Timeline of Islamic History

A comprehensive timeline of major events, figures, and milestones in Islamic history from the birth of Muhammad to the abolition of the Caliphate.

In what year and city was Muhammad born?

Muhammad was born in 570 in the city of Mecca.

What event in 610 marked the beginning of the religion of Islam?

Muhammad received the first revelations of the Quran.

What is the Hijrah and why is its date, 622, significant?

The Hijrah was the migration of Muhammad and his followers to Medina to escape persecution in Mecca; it marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

In what year did Muhammad return to and gain control of Mecca?

630

Who was the first of the four "Rightly Guided" Caliphs to succeed Muhammad in 632?

Abu Bakr

Which Caliphate began with the leadership of Abu Bakr in 632?

The Rashidun Caliphate

Who became the second Caliph in 634, and what regions did the empire expand to during his rule?

Umar; the empire expanded to include Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and part of North Africa.

Which Caliph was responsible for creating the standardized version of the Quran in 644?

Uthman

Who became the fourth Caliph in 656?

Ali bin Talib

Where did the Umayyad Caliphate move the capital city after taking control in 661?

Damascus

What significant event occurred in 680 at Karbala?

Hussein, the son of Ali, was killed.

In what city was the Dome of the Rock completed in 692?

Jerusalem

When did Muslims first enter Spain, and where did they arrive from?

Muslims entered Spain from Morocco in 711.

What new capital city was built by the Abbasid Caliphate after they took control in 750?

Baghdad

What is the period of scientific and artistic achievement during the Abbasid Caliphate called?

The Golden Age of Islam

Who is known as the "Father of Algebra" and was born in 780?

Al-Khwarizmi

When and where was Al-Azhar University founded?

972 in Cairo, Egypt

What was the name of the medical encyclopedia completed by Ibn Sina in 1025?

The Canon of Medicine

What occurred in 1099 during the First Crusade?

Christian armies recaptured Jerusalem.

In what year did Saladin retake the city of Jerusalem?

1187

What group sacked Baghdad in 1258, killing the Caliph?

The Mongol army

During the Abbasid Caliphate in Cairo (1261 to 1517), who held the actual military and political power?

The Mamluks

Who was the famous Muslim traveler who began his journey in 1325?

Ibn Battuta

What city did the Ottomans take in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire?

Constantinople

What was the last Islamic stronghold in Spain, defeated in 1492?

Granada

Which empire conquered Egypt and claimed the Caliphate in 1517?

The Ottoman Empire

In what year and region was the Mughal Empire established?

1526 in India

What was the significance of the 1529 Siege of Vienna?

The Ottoman Empire was defeated, stopping their advance into Europe.

What is the Taj Mahal, completed in 1653, and for whom was it built?

It is a tomb built for the wife of the Mughal Emperor.

Who abolished the Caliphate in 1924?

Mustafa Ataturk, the first President of Turkey.