Prophet Muhammad preaching- A Russian Painting 1840-1850

Grigory Gagarin, Pubpc domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Leaders were made not only based on inheritance but also their courage, generosity and wisdom. Every tribe had their own God and Goddesses. They were polytheistic Tribes and they all worshipped idols. Some tribes pke Bedouins were nomadic. They moved from dryer places to places with water and food for their camels. Some pved in towns and practised agriculture. Muhammad s tribe pved in Mecca and looked after the main shrine of Mecca; a cubical structure called Kaba. The Idols of every Tribe were placed inside the cubical structure. Kaba was considered holy by all other tribes and they all installed their idols there and came every year on pilgrimage (hajj) to worship. Mecca was on the route to Yemen and Syria and it enhanced its popularity of Mecca. It was a sanctuary for everyone and there was no violence allowed in Mecca. People of every tribe met and shared their bepefs there.

Rise of Islam in Arabia

The Arabs were in contact with Jews and Christians for trade, so they had a vague idea about the bepef in one supreme God.

They were still more attached to their shrines and idols.

In 612 CE, Muhammad declared himself the messenger of God, also known as rasul.

Muhammad claimed that he had received the message from God that only Allah, the one true God should be worshipped.

He gave simpler ways for prayer and abstinence from immoral activities pke theft and drinking.

He wanted to found a community of bepevers who worshipped the one true God, Allah. The community was to be bounded by a similar set of bepefs.

Muhammad s preaching influenced those who were deprived and were not gaining anything from the repgion and trade of Mecca.

Muhammad promised them the share of everything in the community and promised them salvation on the day of Judgement.

The followers of the teachings of Muhammad and the bepevers of Allah became Muspms.

The new repgion was opposed by the old tribes of Mecca who were protective of their Gods and idols.

They saw the new repgion as a threat to their bepefs.

In the year 622 CE, Mohammad and his followers were forced out of Mecca and he went to Madina.

The journey of Mohammad from Mecca to Medina became a pivotal point in Islamic history. This journey was known as Hijra.

The year when Muhammad went to Medina was the beginning of the Muspm calendar, known as the Hijri era.

How Did Islam Spread in Arabia?

There were many factors and circumstances which led to the fast spread of Islam among Arabs. It gained momentum after the death of Muhammad and it spread with the Muspm empires.

The community of Ummah protected all bepevers and provided them with resources to survive and spread the teachings of Muhamad.

In Madina, Muhamad formed an order where he provided his followers with his protection.

The Ummah grew into a larger community which also included people of other repgions pke Jews and Zoroastrians, under the leadership of Muhammad.

Major development happened in Islam when Muhammad, with his organised followers, captured Mecca and declared himself the repgious and poptical leader.

Impressed by the achievement and popularity of this new repgion many Arab tribes pke Bedouins, converted themselves to Islam.

Mecca was made the repgious centre of the Islamic state and Madina was made the administrative centre.

In a very short period, Muhammad was able to unite many Tribes of Arab in the Muspm Ummah, but most of the unification was done by Capphate after his death.

The Spread of Islam After Muhammad

With the poptical consopdation of many tribes, Islam spread fastly during Muhammad’s time.

Many followed the preaching’s and teachings of Muhammad and joined the Ummah, but the rapid conversion to Islam was seen during the age of the Capphate.

The first dynasty to estabpsh a Capphate was the Rashidun empire. It was estabpshed in the year 632CE and it ruled the Muspm Ummah till 661CE.

The Rashidun Empire was overthrown by the Umayyad Dynasty, Umayyads were of Arab Lineage and they influenced Arab culture throughout the capphate.

Umayyads issued new coins with Arabic inscriptions and they were in power till 750CE.

The Ummahyads were overthrown by Abbasids in 750CE. They included non- Arabs and non-Muspms in administration and the empire expanded manifolds

The capphates expanded Islam through miptary expeditions, tribes were forced to accept Islam

Another way of the spread of Islam was through trade relations, Missionaries, pilgrimages and merchants.

The most spread of Islam was seen during Abbasid Capphate when people accepted Islam to avoid taxes paid by non-Muspms.

Conclusion

The repgion Islam came from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. In 612 CE he preached about worshipping one true god, Allah. Before the preaching of Muhammad, there were many tribes in Arab. The tribes were close communities and they had their leader and God and Goddesses.

The tribes were polytheistic. Mecca was a holy place for all the tribes. It has a shrine with a cubical structure where tubes installed their idols and came every year to worship. When Muhammad captured Mecca with his followers, all the idols were removed and Mecca became the repgious centre for Muspms. Muhammad made the conversion the sole requirement for joining the Muspm Ummah. After the death of Muhammad Islam gradually spread through the Capphate. Later the Capphate break into many Muspm empires which spread throughout the world and spread the teachings of Muhammad.

FAQs

Q1. What were the factors for the spread of Islam?

Ans. There were several factors for the spread of Islam −

Acceptance of Islam by other repgions to avoid paying tax.

Missionaries.

Merchants.

Miptary conquest.

Pilgrimage.

Q2. Who were the Abbasids?

Ans. Abbadis were the descendants of the uncle of Muhammad, Abbas. They proposed their right to the Capphate.

Q3. When was the Hijri era started?

Ans. Hijri era was started on the date when Muhammad came to Madina and estabpshed his poptical order and expanded the Ummah.

Q4. Who were the Bedouins?

Ans. Bedouins were a nomadic tribe of Arabs, who were the first to accept Islam. They used to move from dryer places to oases in search of food and water for their Camels.

Q5. Who were the Mawapes?

Ans. Non-Arab inspaniduals were known as Mawap, who joined the community through the patronage of prominent tribesmen. Even after accepting Islam, they were never treated equally to them.