The+Rightly+Guided+caliphs

= T__he Rightly Guided Caliph__ =

__Caliphs__

 * Abu-Bakr became the first rightly guided Caliph.
 * Abu-Bakr, Uthman, Umar, and Ali the first 4 elected caliphs knew Muhammad.
 * Was created in 632 A.D.
 * Used the Qur' an Holy book.
 * By 750 A.D. the caliphs stretched across 6000 miles from the Atlantic ocean to the Indus river.
 * Muhammad died in 632 A.D.
 * Caliph means successor or representative.

=__ Umayyads __=


 * Moved Muslim capital to Damascus from Mecca. This made it easier to control territories because it was more central of there land.
 * They abandoned the normal life and surrounded themselves with wealth and the luxorious life.
 * A majority of the muslims accepted the rule of the umyyads.
 * Uthman the third rightly guided caliph, was the first umayyad caliph.

= __Shi'a__ =


 * Means party of Ali.
 * Members are called shi'ites.
 * Later became known as Sunni.
 * Believe that Ali, Muhammads son in law, should have succeeded him.
 * Believe that all muslim rulers should desended from Muhammad; do not recognize the authority of the sunna.
 * Claim that the Sunni have disorted the meaning of various passages in the Qur'an.

=__ Sunni __=
 * This means followers of Muhammad
 * Believe that the first four caliphs were rightly guided.
 * Believe that Muslims rulers should follow the Sunna or Muhammads example.
 * Claim that the Sia'a have disorted the meaning of various passages in the holy book the Qur'an.

= __Sufi__ =


 * Rejected luxorious life of umyadds, they pusued the life of poverty and devotion to the spiritual path.
 * Sufi say that true religion is inner truth, and it is not the outer practices they have.

= __Abbasids__ =


 * The Abbasids came to power under the auspices of Shi'ite movement.
 * After the victory of the Umayyads they made the Arab empire to the Multinational Muslim empire.