560-661 661-750 751-983 984-1289 1290-1918 1914-2005

1530-2006 (Islam in America)

Life of Muhammad: 560-661

"The Year of the Elephant." Birth of the Prophet Muhammad. The Christian king of
570 Yemen, Abraha leads an unsuccessful attack on Mecca. Muhammmad's father,
Abdullah, dies before his birth.

Death of Amina, Muhammad's mother.

576

The Prophet's grandfather dies. Abu Talib, Muhammad's uncle, becomes his
578 guardian. Abu Talib is the head of Banu Hashim, the clan of the tribe of the Quraish.

Muhammad and Abu Talib journey to Syria and meet with Bahira, a Christian monk.
582 Bahira notices certain peculiarities about the Prophet, which compels him to inquire
further and have him find the "mark of prophets," a mark believed to be carried by
all of the prophets of the Abrahimic faiths.

Muhammad marries Khadija.

595

Muhammad helps rebuild the Ka'ba.

605

Muhammad is called to prophethood. He receives his first revelation from the Angel
610 Gabriel in cave at the summit of Mt. Hira, outside of Mecca. Khadija is the first to
accept Islam.

Muhammad begins the public preaching of Islam. This causes confrontation with the
613 tribe of the Quraish.

The first emigration of some of the early converts to Ethiopia to escape Meccan
615 persecution.

The Quraish proclaim a social boycott of Muhammad and Banu Hashim.

617

Deaths of Khadija and Abu Talib.

619

Muhammad goes to Ta'if (a town near Mecca) to seek protection and followers; he
620 does not succeed. Muhammad goes on al-Isra ("The Night Journey"), from Mecca to
Jerusalem. From there Muhammad is taken to heaven, al-Miraj.

The first Covenant of Aqabah with twelve men from the tribes of Khazraj and Aws of
621 Yathrib (Medina). They convert to Islam.

The second Covenant of Aqabah, the Muslim converts of Yathrib promise loyalty to
622 defend the Prophet.
July: The Hijra -- Muhammad narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by the
Meccans and goes to Yathrib, now called Medina from Madinat al-Nabi (City of the
 Prophet). This marks year one of the Islamic calendar and the establishment of the
Islamic ummah, the community of believers.

Muhammad establishes the first Islamic State. Constitution of Medina.

622

Battle of Badr, Muslims defeat the Meccans. The direction of prayer is changed from
624 Jerusalem to Mecca.

Battle of Uhud, Muslim forces are defeated by the Meccans outside of Medina.
625

Battle of the Trench, an alliance of Meccan tribes and Jews fail to conquer Medina
627 due to a trench created by the Muslims to protect the city.

The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah establishes a truce with the Meccans, allowing Muslim
628 pilgrims to enter Mecca. Muhammad sends representatives to neighboring monarchs
inviting them to Islam.

The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah is broken by the Bedouins (allies of the Quraish).

629

The Conquest of Mecca. Muhammad enters Mecca without challenge and the Meccans
630 accept Islam. The idols of the Ka'ba are destroyed and the interior is declared
sacred. "The Year of Deputations," tribal chiefs from all over Arabia come to Medina
and swear allegiance to the Prophet.

March: "The Farewell Pilgrimage" and "The Last Sermon." While preaching at Arafat,
632 Muhammad receives the final revelation of the Qur'an.
June: Muhammad dies. Abu Bakr is elected as Khalifa (a.k.a. caliph), successor to
the Prophet. He is the first of the four "Rightly Guided Khalifas." A handful of
supporters of Ali ibn Abi Talib believe he should be the next Khalifa.

Southern Mesopotamia (Iraq) is conquered.

633

Muslims defeat the Byzantines at the Battle of Ajnadayn in Palestine.

634 August: Abu Bakr dies, having selected Umar ibn al-Khattab as his successor.

Khalid ibn Walid, an Islamic general, defeats the Byzantines in Marj al-Suffar near
635 Damascus.

Khalid leads a contingent in the Battle of Yarmuk. Syria falls to the Muslims and the
636 Byzantines are expelled.

Muslims defeat the Persian Sassanids in the Battle of Qadisiyya.

637

Jerusalem is conquered.
638

Amr ibn al-As, Islamic military commander, leads the conquest of Egypt.
640-
641
Sassanids defeated at Battle of Nihavand. Muslim rule of Mesopotamia and parts of
642 Persia.

Khalifa Umar ibn al-Khattab is assassinated by a Persian slave over a personal

644 dispute. Uthman ibn Affan elected as Khalifa.

Mu'awiya ibn Abu Sufyan conquers Cyprus.

649

Eastern Persia is conquered.

651
 Accused of nepotism and subject to numerous rumors, Khalifa Uthman is
656 assassinated. Ali ibn Abi Talib becomes Khalifa. Some are upset that the murderers
of Uthman have not been brought to justice and lead a revolt against Khalifa Ali in
"The Battle of the Camel." This is the very beginning of the creation of the two main
sects of Islam, Shi'a and Sunni.

Mu'awiya contests Ali's election to Khalifa and challenges him in the "Battle of Siffin."
657 Ali accepts negotiations and loses part of his army, the Kharijites.

Ali defeats the Kharijites at Battle of Nahrwan.

658

The Arbitration of Adhruh, Mu'awiya lays claims to be Khalifa.

658-
659
Khalifa Ali is assassinated by a Kharijite. Hasan, son of Ali, cedes to Mu'awiya.
661

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