The new faith preached by the prophet Muhammed in 600s changed the course of History. Muhammed's followers spread their religion, Islam, by preaching and conquest. By the 700s, Muslims (follower of Islam) ruled most of the Middle East and North Africa. Before Muhammed, the Arab people were not united in any way. Different groups worshipped different gods. Muhammed was a merchant of Mecca, in Arabia. At the age of 40, he began to preach of belief on one God, after a dream in which an angel told him he was the prophet of Allah (God). The new religion became Islam, which means "submission to the will of Allah".
Muhammed had to leave Mecca when some townspeople objected to his new teaching. His journey in 622 to Yathrib (now Medina) is commemorated still as the Hegira, which begins the Muslim calendar. In Medina, Muhammed and his followers built the first mosque. His teachings and revelations were written down in Koran, the holy book of Islam. In 630, Muhammed's followers captured Mecca and Islam became the new religion of Arabia. When Muhammed died in 632, his father-in-law, Abu Bakr, was chosen as first caliph. Muslims believe Muhammed ascended to heaven from the rock to speak with God, before returning to earth and spread Islam. A group called the Shiites thought only the descendants of Muhammed's daughter Fatima could lead Islam. Others, known as Sunnis, thought any Muslim could do so. This split continues today.
By 644 the Arabs had conquered most of Syria, Palestine and Persia. After 661, the Ummayad, family controlled the growing empire from the capital, Damascus, in Syria. Islam's advance into Europe was halted by the Frankish army of Charles Martel in 732. In 762, the new Abbasid dynasty moved the empire's capital to Baghdad. This city became the center of of the Islamic world. Harun al-rashid, was caliph from 786. The power of the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs peaked during his reign.
Muhammed had to leave Mecca when some townspeople objected to his new teaching. His journey in 622 to Yathrib (now Medina) is commemorated still as the Hegira, which begins the Muslim calendar. In Medina, Muhammed and his followers built the first mosque. His teachings and revelations were written down in Koran, the holy book of Islam. In 630, Muhammed's followers captured Mecca and Islam became the new religion of Arabia. When Muhammed died in 632, his father-in-law, Abu Bakr, was chosen as first caliph. Muslims believe Muhammed ascended to heaven from the rock to speak with God, before returning to earth and spread Islam. A group called the Shiites thought only the descendants of Muhammed's daughter Fatima could lead Islam. Others, known as Sunnis, thought any Muslim could do so. This split continues today.
By 644 the Arabs had conquered most of Syria, Palestine and Persia. After 661, the Ummayad, family controlled the growing empire from the capital, Damascus, in Syria. Islam's advance into Europe was halted by the Frankish army of Charles Martel in 732. In 762, the new Abbasid dynasty moved the empire's capital to Baghdad. This city became the center of of the Islamic world. Harun al-rashid, was caliph from 786. The power of the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs peaked during his reign.
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