This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant
This post will give you the real truth on how did the early Islamic empire expand.
How did the early Islamic empire expand so quickly turning into a global superpower that was undefeatable and respected by the ENTIRE world?
I was just as fascinated as you so, I went and did some INTENSIVE research for almost two weeks.
I’m excited to share with you what I’ve learnt. It has left me inspired and proud to be Muslim and I want you to feel the same.
By the end of this post, you will know the key events of how did the early Islamic empire expand in such a short space of time.
This post will inspire you with facts on how did the early Islamic empire expand across the globe within a short period of time.
How Did The Early Islamic Empire Expand?
Before we get into all the nitty gritty on how did the early Islamic expand, here is some background on pre-Islamic Arabia…
Before Islam, in the 7th century, there were two powerful empires known as the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire. They were the most powerful and undefeatable empires in the world at that time. But they were enemies to one another constantly fighting each other for power and control.
In the middle of these empires lay the Arabian Peninsula. Uninhabitable, barren and very harsh desert lands. There was no water, no gold or assets, and very scarce food. So you can imagine no superpower cared to invade Arabia because there was no economic or political benefit for them.
However, in this uninhabitable place lived nomadic Arabs. They were divided into tribes and clans. Uneducated, uncivilised and barbaric people. No morals, ethics, purpose or rules in their life.
The main religion in Arabia was paganism (Idol worshipping) and there were some Christians and Jews there too.
How Did The Early Islamic Empire Expand Across The Globe?
“Certainly has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and hair shortened, not fearing anyone. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near at hand.”
[Quran 48:27]
During the Prophet’s (SAW) time in just 20 years, he brought the entire Arabian Peninsula under Muslim control and leadership. A massive victory he lived to see. The main religion in Arabia became Islam. Interestingly, this was predicted in the Quran.
Almost 150 years after the death of the Prophet (SAW) the Muslims mastered their theology. They collected a lot of prophetic traditions, and memorised and wrote Quran manuscripts. Scholars had already preserved a lot of knowledge that came from the Prophet Muhammad(SAW). Great Imams were also born like Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmed.
The companions mastered themselves and their Islamic values. They became strong, powerful and influential so, they turned to other civilisations in the world and brought justice to them. The justice of Islam.
Just 100 years after the death of the Prophet(SAW) Muslims conquered northern France and northern China. They had already taken North Africa, Syria, Damascus, Iraq, Egypt and basically the entire Roman and Persian Empire came under their rule. They were now in India. In the province of Sindh and the Punjab territory.
This was the largest stretch of land taken by a group of people in human history. Larger than the Romans and Alexander the Great. CRAZY RIGHT?
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING…
Back then it was impossible to destroy the Roman and Persian Empires. They were the worlds superpowers who were undefeatable. But the Muslims managed to defeat them simultaneously and bring all the land under Muslim rule.
Even to this day, historians are baffled as to how that happened. They don’t accept the Islamic perspective or prophecies because they’re secular atheists. They’re looking for naturalistic reasons.
Professor of Byzantine studies Andrew Louth wrote, ” The speed with which the eastern provinces of the Byzantine Empire succumbed to the Arabs remains to be explained by historians. The resulting empire stretched from the borders of China and the Indian subcontinent across central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe. Sicily and the Iberian Peninsula.”
What Did The Muslims Do With These Lands?
It’s undeniable that the early Muslims wanted political power and economic power. But their main reason for these conquests was to spread Islam to the world and bring to them the true justice of God and the Quran.
When Muslims took these lands it was the best thing that happened for the civilians in the land. The Muslims created a powerful civilisation. They gave security and peace to the people who lived there. They gave them the freedom to practise their own religion, follow their own principles and build their own religious places of worship. In exchange for a tax, they had to pay called the Jizya tax.
Let’s talk about the Battle of Yarmuk…
The Muslims entered the city of Damascus to bring it under their control. It was owned by the Roman Empire at that time. The people initially resisted because they didn’t know what these nomadic Arabs wearing sheepskin were going to do with them.
The Muslims promised them security and protection in exchange for a Jizya tax just like the Muslims were paying Zakah. Their own tax. The people agreed.
So the Muslims successfully expanded into Syria, Palestine and Jordan. The Roman king Heraclius found out and got enraged. He sent an army of around 200,00 to fight the 40,000 Muslims!
The Muslims gave back all the Jizya tax to the people of Damascus because they couldn’t fulfil the promise of protection. The people were so surprised and in awe that they hoped and prayed the Muslims defeat the Romans.
With Allah’s help, the Muslims destroyed the Roman army and expanded Islam to Damascus.The people of Damascus were so happy.
Why were the People of Syria happy?
The Romans were persecuting the Syrians and forcing them to convert to Catholicism. The religion of the Catholic Church that the king of Rome followed. However, the Syrian people follow a different sect of Christianity.
The Romans left Syria forever and the Syrians no longer faced persecution. They had the freedom to practise their faith under the Muslim rule. Since then the land has been in Muslim hands and has become a predominantly Muslim country overtime.
