Fact Sheet
Timothy Weon

Ummayad: The Umayyads wee very successful and were able to make one of the biggest state in Muslim history. After Ali died they saw that chance and took over. They ruled from many places and help spread the word of Islamic teachings to new people in order to get more converts. However not long after their reign they were overthrown by the Abbasids.

Abbasids: The Abbasids to was a big and strong too. The Abbasids opened Islam to Persian people and also embraced Greek and Hellenistic learning, Indian science, and Chinese innovations. To choose their leader, they decided to go the old fashioned way and have a caliphate which was the head of the political and spiritual duties of the Islamic Community. Religious doctrine was reserved for religious scholars called Ulama. With Ulamas taking that power the authorities were losing power. The Abbasids relied on force to rule so they had strict and fierce warriors. The Islamic law was the Sharia. It stands not only as law but covers all aspects of practical and spiritual life. In gender roles, women would have occupations and if they became wealthy had more than one husband. Also the Abbasids were inspired by Greek arts.

Fatimids: In 909 CE, the Shiite religious and military leader, Abu Abdllah, overthrew the Sunnis beginning the Fatimid regime. The Fatimids went up against the Abbasids saying that they were not real and that they speak for the Muslim people only. They set up their capital