and Karun rivers in modern Iraq and Iran Other Arabs never settled They roamed the desert lands with their animals These people are called nomads Islam Muslims believe in the same God as Christians and Jews They believe that the words in their holy book the Koran also spelled Qur’an come from Allah Arabic for God Muslims believe that Evening prayers take place outside the Great Mosque in the holy city of Mecca Saudi Arabia The city often has to cope with up to 2 million Muslim pilgrims 7
the Angel Gabriel spoke these words to the Prophet Muhammad who lived on the Arabian Peninsula between A D 570 632 The religion of Islam is based on the teachings in the Koran MATH AND SCIENCE The Arabs invented algebra They were the first to use zero in math Arab scientists talked of Earth rotating on an axis long before other scientists did After Muhammad’s death Arab Muslims from the Arabian Peninsula conquered many lands These lands stretched from North Africa to Persia modern Iran to Europe They formed a vast Islamic Empire By 750 Islam had spread across the Arab world and beyond The Koran Muslims must try to obey the teachings in the Koran The most important teachings are called the Five Pillars of Islam to believe in the one God Allah and his Prophet Muhammad to pray five times a day to journey to Mecca in modern Saudi Arabia at least once in a lifetime to fast during the month of Ramadan to give to charity Opposite Arabic calligraphy has always been an important part of Islamic art Here people are embroidering cloth with a bold Arabic design 8
