
Where is Islam empire located? The Islamic Empire expanded throughout the Middle Ages to become one of the largest empires in the history of the world. It controlled the Middle East, northern Africa, the Iberian peninsula (Spain), and parts of Asia into India.
Where are the most Islamic countries located?
- Papua New Guinea
- Solomon island
- Fiji
- Vanuatu
- Kiribati
- Tasmania of Australia
- Marshall Island
Where is the holy city of Islam located?
the holy city of Islam, located in Saudi Arabia; in the West Allah Allah is the arabic word for god Madinah (Medina) "city of the prophet"; where Muhammad and his follers traveled to during the Hijrah Muhammad the Arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632) Khadijah First wife of Muhammad
Where are the Islamic sacred places?
What are some sacred places in Islam?
- Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām (The Sacred Mosque), Mecca.
- Al-Masjid an-Nabawī (The Prophet’s Mosque), Medina.
- Al-Masjid Al-Aqṣā, Jerusalem.
- Imam Ali, Iraq.
- Masjid Qubbat As-Sakhrah, Jerusalem.
- Great Mosque of Djenne, Mali.
- Quba Mosque, Medina.
What are the three great Muslim empires?
Major Muslim Empires During The Middle Ages
- Ilkhanate/Timurid Empire. The Timurid Empire comprised of modern-day countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, Syria, and Turkey.
- Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt. The Mamluk Sultanate spread across Egypt, Levant, and Hejaz and arose from the conquest of Ayyubid dynasty.
- Great Seljuk Empire, Sultanate of Rûm. ...
- Ayyubid Sultanate. ...
- Ghaznavid Empire. ...

Where did the Islamic empire began?
The Islamic empire began in Southwest Asia (Middle East) and quickly expanded into Africa and then deeper into Asia. The territory was under Islamic control, but most of the people did not convert to Islam immediately. Islamic rulers allowed people to worship their religion, but often they had to pay a protection tax.
Where is Islam located now?
The main regions of the world with a predominantly Islamic population are located in Central Asia, the entire Middle East and Western Asia (except Armenia and Israel), all of North Africa, and many countries in West Africa, South Asia, and Maritime Southeast Asia.
How old is Islam in years?
According to religious historians, Islam was founded by Muhammad the Prophet around 622CE (Common Era), or about 1,382 years ago in Mecca.
What is the biggest religion in the world?
Adherents in 2020ReligionAdherentsPercentageChristianity2.382 billion31.11%Islam1.907 billion24.9%Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist1.193 billion15.58%Hinduism1.161 billion15.16%18 more rows
What was the Abbasid Dynasty?
The Abbasid dynasty rose to power in 750, consolidating the gains of the earlier Caliphates. Initially, they conquered Mediterranean islands including the Balearics and, after, in 827 the Southern Italy. The ruling party had come to power on the wave of dissatisfaction with the Umayyads, cultivated by the Abbasid revolutionary Abu Muslim. Under the Abbasids Islamic civilization flourished. Most notable was the development of Arabic prose and poetry, termed by The Cambridge History of Islam as its " golden age ". Commerce and industry (considered a Muslim Agricultural Revolution) and the arts and sciences (considered a Muslim Scientific Revolution) also prospered under Abbasid caliphs al-Mansur (ruled 754–775), Harun al-Rashid (ruled 786–809), al-Ma'mun (ruled 809–813) and their immediate successors.
What were the Abbasids' rivals?
The Abbasids soon became caught in a three-way rivalry among Coptic Arabs, Indo-Persians, and immigrant Turks. In addition, the cost of running a large empire became too great. The Turks, Egyptians, and Arabs adhered to the Sunnite sect; the Persians, a great portion of the Turkic groups, and several of the princes in India were Shia. The political unity of Islam began to disintegrate. Under the influence of the Abbasid caliphs, independent dynasties appeared in the Muslim world and the caliphs recognized such dynasties as legitimately Muslim. The first was the Tahirid dynasty in Khorasan, which was founded during the caliph Al-Ma'mun 's reign. Similar dynasties included the Saffarids, Samanids, Ghaznavids and Seljuqs. During this time, advancements were made in the areas of astronomy, poetry, philosophy, science, and mathematics.
