The Rise And Evolution Of The World Of Islam

The world of Islam came into existence in the early 7th century. Allah sent messengers and prophets from time to time for the guidance of people. Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), Hazrat Moosa (AS), Hazrat Dawood (AS), and Hazrat ISA (AS), among many others, brought the message of the unity of Allah. They all preached the oneness of Allah and forbade considering anyone equal or superior to Him. However, to spread the message of Islam, he chose Muhammad (PBUH), his last messenger. 

The origin of Islam: –

In the hot and barren lands of Arabia, the world of Islam took birth. The Arabs were doomed to darkness of ignorance. The rich and powerful deprived poor of their fundamental rights. Cheat, deceit, barbarism, theft, bribery, womanizing, and crimes were common.

Just when the poor and weak were hopeless and plunged into poverty, Muhammad (PBUH) was born to a middle-class family of the powerful and affluent Quresh tribe. His father passed away before his birth, and so did his mother when he was very young. His grandfather took his responsibility and also died early. Then his beloved uncle, Hazrat Abu Talib, raised his dearest nephew. 

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was meditating in the cave of Hira when Allah sent Jibreel (AS) with the first revelation. Shaken by the event, he returned home jolting with fever. His wife, Hazrat Khadija (RA), comforted him. That incident marked the beginning of receiving divine revelations from Allah. 

Initially, the world of Islam was secret. People from farther corners came to Makkah to visit the Kabah, full of idols. They had to pay taxes to the custodians of Kabah to visit the holy shrine. A new religion would mean a loss of income for the wealthy and affluent class of Makkah.

Therefore, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) secretly preached the religion to his followers. When he had many followers, Allah ordered him to declare his faith openly. However, the followers of Muhammad (PBUH) had to face a lot of oppression in the newly created world of Islam. So much so that Allah ordered the Muslims to migrate to Madinah, where the first-ever Islamic State came into being. 

Islam strengthened from Madinah as more people joined the followership of Muhammad (PBUH). Ten years later, Muhammad (PBUH) marched back toward his homeland in Makkah. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) broke all the idols in Makkah, perishing falsehood.

 The conquest of Makkah remains the most significant event in the world of Islam. Revolting against the mighty Quresh tribe and conquering Makkah was a massive achievement for the Muslims. 

The Teachings and worldview of Islam: –

Islam is a religion of peace. It teaches people to be kind and merciful towards each other. Before the advent of Islam, women were considered inferior. New-born girls were buried alive. The influential people used to usurp the property of orphans. Islam taught people to be considerate about each other’s rights.

The status of women in Islam is a highly exalted one. Paradise lies in a mother’s feet. Raising two or more daughters gives the glad tiding of heaven. Being merciful and affectionate toward the wife is among the foremost duties of a husband in Islam.

 Zakat, one of the five pillars, shows how important social welfare is in religion. Islam believes in the circulation of wealth, and Muslims have to pay a proportion of their wealth annually to the poor and deprived. The circulation of wealth creates equal income for everyone, an attribute of a progressive society. 

Teachings of Islam promote peace, patience, humility, and brotherhood. Islam teaches tolerance towards each other regardless of caste, creed, faith, or gender. One should be merciful even towards plants and animals. 

There are five pillars of Islam: –

Belief in the oneness of Allah: –

The faith begins with accepting and proclaiming with a tongue that there is only one God, that is Allah.

Five obligatory prayers: –

Muslims must offer five obligatory prayers in a day. 

Zakat: –

Those who have wealth over a prescribed amount, known as Nisaab, must pay zakat to the needy and poor.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan: –

Muslims fast in Ramadan, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual activity from dawn till dusk.

Hajj: –

The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to the house of Allah in Makkah in the month of Dhul Hijjah. Hajj occurs only on the prescribed dates, unlike Umrah, which can happen at any time of the year. A travel agency for Umrah helps people book their Umrah or Hajj package and make the necessary arrangements.

The worldview of Islam is that this world is a temporary place, and Allah sends people to the world to abide by Islamic teachings. After death, everyone has to give an account of their deeds, after which Allah will reward or punish accordingly. 

The spread of Islam: –

After the demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the world of Islam began to set in all around. From the deserts of Arabia, it spread to all the corners of the world. Different reigns and dynasties made their contributions to the spread of Islam. The Rashidun Caliphate was the first to raise the flag of Islam to farther corners of the world.

History of the caliphate: –

The Caliphate system is the Islamic way of governing. Muslims in the world of Islam are subject to the rule of the Caliph, regardless of any geographical boundaries. 

The first four caliphs make the Rashidun Caliphate. They include: –

• First Caliph Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA)
• Second Caliph Hazrat Omer (RA)
• Third Caliph Hazrat Usman (RA)
• Forth Caliph Hazrat Ali (RA)

During the reign of the Rashidun Caliphate, the world of Islam stretched to the whole Arabian peninsula. During Hazrat Omer’s reign, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine all became part of the world of Islam. Later on, he conquered Egypt and Sassanian Empire as well.

Hazrat Omer’s reign was a period of fast military expansion. However, after his demise, the period of conquests slowed down due to internal rifts and politics. 

After the Rashidun, Umayyads continued the caliphate system. The Umayyad caliphate reigned from 661 to 750 AD. Umayyads expanded the world of Islam to Bukhara, Samarkand, the Indian subcontinent, Khwarizm, Fergana, and Tashkent. 

Abbasids followed the Umayyads and ruled from 750 to 1258. The Abbasids focused on establishing control over the eastern parts making Baghdad the capital. 

The Abbasids caliphate is also known as the Golden Era of Islam. Much of Islamic progress in science, astrology, mathematics, poetry, Sufism, and many other disciplines occurred in the Abbasids era. Baghdad was known as the centre of learning. The Abbasids established a vast central library in Baghdad called the House of Wisdom.

However, the Mongols burned everything ruthlessly when they plundered Baghdad. The Mongols brought an end to the Abbasids dynasty. 

The Ottoman Empire: –

Osman first laid the foundation of the Ottoman Empire by the end of the thirteenth century. The peak of the Ottoman empire began when Sultan Mehmet put an end to the long-standing Roman Empire in 1453.

This was one of the most important events in Islam, as predicted by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In a historic siege that lasted 53 days, he conquered Constantinople at only 21 years of age. That marked the beginning of the expansion of the Ottoman Empire across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

During the reign of Sultan Suleiman, the Ottoman empire witnessed vast growth. The Ottoman navy reached its pinnacle during this time. Much of the architectural, legal, educational, and social development during Suleiman the Magnificent’s reign. He is buried in Topkapi palace in Turkey, from where he ruled the three continents of the world. 

The Ottoman Empire saw its rise and fall many times over the period. By the mid of 19th century, the Ottoman Empire became weak and unable to hold its power in the world of Islam. Gradually it started to lose its territories. The Turkish caliphate was officially abolished in 1924 after ruling for about 600 years. 

The Safavid Empire: –

One of the biggest rivals of the Ottoman Empire was the Safavids. The Safavid dynasty is a renowned empire in Islam that ruled over present-day Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Armenia, eastern Georgia, and parts of Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Shah Ismail was the founder of the Safavid Dynasty. While the Ottoman Empire belonged to Sunni Islam, the Safavid Empire adhered to Shia Islam. 

All these dynasties and empires played a crucial role in making the world of Islam as glorious as it is today.