Prayer in cairo 1865

Ancient Islam Timeline

By 17mcduffie
  • Period: 570 to Jan 1, 632

    Muhammad's Life

    Muhammad was the Arab world's prophet. He created the Qur'an out of his revelations, which is the holy book of Islam. It tells one to worship Allah and followers of Allah, or Muslims, were to follow and live by the guidelines of the book. Most of their guidelines and law codes were written from the Hadith, or a collection of sayings from Muhammad.
  • Jan 1, 610

    Muhammad receives his first vision.

    Muhammad receives his first vision.
    610 CE: Muhammad went out one day to nearby hills to pray and meditate. It was here that he received a message from Gabriel to go preach the revelations that he would receive. This began Muhammad's preaching to the people in Mecca. http://zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/book_illos/mohammad_cave.jpg
  • Jan 1, 622

    Muhammad and followers flee to Medina.

    Muhammad and followers flee to Medina.
    After three years of his preaching, he had lost many followers. He only had thirty left. The Meccans were also rejecting his teachings. With this, Muhammad became discouraged and gathered up his closest followers he had left.He fled north, to Medina. This event became known as the Hegira (Hirijah). It also marks the first date on the official Islamic calendar. From this experience, he gained supporters and created the Muslim group called the umma. http://www.layers-of-learning.com/wp-content/u
  • Jan 1, 630

    Muslims capture Mecca.

    Muslims capture Mecca.
    After his flee and increase in followers from the residents there, he decided the return to his hometown. This new group of followers would be his military force as well. After returning home, Muhammad conquered Mecca and converted the people to the Islamic faith. http://religionwiki.mvcsnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/image8.jpg
  • Jan 1, 632

    Death of Muhammad.

    Death of Muhammad.
    After Muhammad's conquering of Mecca, he visited the Ka'aba in 630 CE. Here he declared the Ka'aba a sacred place of the Islamic faith. He ordered the destrcution of all the old gods from the previous, traditional faith. Two years after this, in 632 CE, Muhammad died. This would begin a dilemma for the big question "who would lead after Muhammad?", since Muslims saw no seperation between political and religious authority. http://wikiislam.net/wiki/uploads/thumb/7/74/Muhammad_on_deathbed.jpg/33
  • Jan 1, 636

    Muslims defeat Byzantine empire.

    Muslims defeat Byzantine empire.
    The remaining followers finally chose a leader, or caliphate. His name was Abu Bakr. He was Muhammad's father-in-law and first supporter. Bakr continued Muhammad's jihad, as the Qur'an called it, or the tribal custom of raid in defense against the enemy. The new leader began the creation of the Arab empire. They began to attack the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires. They defeated the Byzantine army. The Arabs began to grow rapidly. http://www.worldology.com/Iraq/images/muslim_conquest_persia.j
  • Jan 1, 656

    Ali becomes fourth caliph.

    Ali becomes fourth caliph.
    Some followers did not approve Bakr as successor, so they wanted to elect Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law. But many also did not want Ali as caliphate, so this was ignored and Umar was selected after Bakr's death. But then later, Ali became successor and in 661, he was assassinated. Then in 661 CE, Ali's rival and governor of Syria, Mu'awiya became caliphate. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Investiture_of_Ali_Edinburgh_codex.jpg
  • Jan 1, 661

    Beginning of Umayyad Caliphate.

    Beginning of Umayyad Caliphate.
    Mu'awiya ended the rule of the four righteous caliphs after becoming caliphate. He made the caliphate hereditary in his family and created the Umayyads. They were a branch of the Qurashi clan. This began a new caliphate, with the capital in Damascus. http://islamiccoins.ancients.info/umayyads/Umayyads.JPG
  • Period: Jan 1, 661 to Jan 1, 750

    Umayyad Caliphate

    Arab armies conquered the Berbers across North Africa. The Battle of Poitiers was the highest point for the expansion of Arabs in Europe. The Arabs also attempted to destroy the Byzantine empire, but failed.
  • Jan 1, 750

    Abbasids overthrow the Umayyads.

    Abbasids overthrow the Umayyads.
    Arab power spread to the east. Some disputes led to revolt. For example, Ali's son, Hussein doubted the legitimacy of the Umayyads and made his supporters be known as Shi'ites, who would rebel against the Umayyad rule (680 CE). This began and still has contributed to today, a rivalry between the Shi'ites and the Sunni, or Muslims within the Umayyad rule. Years later in 750 CE, Abu al-Abbas, led a revolt against the Umayyads. This began the Abbasid Dynsty. http://static.newworldencyclopedia.or
  • Period: Jan 1, 750 to Jan 1, 1258

    Abbasid Dynasty

    In 762 CE, the Abbasids built a new capital at Baghdad. The capital was positioned to take advantage of the river traffic to the Persian Gulf. One of the best caliphs of this time was Harun al-Rashid (786-809). During his rule, Baghdad became the center of trade and marketing, which contributed to Islamic wealth and growth. Paper was also introduced from China and new crops were brought in. His son, al-Ma'mun also contributed to the Islamic world by founding an astronomical observatory.
  • Jan 1, 1055

    Seljuk Turks seize Baghadad.

    Seljuk Turks seize Baghadad.
    After the great caliph, Harun died, things began to fall apart again. Provincial leaders began to ignore central control and create their own dynasties. Economy went down, and division in society began to increase. Another downfall was the threat from the Seljuk Turks. In 1055 CE, a Turkish leader captured Baghdad. http://www.worldology.com/Iraq/images/turkish_seljuk_empire.jpg
  • Period: Jan 1, 1096 to Jan 1, 1258

    The Crusades

    In 1071 CE, the Byzantines challenged the Turks and the Turks won. They took over most of the Anatolian peninsula. The Byzantine empire turned to the west crying out for help. This set up the pleas that led to the Crusades. Tension between Christians and Muslims, caused breakouts against Muslim territories. These were called the Crusades.
  • Jan 1, 1099

    Crusaders capture Jerusalem from Muslims.

    Crusaders capture Jerusalem from Muslims.
    After the Seljuk Turks defeated the Byzantines, they were in a crisis and needed help from the Muslims. The
    Muslims refused and Christians started revolting. The First Crusade was in 1099 CE and they captured Jerusalem. But in 1187 CE, Muslims invaded Jerusalem and destroyed Christians forces there. http://www.thefearlessknights.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/1st-crusade.jpg
  • Jan 1, 1258

    Mongols destroy city of Baghdad.

    Mongols destroy city of Baghdad.
    Besides the Christians, the Mongols were also another group that the Islamic world had to worry about. In 1258 CE, the Mongol army seized Persia and Mesopotamia. This brought an end to the caliphate at Baghdad. http://www.iraqiembassy.us/sites/default/files/photos/history_timeline_photo_09_1.JPG
  • Jan 1, 1453

    Ottomans conquer Byzantine seat of Constantinople.

    Ottomans conquer Byzantine seat of Constantinople.
    In addition to the Mongols, there was also another force that was threatening to the North. This threat was from the Ottoman Turks on the Anatolian Peninsula. In 1453 CE, Sultan Mehmet II seized Constantinople and ended the Byzantine empire for good. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/ghgonline/turnpoint/images/textbox/u4tp_31_textbox.jpg

  • Works Cited

    "Timeline of Islam" (pbs.org) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/muslims/timeline.html "Timeline of Islam" (religionfacts.com) http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/timeline.htm The Essential World History Book