How many madrasahs are there in Samarkand?
Samarkand 's Registan and its three madrasahs. From left to right: Ulugh Beg Madrasah, Tilya-Kori Madrasah and Sher-Dor Madrasah.
What religion was the dominant religion in the Himyarite Kingdom?
Judaism became the dominant religion of the Himyarite Kingdom in Yemen after about 380, while Christianity took root in the Persian Gulf. There was also a yearning for a more "spiritual form of religion," and "the choice of religion increasingly became an individual rather than a collective issue.".
What was the longest period between the Abbasid and Ottoman Empires?
Thus they united Syria and Egypt for the longest interval between the Abbasid and Ottoman empires (1250–1517) . The Mamluks experienced a continual state of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the "Muslim territory" ( Dar al-Islam) and "non-Muslim territory" ( Dar al-Harb ).
How many sects are there in Islam?
It is said that Muhammad had claimed that the number of sects in Islam would account to seventy three. New schools of thought in Islam have constantly been created since the dawn of Islam. Today there are over two million Muslims that are mainly divided into 5 major schools of thought in Islam across the globe. With Islam being such a popular religion, it is inevitable that Islam will be interpreted differently across the world. These 5 major Islamic schools of thought consist of: Sunni Muslims, Shi'a Muslims, Ibadi Muslims, Ahmadiyya Muslims, and Sufi Muslims.
How did Al-Ma'mun work?
Al-Ma'mun worked to centralize power and ensure a smooth succession. Al-Mahdi proclaimed that the caliph was the protector of Islam against heresy, and also claimed the ability to declare orthodoxy. Religious scholars averred that Al-Ma'mun was overstepping his bounds in the Mihna, the Abbasid inquisition which he introduced in 833 four months before he died. The Ulama emerged as a force in Islamic politics during Al-Ma'mun's reign for opposing the inquisitions. The Ulema and the major Islamic law schools took shape in the period of Al-Ma'mun. In parallel, Sunnism became defined as a religion of laws. Doctrinal differences between Sunni and Shi'a Islam became more pronounced.
Where is Islam discussed?
Islam is also discussed in articles on individual countries or on regions in which the religion is a factor, such as Egypt, Iran, Arabia, and North Africa. See articles on individual branches or sects and concepts—for example, Islam, Nation of; Sunni; Shiʿi; Hadith. A very broad perspective is required to explain the history ...
What is the difference between Islamic and Muslim?
The term Islamic describes aspects pertaining to Islam as a religion, while Muslim as an adjective describes aspects pertaining to Islam’s adherents. The term Islamicate refers to the social and cultural complex that is historically associated with Islam and the Muslims, including the function and participation of non-Islamic ...
What is the article Islam?
The Muslim religion and the life of the Prophet Muhammad are treated specifically in the article Islam. The literature , music, dance, and visual arts of Muslim peoples are treated in the article Islamic arts. Islam is also discussed in articles on individual countries or on regions in which the religion is a factor, such as Egypt, Iran, Arabia, ...
What is the Islamic world called?
Related Topics: Divan History Shūrā Wufūd. ... (Show more) Full Article. Islamic world, also called Islamdom, the complex of societies and cultures in which Muslims and their faith have been prevalent and socially dominant. Adherence to Islam is a global phenomenon: Muslims predominate in some 30 to 40 countries, ...
When did the Islamic era begin?
The Islamic era begins with the date of Muhammad’s migration ( Hijrah) to Medina, which corresponds to July 16 , 622 ce, in the Gregorian calendar. In what follows, the terms Islamic world and Islamdom are used interchangeably. The term Islamic describes aspects pertaining to Islam as a religion, while Muslim as an adjective describes aspects ...
When did the precolonial reforms begin?
