Early Expansion of the nation of Islam
Chris SchroederAnd Courtney Schroeder
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salam.jpg/180px-Aziz_efendi-muhammad_alayhi_s-salam.jpg
Muslim Conquests Expansion of Islamic Nation/Leaders Conquests under Rashidun Conquests under Umayyads
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Expansion of Islamic Nation
Founding of New Islamic Power Prophet Muhammed Islamic Beliefs Area of Control
Founding of New Islamic Power
Prophet Muhammad Handing of the Qur’an in 7th century Caliphs take control Plans for Massive Expansion Much Like the Christians
• Allah wills it• Chosen people
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Prophet Muhammad Born 570 Family deaths
• Father the year he was born• Mother when he was six• Grandfather when he was eight
In 583 Muhammad goes to Syria 595 Marries Khadija
• Fathers Fatimah 610 Wrote the Qur’an in Hira Spread the word that he was Allah
(God’s) holy messenger
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Islamic Beliefs Walayah – “Guardianship” TawhĪd – “Oneness” Salah – “Prayer” Zakah – “Charity” Sawm – “Fasting” Hajj – “Pilgrimage” Jihad – “Struggle” Islam is the original religion
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Area of Control
Age of the Caliphs Expansion under Muhammad, 622–632/A.H. 1-11 Expansion during the Rashidun Caliphate, 632–661/A.H. 11-40 Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661–750/A.H. 40-129
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Conquest of Persia 633 – 644 AD Attack on Sassanid Empire Umar sent army over Zargos Mountains
that stood between the borders of Persia and Arabic Peninsula
Ziggurat (Tower palace) inside the Isfanhan province • First substantial victory for Muslims • To strategically divide Persian providences
Ziggurat of Choqa Zanbil
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Leading the Conquest
Led by Caliph Umar• Appointed Abdullah Idn Uthman • One of the greatest strategists and political leaders in
history Abdullah: Servant of God Led invasion from thousands of miles away Instated Khalid as field commander
• Already had faced Persian armies as leader• Led lightning offensive in present day Iraq 633 AD
Persian Empire controlled by Yazdgerd III To respond to attacks from Persian army on
Muslim cities conquest war became a personal battle between the leaders
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End of Conflict Led to the end of Sassanid Empire Further destruction of Persian Nation
• Northern Persia (Azerbaijan) in 642• South Eastern Persia (Kerman) in 644
Caliph Umar promised to follow Yazdgerd III to the ends of his empire to either capture or kill him
Siege of Persian capital city Persepolis ended in 644
Conquest of Armenia• 638 – 639 AD Persian Armenia was already under Islamic
control• 643 Umar sent final expedition to stamp Sassanid empire
out of Byzantine controlled Armenia
Sassanian fortress in Derbent
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Conquests of Umayyads Conquest of North Africa Siege of Constantinople
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Conquest of North Africa Seat of Control Damascus 641 Egypt First Arab account of conquest 9th century Invasion – 40,000 Arabs Vs. Byzantine Empire
• Sent for recruits from Constantinople 698 N. Africa divided into 3 providences
• Egypt• Ifrikquiya• Maghreb (Morocco)
By 709 N. Africa was under Arab control
Siege of Constantinople 717 - 718 Combined land and sea effort by the Byzantine
Empire 80,000 Muslims led by – Maslama ibn Abdal
Malik (brother of Caliph) Arab war galleys estimated at 1,800 ships Byzantine ask the mercenary Bulgarian empire
for assistance Siege Warfare Arabs lost to the onslaught from the Bulgarian
army and retreated Siege ended in fall of 718
Credits Edward Gibbon,
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 51
Fred Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests Chapter 6
Mark Graham, "How Islam Created the Modern World" (2006)
Hugh Kennedy, The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live in (2007)