Back in Time: Delving into the History of Islam

The History of Islam

It has been said that one man can change the course of history. His life on earth can revolutionize the way people think and how they act. A striking example would be Muhammad and his fight for the spread of Islam. Ten years after his death, the Islamic empire had spread through most of Persia, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. Muhammad used military means to spread his empire throughout the land. In the Quran, he is seen as the unlettered Prophet...(who) commands (to) them what is just and forbids them (from) what is evil#. He had miraculously received messages from God to tell his people how to live a just and holy life. He is also seen as a bringer of glad tidings, warner, judge, a witness, Seal of the Prophet, and a universal messenger. After his death, the success of the religion passed to several caliphs, who led the ideal Islamic age, according to some historians. Islam split into many different branches, usually in the two hundred years after Muhammads death. The founding of the Islam religion, by one man, which has lasted for over 1400 years, shows that it is a religion that has played an important role in the history and civilization of the West. The founding of Islam is an important subject in the overall significance of historical religions, because of its leader, his successors, and the different sects that have evolved over time.

Muhammad, the Islamic prophet, was born around the year 570 A.D. He was fatherless at birth and his mother died soon after. He was raised by his Uncle Talib who was a religiously prominent man in the Quraysh tribe of Mecca but was neither wealthy nor poor. At the age of 25, Muhammad married a 40 year-old woman named Khadija, who was very prominent in her wealth. In his fortieth year, Muhammad, on a retreat outside of the town of Mecca, Muhammad received a vision. Gabriel, an angel from God, told Muhammad that he was Gods chosen messenger. Gabriel also gave Muhammad his first revelation from God. Frightened by Gabriels words, Muhammad went back to his home and told his wife what he had seen. She became his first convert. After many messages from God, Muhammad started preaching these messages to the people around him and his community. The Meccans first ignored Muhammad and his teachings. After they learned that he had many followers, they began to persecute his lesser known followers. When this never fruited into real progress, they started to attack Muhammad on a personal level. Fortunately, two tribes from Yathrib had asked Muhammad to come and share his views with their people while also deliberating disputes as a religious leader. In 622, Muhammad moves to Yathrib, but this is town changes names to Medina, meaning city of the prophet (Encarta). This year is designated as the first year of the calendar of the Muslims. After two years in Mecca, Muhammad has expanded the community of the Muslims. In addition to being the religious leader, Muhammad has served as head of state, diplomat, military leader, and chief legislator for the growing Muslim community. As a common occurrence in history, the Meccans started an argument with the Medinians. After several confrontations, in the year 630, Muhammad stretched his hand of ruling over the Medinians. Before his death in 632, Muslims had control of the Arabian Peninsula.

Muhammad is seen as a mortal man commissioned by God to deliver his message to Gods people. Muhammad was seen as a man who could not sin in the eyes of God. He did make mistakes but did not sin against God. God corrected any faults or mistakes that Muhammad made in his life, so that he would be a example to future Muslims. Muhammad is also seen as being raised up...as the final messenger, the Seal of the Prophets, in the early seventh century#. Many Islams tell the story of Muhammad in a way that leaves out the peaceful part of his ministry and skip to the war and destruction. According to history the Prophet simply entered the city with a large army, declared general amnesty and forgave all his bitter enemies #. This shows that part of his ministry was peaceful and did not require much violence. Muhammad, the prophet, helped start the spread of Islam to the civilized world.

After Muhammads death, four important caliphs followed in his footsteps. They ruled for 30 years which with Muhammads reign constituted the ideal Islamic age The first caliph was Abu Bakr who was a follower of Muhammad. He ruled for two years. The second caliph was Umar, who ruled for 10 years. He is credited with founding new Islamic cites, including Al Basra and Kufah. Administration of the provinces was distributed from these two cities. Uthman, the third caliph, was murdered by a group of Muslim insurgents. The fourth caliph Ali moved the capital of Kufah. From this town he squelched opposing factions. All three of these caliphs helped to further the rule of the Muslims in the east.

In AD 750, the Abbasids came to power. They shifted their rulers to Iraq, where they built the capital in Baghdad. It was the political and cultural capital of the Islamic world for many years. The Abbasids distributed power evenly among the different ethnicities and regions. In 1258, Hugalu, grandson of Gengis Khan, destroyed Baghdad, leaving it in ruins. Because of this invasion, the Islamic world would never again be as powerful as the days of Muhammad and the caliphs.

Muslims are broken up into two major sects, the Shiites and the Sunni. The Sunnis are the larger division, and account for a majority of all the Muslims in the world today. The Sunnis regard the first four caliphs as legitimate successors of Muhammad. This sect evolved from the civil war that involved Iraq and Egypt thirty years after Muhammads death. The fight was over the power of the third caliph and his governors. After Uthman was assassinated, a new dynasty of caliphs was established. Out of this conflict, the sunni sect was created. They are followers of the sunna, practice of the community as a whole. The other distinctive sect of Islam is the Shiite sect. They account for 10 to 15% of all the Muslims in the world today. They support Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, as the rightful leader of the Islamic state and disregard the caliphs who followed his reign.

The historical founding of Islam includes many people, but all comes down to one man, Muhammad. Islam is one of three major religions, besides Judaism and Christianity, that sees God as One and there is no one else but him. It is a religion of peace that upholds a natural law of personal responsibility. Its historical founding, while not as old as Judaism or Christianity, is deep-rooted in the culture of the modern Middle East. It is a religion fast on the rise for many different countries in the world today. Muhammad and his instructions for living from God have changed the course of history and will make an impact in the future.