Precolonial reform and experimentation from 1683 to 1818
What happened in 750?
In 750, the 'Abbasids seized power from the Umayyads in what they referred to as a revolution ( dawla ). The 'Abbasids saw the Umayyads as an elitist Arab dynasty and wanted to return the Islamic community back to the Rashidun period, seeking to govern in a universal fashion as symbols of a unified Sunni community.
What was the purpose of the Heraclius war?
Heraclius' war was nothing less than a crusade, intended to drive out the Sasanians and restore Christian rule to the Holy Land .
Why do the Abbasids use honorifics?
The 'Abbasids began the tradition of the use of honorifics (al-) attached to their names, to denote their links to Allah. They continued the use as well, using God's Caliph and Commander of the Faithful as titles for their leaders, but also adopted the title al-Imam.
How long did the Umayyad Dynasty rule?
The first of the line was Mu'awiya. He and his descendants ruled for 90 years.
What was the major religion of the Umayyads?
The Umayyads ruled when the Arab Muslim conquest of former Byzantine and Sasanid territories were taking effect, and Islam emerged as the major religion and culture of the region. The new society, with its capital moved from Mecca to Damascus in Syria, had included both Islamic and Arabic identities.
What was the original seat of the Islamic government?
The mosque became the original seat of the Islamic government, as Muhammad assumed greater political and religious authority, drawing up a constitution and establishing trade networks apart and in competition with his Quraysh cousins.
When was the Islamic Empire created?
The vast and sweeping Islamic Empire was created during the 7th and 8th centuries CE, reaching a unity through a series of conquests with its neighbors. That initial unity disintegrated during the 9th and 10th centuries, but was reborn and revitalized again and again for more than a thousand years.
What were the most prosperous cities in the Middle East?
The Islamic Empires are often associated with art and grandeur. The major Islamic cities of the time — like Bagdad, Damascus, and Cairo in the middle-east, and Cordoba in Andalusia, Spain — were considered the most prosperous cities on earth.
Why is history important?
Therefore, history can act as a reminder of the contributions of many forgotten heroes and many historically influential and rich cities. In that sense, history helps us to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of different regions and cultures.
What does Al-Jabr mean?
The word Al-Jabr from the book title in Arabic means restoration by transporting negative quantities to the other side of the equation to make them positive , and the world Al-Muqabala means the elimination of identical quantities from the two sides of the equation — basically two building blocks of solving an equation in Algebra.
What was Al-Kharzimi's contribution to the world?
But the most pressing and everlasting contribution of Al-Kharzimi was in the field of Mathematics.
What is the Alhambra Palace?
The picture at the top, the Alhambra palace of Granada, is one of the countless living reminders of the art and grandeur of the Islamic Empires. But it was the “World of Knowledge” where the Islamic Empires made their biggest contribution.
Why is the Dark Ages called the Dark Ages?
Remember, the era that we are talking about is often referred to as the Dark Ages in history, mostly because it was considered a dark age in Europe. But as we can see, it was anything but dark in other parts of the world. Especially in the Islamic Empires, it was an era of unprecedented growth and development.
Where did the Islamic Empires live?
In less than 100 years, the Islamic Empires under the subsequent caliphates flourished over three continents (Africa, Europe, and Asia) in a vast region between India in the east and Spain in the west. The Islamic Empires are often associated with art and grandeur.
What are the five great Islamic empires?
Summary of the Five Great Islamic Empires: -The Safavid dynasty. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires in Muslim history. -The Mughal Empire. They were a prosperous and powerful empire located in India. - The Umayyad Caliphate. They were in a power struggle, but found a way to avoid civil war, and began an umayyad dynasty of ruler.
How many square kilometers were there in the Mughal Empire?
The Mughal Empire (1526 to 1857) Area: 3.2 Million square kilometers. Mughals were the descendants of the house of Timur. In 1526 Babur from central Asia invaded India he defeated the last sultan of Sultanate of Delhi Ibrahim Lodhi in the Battle of Panipat and Established the Mughal Empire.