Similar things happened in Egypt where 99.9% of the population were Coptic Christians. The Christians were sick of the Romans forcing them to convert to their sect of Christianity. They opened their gates and the Muslims took the land with little resistance.
How did the Early Islamic Empire expand to Spain?
Islam entered Spain through Tariq bin Ziyad, A Muslim Berber(Indigenous people) from North Africa.
When Muslims landed in Spain, Jewish historians say the Jewish people welcomed them as liberators because they were facing extinction at the hands of the Catholic Church.
Interestingly, a year after the death of the Prophet (SAW) the council in Spain decided to take Jewish children from their parents and families and convert them to Catholicism forcefully. The children were tortured physically if they spoke their native language as well as being sexually abused by priests and nuns. They were even killed. To this day more graves of Jewish children are being found that are linked to this horrific law.
All this stuff is hidden from the mass population it’s crazy I didn’t know any of this before!
In Spain, the Muslims created a thriving civilisation which also facilitated the Jewish golden age from 950CE to 1250CE, 300 years. The best period of Jewish history. Muslims ruled Spain for over 700 years.
Under Muslim rule, Spain became the most civilised and intellectually advanced country IN THE WORLD!
The capital of Spain Cordoba had 70 public libraries and many universities where Jewish and Muslim scholars studied in the Arabic language. They were producing their own works in mathematics, sciences, research, geometry, medicine, astronomy and more!
THIS WILL SHOCK YOU EVEN MORE…
Whilst Islamic Spain was thriving Europe was in darkness. We’re talking about France, Britain and Germany.
The Catholic Church was the ones educated and the mass population of civilians were uneducated and illiterate. Englishmen and Frenchmen would travel to Spain to acquire knowledge and then they would document that in books and deliver it back to their people.
That’s the main reason Europe became began blossoming which led to the English Renaissance. After that, it led to schools of philosophy and science being established.
Interestingly, Oxford University was a direct outcome of the knowledge that came from Islamic Spain in the Arabic language. Some of these Arabic manuscripts can still be found today in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.
DID YOU KNOW MOST OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE ORIGINATED FROM THE ARABIC LANGUAGE AND MANY ENGLISH WORDS HAVE ARABIC ORIGINS?
Read More: Powerful Women In Islamic History Who Will Leave You Inspired
The Timeline Of Events
I’m going to share with you some important events on how did the early Islamic empire spread, I’m going to skip a lot of events but here are the main ones…
610CE- The start of prophethood for Prophet Muhammad, he received the first revelation from God. He spread Islam privately to family and friends.
613CE– Public spreading of Islam and that’s when persecution of the Muslims started because the pagan Arabs were afraid Islam would make them suffer economic loss. Makkah was a thriving city where pilgrims from all over Arabia came to worship the idols in the Kaabah, which meant business for the Quraysh.
615CE– First Hijra to Absyinnia(Ethiopia, horn of Africa).The Prophet sent Muslims to Ethiopia in Africa as the persecution became unbearable. A just Christian ruler accepted them and vowed to protect them.
When he heard Surah Maryam it moved him to tears. He later converted to Islam making him the first ruler who converted to Islam that’s African. Crazy right? The Muslim refugees spread Islam in Africa without the sword.
622CE– Medinah became the first Muslim state in Arabia. The pagan Arabs were furious because they wanted to destroy the Muslims and Islam.
624CE– The battle of Badr took place during Ramadan. The Muslims won which was truly a miracle by the help of Allah because their number was small compared to the enemy’s which was so much bigger.
625CE– The battle of Uhud took place also initiated by the pagan Arabs who wanted revenge. The Muslims lost although they were winning. But the Muslim archers moved from their places assigned to them by the Prophet(SAW) to grab the booty that the enemies left behind.
627CE– The battle of the trench. Medinah was under attack by the Pagan Arabs who held a siege outside of Medinah. The Muslims built a trench around Medinah which led to their victory. Interestingly, a Persian man Salman al Farsi gave the suggestion and the Prophet(SAW) followed. There was truly no superiority of races.
630CE– Makkah conquest as predicted in the Quran. The enemies surrendered, the prophet(SAW) forgave them and Islam spread peacefully without bloodshed throughout the Arabian peninsula. Most of Arabia became Muslim. The Whole of Arabia came under Muslim rule.
632CE- 634CE-Death of the Prophet(SAW). Abu Bakr became the first Caliph. Outside of Makkah, some groups of Muslims left Islam after the Prophet’s (SAW) death and some claimed to be prophets. He destroyed them and strengthened the Ummah.
He fought many battles against the Persian and Roman Empires gaining victory in the majority of them. The Persians were truly amazed by the Muslims. He conquered parts of Syria and Yemen and nearly all of Iraq because it was originally the land of the Arabs. The Persians and Romans colonised them illegally.
Just to make something very clear none of the 4 rightly guided caliphs took over lands that weren’t theirs. They were colonised by the Persians and Romans. They were taking back what belonged to them or if another country/state threatened them they took control over them through conquests.
