Early Islam (Muhammad)

570 CE

Birth of Muhammad in Mecca

610 CE

Muhammad receives first vision in a cave near Mecca. Muhammad was visited by the Arch-angel Gabriel who revealed to him a verse from the Quran. The event took place in a cave called Hira, located on the mountain called Jabal an-Nour, near Mecca.

610-22 CE

Muhammad preaches in Mecca.

622 CE

Hijira - Muhammad and followers flee to Medina after enduring persecution. The people accepted Islam.

624 CE

Muslims successfully attack Meccan caravans at Badr.

625 CE

Muslims are defeated by Meccans at Uhud.

630 CE

Muslims capture Mecca. Ka'ba is cleansed, pilgrimage rites are Islamicized, tribes of Arabia vow allegiance to Muhammad

632 CE

Death of Muhammad. Abu Bakr chosen as caliph. He died as a result of being poisoned following his attack upon and conquest of the Jewish settlement of Khaibar. About 2 month before his attack on Khaibar Muhammad failed in an attempt to go to Mecca.

Caliphs

Upon Muhammad's death, his followers were faced with the decision of who should take his place as the leader of Islam. This leadership position was called the kalifa, which means "deputy" or "successor" in Arabic. The decision over who should be the first caliph (the anglicized form of kalifa) resulted in a division that has endured to this day.

One group of followers held that Muhammad himself had chosen 'Ali, his cousin and son-in-law, as his successor. Others insisted that Abu Bakr, Muhammad's good friend and father-in-law, be given the caliphate. In the end, Abu Bakr would become the first of four caliphs, each of whom contributed significantly to the development and spread of Islam.