How long did Muslims rule the subcontinent?
Muslims in the Subcontinent. Muslims had ruled the subcontinent for almost 800 years continuously, beginning from the rule of Muhammad of Ghaur in 1203 up till the collapse of Mughal Empire in 1857. pinterest-pin-it. 3. Umayyad Caliphate (661-750) Capitol: Damascus. Population: 62,000,000 est. Area: 15,000,000 km 2.
What was the Safavid Empire?
The Safavid Empire. 5. The Safavid Empire (1501 to 1736) Capitol: Isfahan. Area: 2,850,000 km 2. The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia. The Safavid dynasty was founded in 1501 by Shāh Ismāil.
Why did the Mughal Empire go into decline?
At one point Mughal empire was considered the richest empire in the world so you can imagine many other nations and people interested in its wealth. After Aurangzheb death his sons fought over control of his vast empire and each son was being helped by different parties. Many generals and governors become independent states. You then had Afghans and Persians from the north constantly invading, maharatas in central and southern India taken over territory aswell as the British. The British used divide and conquer tactics defeating each state or making alliance with them. British defeated the maharatas, sikhs and Tipu Sultan empire of Mysore just to name a few. Non of those state had unity. In fact during the first war of independence Hindus and Muslims fought together against the British but were let down because the pushtuns and sikhs sided with the British and eventually defeated the nationalist Indians. It's why British Indian army mainly consisted of "loyal" subjects and chose mainly people from north India and where the whole martial race theory came from.
What is the Golden Age of Islam?
Sometimes the Abbasid and Ummayyad caliphate are collectively referred to as the Arab Muslim empire but they were two different dynasties. The Period of Abbasid's is termed as the Golden Age of Islam due to advances in Sciences, Literature, Medicine and Philosophy.
What was the empire like under the rule of the Mughals?
The empire was extremely prosperous and rich. Under the rule of Mughals, India enjoyed much cultural and economic progress as well as religious harmony.
What is the most widely practiced religion in the world?
Today, Islam is one of the most widely practiced religions across the world. Its practitioners make up the second largest ...
What are the two major sects of Islam?
The two major sects of Islam are Shia and Sunni. Sunni Islam is the majority denomination and is practiced by approximately 1.5 billion individuals. Shia is a smaller denomination with only around 170 million followers.
What is the Muslim world?
The Muslim World can be used to mean three different aspects related to those who practice Islam: religious, cultural, and geographical. This term is sometimes also stated as the Islamic World. On the religious level, the Muslim World refers to Muslims, or individuals who practice Islam. Culturally, the term refers to Islamic civilization. In the geographic sense, which is perhaps the most commonly used, it refers to the countries and other political regions where Muslims make up the majority of the population.
Which countries have Islamic law?
The major Islamic states are Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Mauritania, and Yemen. For example, in Iran, every aspect of the government must adhere to Sharia Islam, the basis for all rules and regulations in this country.
Is Islam a religion in Libya?
In Libya, Islam is also considered a state religion. However, 18 other religions are also official state religions, making Libya the most religiously diverse country in the Muslim World.
Where did the idea of Islamic state come from?
The idea comes from the ancient Caliphate, which included areas ruled by religious leaders thought to be successors of Muhammad. Today, an Islamic state may include modern political traditions, such as having a parliament or a President.
What is Islamic art?
Geometry. Islamic art makes use of geometric patterns and symmetries in many of its art forms, notably in girih tilings. These are formed using a set of five tile shapes, namely a regular decagon, an elongated hexagon, a bow tie, a rhombus, and a regular pentagon.
What is the Islamic theology?
