Islam Arabs Successful Spreading Throughout the Greater Middle East Gulf

Islam / Arab Success

Why did Islam and the Arabs succeed in spreading throughout the Greater Middle-East / Gulf against the Byzantines and Persians?

Religion has been a major influence on the course of human history. In the Middle East, religion has been the impetus for discord since before recorded times. This area of the world has had central religious attention because of the location of the Holy Land in both Jewish and Christian theologies. At one point, the Byzantines and Persians controlled the landscape of this part of the world, but lost leadership in the face of Islam and Arab cultures. In the present moment, one of the primary religions in the Middle-East and Gulf regions is Islam. People who are a part of the Islam religion or people who are Arab have been able to spread their culture throughout the area until this has become the majority way of life.

The Islamic people have religion-based tenets which support good thinking and good works. According to Goldschmidt (2006), one of the reasons that these two groups of people were so successful in expanding their views throughout the Middle East and the Gulf was because of their dedication. Islamic individuals desired to spread what they believed was a message of understanding and compassion. They were able to do so because they spread their message of tolerance and understanding. The Arabs, although severely outnumbered by other political and geographical peoples were able to choose their battle effectively which ensured that the won the military skirmishes with their enemies. One particularly effective technique utilized by the Arabs was to draw the enemies into open territory where they would be surrounded by individuals well prepared for the open landscape.

Some historians have inappropriately and erroneously assumed that all Arabs were Islamic and vice versa. However, many Arabs were members of the Christian church but had become disenchanted with the Byzantine government. What the two groups did have in common was an uncanny ability to win their territory by overcoming enemies in both political and religious categories.

2. What were the military successes of the Umayyad and Abbasids Arab Empires?

The Arab Empire was not a singular group of people, as some individuals erroneously believe. Rather, Arabs were comprised of a large and varying group of factions who were jointly responsible for taking over the location of the Middle East and Gulf areas from the original Byzantine government. Two specific groups, the Umayyad and the Abbasids, were particularly integral in the eventual control of the Middle East by the various Arab Empires. These groups were able to be successful partly because of political and social exercises, but also because of strong military strategizing. Although frequently outnumbered, the Arab groups would choose their battles strategically in order to achieve military success (Goldschmidt 2006).