634-644CE– Umar Ibn Al Khattab becomes caliph and Islam expands greatly. Conquering and continuing to expand into the Sassanid Empire and Roman Empire. He completely conquered Iraq, Syria, Jordan and parts of Turkey that belonged to the Arabs but was colonised by the Persians.
What’s interesting is the bishop of Jerusalem himself handed the keys to Jerusalem to Umar after he came to Jerusalem to sign the peace treaty. It took him 4 months to get there. It was the most peaceful conquest in history.
644-656CE– Reign of Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan. He was elected to a six-person committee that was set up by Umar. Under his rule Armenia, Persia and Afghanistan were opened.
The Muslim empire expanded to Cyprus, North Africa, Sicily, The Mediterranean Sea and Turkestan.
661-680CE– Muawiyyah became caliph and established the Ummayad Dynasty. Muslims expanded Islam and their territory into Europe: The Iberian peninsula, Britain, Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Italy and more places. They also brought Islam to Asia and India.
670CE– The Muslims reached Tunisia halfway through North Africa which opened the doors to Morocco and Algeria. A lot more Berbers(indigenous people of North Africa) converted to Islam.
A lot of Arab tribes moved to North Africa after Islam entered there. That has nowadays given us countries like Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya having major Arab populations. However, to this day, Berbers are still a large population in these countries.
685-705CE– Reign of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan. He stabilised the Islamic empire by ending the political unrest in Iraq. He brought wealth and prosperity to the Muslim Ummah. He continued to expand Islam even more. More non-Arabs and non-Muslims enter Islam.
The predominant language in the Muslim territories became Arabic.
During this time many Berber tribes who were the indigenous people of Africa joined Islam. Berber and Turkic empires were developed from these people.
711CE– Tariq bin Ziyad, A Muslim Berber from North Africa enters Spain and brings Islam to Spain.
The same year Islam entered Europe it entered India and Asia as well. The Sindh province is nowadays a big part of Pakistan.
Muhammad ibn Qasim defeated the Hindu king conquering Sindh. It opened the gates for Islam.
The first Muslim rule was the Ummayads. They ruled along the Indus River in present-day Pakistan.
751CE– Battle of Talas, Abbasids ally with the Tibetans to defeat the Chinese Tand dynasty. They had a victory against China which opened the gates of Islam to spread to central Asia.
Why did the early Muslims spread Islam through conquests?
- Everyone did it; every superpower attacked every other power, and that’s how they survived and got power. It was the law at that time. Military Conquest was a part of life. For example, the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Empire were constantly fighting each other for political and economic power.
- The Sahabas wanted people to convert. That was the main motivational factor for the conquests. But they never forced anyone to convert. The early Muslims didn’t put a sword on people’s faces and say convert or die. They knew that was wrong as Allah says in the Quran: “There is no compulsion in religion.”
Proof of that is countries like Egypt and India. Before Islam 99.9% of Egypt were Coptic Christians. After Islam, 90% of Egypt became Muslim not immediately but over a period of time. And till this day Egypt is ruled by Muslims but there are still Coptic Christians living there. They have the freedom to practise their religion.
Same with India even after Muslims ruled for 1000 years majority of Indians are Hindus. Clearly, there was no force.
Imagine this was a time with no internet, no social media, no news. Nothing! How could the tribes of Africa or people across the other side of the world know about Islam?
We believe Islam is the truth and we want everyone to know about it and eventually accept it by their own choice. How could the early Muslims spread Islam other than invading lands and allowing Islam to flourish? So people could see this is Islam.
The Sharia is so confident people will accept Islam so it gives people perks and incentives when living under Muslim rule.
See it like this you have a business and you want to scale it. You’ll look at the best marketing strategies at that time and follow them. That’s exactly what the early Muslims did.
Today we don’t need to use offensive Jihad (military conquests) to spread Islam. We do it through intellectual dominance. That’s how it works in these times. Especially with the internet, you can reach the entire world.
Let’s remember why the early Muslim Ummah became a global superpower
You now understand how did the early Islamic empire expand so rapidly and I’m sure it’s left you inspired but let’s revisit why that happened.
Our predecessors reached the highest level of respect from the world when they attached their hearts to the Akhirah(hereafter). And they lived in this world for the Akhirah.
They were honourable because they followed the Quran. We are disgraced because we have left the Quran.
Until you establish justice and peace you can’t have a thriving society. Justice came from the Quran. Muslims practised and internalised it first then took it with them everywhere they went: China, Egypt etc.
In the Ottoman period in the city of Jerusalem, the Ottoman Jews had nothing to complain about, they were happy and at peace. The proof of this is from a book called A World Within written by an Israeli scholar. He documented the Muslim court records for 70 years. He saw 1,000 Jewish cases filed at the Sharia Court even though the Jews had their own courts.
Cases vary from property, divorce, custody of children and more. He states why were the Jews coming to the Sharia court for justice. Because the Sharia court offered them justice quicker than the Jewish courts.
This post revealed the hidden truths of how did the early Islamic empire expand so quickly which still shocks historians to this day.
Other Posts You May Like: