Islamic History

Muhammad was born

570

Muhummad ibn Abd Allah was born in Mecca. Mecca is a mountain town in the high desert plateau of Westerm Arabia. His name means "to praise, to glorify" from the Arabic verb hamade. He was the first and only son of the parents, Abd Allah bin Al-Muttalib and Amina bint Wahb. Muhammad was raised by his mother because his father died before his birth.

Muhammed recieved first revelation

Jan 17, 610

He recievd this at Mountain Hira (which is near Mecca) and began his career as a prophet. He began making long retreats to this mountain cave outside of the town of Mecca. Once here, he fasted and meditated. Muhammad was visited by an overpowering presence and instructed to recite words of beauty and force that he and others gradually attributed them to god.

Muhammed and the Muslims migrate

Jan 26, 622

In the year of the Hijra, Muhammed and the Muslims migrated from Mecca to Medina. Medina was once know as Yathrib (which was also the town where Muhammads father was buried. Medina means the City of the Prophet. Muhammad remained here for the next six years building the first Muslim community and slowly gathering more and more people to his side.

Muhammed wins control

Jan 4, 630

Muhammed won the control of Mecca. The balance of power shifted away from the once-powerful Mecca, when toward Muhammad and the Muslims. They marched on Mecca was soon after they were joined by tribe after tribe along the way. They entered with out bloodshed or war and the people of Mecca joined them after seeing everyone else turn.

Muhammed dies

Jun 8, 632

Muhammad returned to Mecca one last time to preform a pilgrimage and thousands of Muslims joined him. After the pilgrimage, he returned to Medina. Three months later he died there because of a brief illness. He is buried in the mosque in Medina.

Battle of Qadisiya

Mar 4, 636

The battle was fought near Al-Hirah (which is present day Iraq) It was fought between forces of the Sasanian dynasty (under Yazdegerd III) and an invading Arab army. The Arab army won over Yazdegerds army and marked the end of his dynasty and the beginning of Arab and Islamic rule in Persia.

Umar ibn al-Khattab dies

Nov 3, 644

Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second caliph dies in Medina Arabia. Ten years after he came to the throne he died. He was assassinated by a Persian slave for a personal reason. He was a strong ruler.

Caliph Uthman (text of the Quran)

Mar 4, 653

Caliph Uthman authorizes collection and official establishment of the text of Quran. Quran is Arabic for "recitation". It is the scred spricture of Islam and for all Muslims. The Quran is strictly speaking, untranslatable, though it has been converted into nearly every other language.

Uthman gets assassinated

Jun 17, 656

Uthman (the third caliph) dies in Medina, Arabian Peninsula. He centrealized the administration of the caliphate and established and official version of the Quran. His death marked the beginning of open religious and political conflicts within the Islamic community.

Ali ibn Abi Talib dies

Jan 5, 661

the fourth caliph and the first Shii imam Ali ibn Abi Talib died in Kufah, Iraq. He was the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. He was also the first leader of the Shiism in all of its forms.

Muslims conquer much land

Mar 16, 711

Under the first four caliphs, Arab armies marched from victory to victory.They conquered chunks of the Byzantine empire than the demolished the Persain Empire than they entered Egypt. Later on they conquered more land. From Egypt to North Africa. They crossed the Striat of Gibraltar to Spain and pushed into France.

capturing of Damascus

Mar 16, 750

captured by Abu al-Abbas. Soon after, one of his generals invited members of the defeated Umayyad family to a banquet and killed them all. He than continued there dynasty, wich lasted until 1258.

Trading Network

Mar 16, 750

between 750 and 1350. Merchants built a vast trading network across the Muslim world. Camel caravans "ships of the desert" crossed the Sahara into West Africa. Muslim traders traveled the Silk Road from China. Monsson winds carried ships from East Africa to India. Expensive trade and a prosperous money economy led Muslims to new business practices.

Armies into northern India

Mar 16, 1001

Muhammad led his armies into northern India. Muhammad used to riches of India to turn his capital into a great Muslim center. He built a brand new Muslim empire in India.

Mongols

Mar 16, 1216

Genghiz Khan led the Mongols out of Central Asia across Persia and Mesopotamia. Later they adopted Islam.

Ottomans

Mar 16, 1300

They were a Turkish speaking nonmadic people who were originally from Central Asia but ended up in northwest Asia Minor. The Ottomans expanded across Asia Minor and into southerneastern Europe. They established a capital in the Balkan Peninsula.

The Decline

Mar 16, 1398

Tamerlane invaded India. He went into the northern plain and destroyed Delhi. Thousands of artisans were enslaved to help build Tamerlane's capital at Samarkand.

Suleiman

Mar 16, 1520

He ruled from 1520 to 1566. The ottoman empire enjoyed its golden age under him. referred to him as the Magnificent by westerns and to his people he was known as the "Lawgiver". He modernized the army and conquered many new lands. He also extended the Ottoman rule eastward into Mesopotamia.

inavders pour into India again

Mar 16, 1526

Turkish and Mongol inavders once again invaded through the mountain passes into India.

Akbar the Great

Mar 16, 1556

His long reign was from 1556 to 1605. He created a strong central government which earned his title. He was a leader of unusual abilities. Even though he was a Muslim, he won the support of Hindu people through his policy of toleration. He opened givernment jobs to Hindu of all castes and treated Hindu princes as partners in ruling to the vast empire. He also ended the tax on non-Muslims.

Ottoman Decline

Mar 16, 1700

The European advances in commerce and military technology were leaving the Ottomans behind. While the European industry and trade moved along, the Ottomans remained dependant on agriculture. Russians and other Europeans chipped away Ottoman lands. From time to time, able sultans tried to revive Ottoman power but had very limited success.