Classical Islamic theology emerged from an early doctrinal controversy which pitted the ahl al-hadith movement, led by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, who considered the Quran and authentic hadith to be the only acceptable authority in matters of faith, against Mu'tazilites and other theological currents, who developed theological doctrines using rationalistic methods. In 833 the caliph al-Ma'mun tried to impose Mu'tazilite theology on all religious scholars and instituted an inquisition ( mihna ), but the attempts to impose a caliphal writ in matters of religious orthodoxy ultimately failed. This controversy persisted until al-Ash'ari (874–936) found a middle ground between Mu'tazilite rationalism and Hanbalite literalism, using the rationalistic methods championed by Mu'tazilites to defend most substantive tenets maintained by ahl al-hadith. A rival compromise between rationalism and literalism emerged from the work of al-Maturidi (d. c. 944), and, although a minority of scholars remained faithful to the early ahl al-hadith creed, Ash'ari and Maturidi theology came to dominate Sunni Islam from the 10th century on.
What is the Islamic jurisprudence?
The classical theory of Islamic jurisprudence elaborates how scriptures should be interpreted from the standpoint of linguistics and rhetoric. It also comprises methods for establishing authenticity of hadith and for determining when the legal force of a scriptural passage is abrogated by a passage revealed at a later date. In addition to the Quran and sunnah, the classical theory of Sunni fiqh recognizes two other sources of law: juristic consensus ( ijmaʿ) and analogical reasoning ( qiyas ). It therefore studies the application and limits of analogy, as well as the value and limits of consensus, along with other methodological principles, some of which are accepted by only certain legal schools. This interpretive apparatus is brought together under the rubric of ijtihad, which refers to a jurist's exertion in an attempt to arrive at a ruling on a particular question. The theory of Twelver Shia jurisprudence parallels that of Sunni schools with some differences, such as recognition of reason ( ʿaql) as a source of law in place of qiyas and extension of the notion of sunnah to include traditions of the imams.
What did the Muslims do during the Islamic era?
During this period, the Muslims showed a strong interest in assimilating the scientific knowledge of the civilizations that had been conquered. Many classic works of antiquity that might otherwise have been lost were translated from Greek, Syriac, Middle Persian, and Sanskrit into Syriac and Arabic, some of which were later in turn translated into other languages like Hebrew and Latin.
What is the role of the Quranic injunctions?
The various Quranic injunctions and Hadith (or actions of Muhammad ), which place values on education and emphasize the importance of acquiring knowledge, played a vital role in influencing the Muslims of this age in their search for knowledge and the development of the body of science.
How did juristic thought develop?
Juristic thought gradually developed in study circles, where independent scholars met to learn from a local master and discuss religious topics. At first, these circles were fluid in their membership, but with time distinct regional legal schools crystallized around shared sets of methodological principles. As the boundaries of the schools became clearly delineated, the authority of their doctrinal tenets came to be vested in a master jurist from earlier times, who was henceforth identified as the school's founder. In the course of the first three centuries of Islam, all legal schools came to accept the broad outlines of classical legal theory, according to which Islamic law had to be firmly rooted in the Quran and hadith.
What is the Golden Age?
The Islamic Golden Age ( Arabic: العصر الذهبي للإسلام , romanized : al-'asr al-dhahabi lil-islam ), was a period of cultural, economic, and scientific flourishing in the history of Islam, traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 14th century. This period is traditionally understood to have begun during the reign ...
What is the Sunnah in Islam?
Sunnah (“a well-trodden path”) was used by pre-Islamic Arabs to denote their tribal or common law. In Islam it came to mean the example of the Prophet—i.e., his words and deeds as recorded in compilations known as Hadith (in Arabic, Ḥadīth: literally, “report”; a collection of sayings attributed to the Prophet).
What is the Hadith of the Prophet?
Hadith provide the written documentation of the Prophet’s words and deeds. Six of these collections, compiled in the 3rd century ah (9th century ce ), came to be regarded as especially authoritative by the largest group in Islam, the Sunnis.
How did Islam help the Muslim people?
The faith of Islam helped various Muslim peoples in their struggle to gain political freedom in the mid-20th century, and the unity of Islam contributed to later political solidarity.
What was the first phase of Islam?
The period of Islamic conquests and empire building marks the first phase of the expansion of Islam as a religion. Islam’s essential egalitarianism within the community of the faithful and its official discrimination against the followers of other religions won rapid converts. Jews and Christians were assigned a special status as communities possessing scriptures and were called the “people of the Book” ( ahl al-kitāb) and, therefore, were allowed religious autonomy. They were, however, required to pay a per capita tax called jizyah, as opposed to pagans, who were required to either accept Islam or die. The same status of the “people of the Book” was later extended in particular times and places to Zoroastrians and Hindus, but many “people of the Book” joined Islam in order to escape the disability of the jizyah. A much more massive expansion of Islam after the 12th century was inaugurated by the Sufis (Muslim mystics), who were mainly responsible for the spread of Islam in India, Central Asia, Turkey, and sub-Saharan Africa ( see below ).
What is the ethos of Islam?
During this early period, Islam acquired its characteristic ethos as a religion uniting in itself both the spiritual and temporal aspects of life and seeking to regulate not only the individual’s relationship to God (through conscience) but human relationships in a social setting as well.
How many Muslims were there in the 21st century?
By the early 21st century there were more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide. Although many sectarian movements have arisen within Islam, all Muslims are bound by a common faith and a sense of belonging to a single community. This article deals with the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam and with the connection of religion ...
What is the Arabic word for surrender?
Alternative Title: Al-Islām. Below is the full article. For the article summary, see Islam summary . Islam, major world religion promulgated by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia in the 7th century ce. The Arabic term islām, literally “surrender,” illuminates the fundamental religious idea of Islam—that the believer (called a Muslim, ...

Overview
Mongol period
While the Abbasid Caliphate suffered a decline following the reign of Al-Wathiq (842–847) and Al-Mu'tadid (892–902), the Mongol Empire put an end to the Abbasid dynasty in 1258. The Mongols spread throughout Central Asia and Persia; the Persian city of Isfahan had fallen to them by 1237. The Ilkhans of Chingisid descendence claimed to be defenders of Islam, perhaps even the heirs of the A…
Timeline
The following timeline can serve as a rough visual guide to the most important polities in the Islamic world prior to the First World War. It covers major historical centers of power and culture, including Arabia, Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), Persia (modern Iran), Levant (modern Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel/Palestine), Egypt, Maghreb (north-west Africa), al-Andalus (Iberia), Transoxania (Central Asia), Hindustan (including modern Pakistan, North India and Bangladesh), and Anatolia (m…
Early sources and historiography
The study of the earliest periods in Islamic history is made difficult by a lack of sources. For example, the most important historiographical source for the origins of Islam is the work of al-Tabari. While al-Tabari is considered an excellent historian by the standards of his time and place, he made liberal use of mythical, legendary, stereotyped, distorted, and polemical presentations of subject matter—which are however considered to be Islamically acceptable—and his description…
Origins of Islam
Early Islam arose within the historical, social, political, economic, and religious context of Late Antiquity in the Middle East. The second half of the 6th century CE saw political disorder in the pre-Islamic Arabian peninsula, and communication routes were no longer secure. Religious divisions played an important role in the crisis. Judaism became the dominant religion of the Himyarite Kingdom in Yeme…
Rashidun Caliphate
After the death of Muhammad in 632 CE, his community needed to appoint a new leader, giving rise to the title of caliph (Arabic: خَليفة, romanized: khalīfa, lit. 'successor'). Thus, the subsequent Islamic empires were known as "caliphates", and a series of four caliphs governed the early Islamic empire: Abū Bakr (632–634), ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (Umar І, 634–644), ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (644–65…
Umayyad Caliphate
The Umayyad dynasty (or Ommiads), whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph, ruled from 661 to 750 CE. Although the Umayyad family came from the city of Mecca, Damascus was the capital. After the death of Abdu'l-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr in 666, Muawiyah I consolidated his power. Muawiyah I moved his capital to Damascus from Medi…
Islamic Golden Age
The Abbasid dynasty rose to power in 750, consolidating the gains of the earlier Caliphates. Initially, they conquered Mediterranean islands including the Balearics and, after, in 827 the Southern Italy. The ruling party had come to power on the wave of dissatisfaction with the Umayyads, cultivated by the Abbasid revolutionary Abu Muslim. Under the Abbasids Islamic civilization flourished. …
Background
Muhammad The Prophet
- Tradition says that in 610 CE, Muhammad received the first verses of the Quran from Allah from the angel Gabriel. By 615, a community of his followers was established in his hometown of Meccain present-day Saudi Arabia. Muhammad was a member of a middle clan of the high-prestige Western Arabic tribe of the Quraysh, However, his family was among his strongest opp…
The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs
- After Muhammad's death, the growing Islamic community was led by the al-Khulafa' al-Rashidun, the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, who were all followers and friends of Muhammad. The four were Abu Bakr (632–634), 'Umar (634–644), 'Uthman (644–656), and 'Ali (656–661). To them, "caliph" meant successor or deputy of Muhammad. The first caliph was Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafa. He wa…
Umayyad Dynasty
- In 661, after the murder of 'Ali, the Umayyadsgained control of Islam for the next several hundred years. The first of the line was Mu'awiya. He and his descendants ruled for 90 years. One of several striking differences from the Rashidun, the leaders saw themselves as the absolute leaders of Islam, subject only to God. They called themselves God's Caliph and Amir al-Mu'minin …
'Abbasid Revolt
- In 750, the 'Abbasids seized power from the Umayyads in what they referred to as a revolution (dawla). The 'Abbasids saw the Umayyads as an elitist Arab dynasty and wanted to return the Islamic community back to the Rashidun period, seeking to govern in a universal fashion as symbols of a unified Sunni community. To do that, they emphasized their family lineage down fr…
Abbasid Decline and Mongol Invasion
- By the early 10th century, however, the 'Abbasids were already in trouble and the empire was falling apart, a result of dwindling resources and inside pressure from newly independent dynasties in formerly 'Abbasid territories. These dynasties included the Samanids (819–1005) in eastern Iran, the Fatimids (909–1171) and Ayyubids (1169–1280) in Egypt and the Buyids (945–…
Mamluk Sultanate
- Next were the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and Syria. This family had its roots in the Ayyubid confederation founded by Saladin in 1169. The Mamluk Sultan Qutuz defeated the Mongolsin 1260 and was himself assassinated by Baybars (1260–1277), the first Mamluk leader of the Islamic empire. Baybars established himself as Sultan and ruled over the eastern Mediterranea…
Ottoman Empire
- The Ottoman Empireemerged about 1300 CE as a small principality on former Byzantine territory. Named after the ruling dynasty, the Osman, the first ruler (1300–1324), the Ottoman empire grew throughout the next two centuries. In 1516–1517, the Ottoman emperor Selim I defeated the Mamluks, essentially doubling his empire's size and adding in Mecca and Medina. The Ottoman …
Sources
- Anscombe, Frederick F. "Islam and the Age of Ottoman Reform." Past & Present,Volume 208, Issue 1, August 2010, Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K.
- Carvajal, José C. "Islamicization or Islamicizations? Expansion of Islam and Social Practice in the Vega of Granada (South-East Spain)." World Archaeology, Volume45, Issue 1, April 2013, Routledge,...
- Anscombe, Frederick F. "Islam and the Age of Ottoman Reform." Past & Present,Volume 208, Issue 1, August 2010, Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K.
- Carvajal, José C. "Islamicization or Islamicizations? Expansion of Islam and Social Practice in the Vega of Granada (South-East Spain)." World Archaeology, Volume45, Issue 1, April 2013, Routledge,...
- Casana, Jesse. "Structural Transformations in Settlement Systems of the Northern Levant." American Journal of Archaeology, Volume111, Issue 2, 2007, Boston.
- Insoll, Timothy "Islamic Archaeology and the Sahara." The Libyan Desert: Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage.Eds. Mattingly, David, et al. Volume 6: The Society For Libyan Studies, 2006, London.