This paper provides a historical and philosophical overview of the rise of Islam from its origins in the 7th century through the medieval period. It examines the core beliefs of the Islamic faith, the life and teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (570–632), the early military conquests that spread the faith, and the reasons for Islam's remarkable success. The paper also explores the tensions between Islam and the Christian papacy between 600 and 1054 AD, outlines the Five Pillars of Islamic doctrine, and briefly addresses the status of women within Islamic tradition, with particular reference to Iran. The paper draws on primary and secondary historical sources to contextualize Islam as one of the world's most unified and enduring religious traditions.
This paper provides a historical and philosophical review of the rise of Islam. It offers an overview of the core beliefs of the Islamic faith, a history of the Prophet Mohammed, his conquests, and the opposition Muslims have had with the papacy — especially during the period between 600 and 1054 AD. It was during this time that many Christian leaders attempted to unify their own disjointed faith, without much success. Part of Islam's success may be attributed to the fervent belief and ardor followers have for the Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet Mohammed, and their beliefs about their purpose on earth. While groups rose up in opposition to Islam, the faith remains one of the more unified religions in the world today.
Most believers accept common tenets and the religious doctrine outlined by the Prophet Mohammed. This has led to greater unity and is one reason the rise of Islam took the entire world by storm. A review of these key concepts and arguments is provided below.
To understand the relevance and influence Mohammed has had on Islamic history, one must first understand the Muslim faith he presented to his followers. Bainbridge and Stark (1984) note that the beginnings of the rise of Islam started in the 7th century, when, during its formative years, few if any records of its history were kept. Islam is in fact one of the world's oldest religions. Many core concepts and critical beliefs form the foundation of the Muslim faith. The first belief is that all Muslims must affirm the oneness of Allah, or God, so that everyone understands their role on this earth. The next belief focuses on angels, with Muslims agreeing that angels are messengers of God.
The Muslim faith also centers on the teachings of the Books of Allah, or the Holy Qur'an. Other books important to the faith include the Taurah, Zaboor, and Injeel — books that reflect many parts of the Old and New Testament. Muslims generally accept the existence of prophets and believe that people come to this earth to worship God and live a life that is virtuous and respectable, guided by divine light. Further, the faith concentrates on the belief that life on earth is one of "trial," where individuals have the opportunity to test their faith and allegiance to God.1 Anyone following the full doctrine of God will be rewarded in the afterlife, while those who do not are condemned to Hell. Muslims also believe in destiny and in the divine decree — God's ability to plan and execute life in the best way possible.2
In more recent times, many Muslims have engaged in holy wars more to protect their rights to land and property than to fulfill their role as divine beings on earth. With time, the concentration has shifted from an internal exploration of one's purpose to an external proclamation of what Muslims believe is right and wrong. Within Arabic countries today there is much strife and disagreement about who is entitled to what. Muslims following the Prophet Mohammed, however, have remained firm in their beliefs and actions.
According to Islam, there are individuals one may consider "messengers" whose purpose is to help those with a burning aspiration for truth, purity, and justice to realize the path to righteousness.3 Among these men was Mohammed, whose mission included teaching others in their journey. Recognized as the great Prophet, Mohammed was among the first individuals during the early seventh century to help infuse people with a new sense of faith and truth. This was especially important given the period in which Mohammed appeared — a time when many national, social, and religious issues fell into chaos, as individuals sought something more than what Judaism and Christianity had to offer.4 Among the Christians practicing during this time, many were disjointed in their beliefs, practices, and the rules that governed their faith. This is perhaps one reason Mohammed was successful in inspiring others: he preached a solid doctrine, one that did not give rise to varying sects or disjointed systems of practice. For many, Islam is a "what you see is what you get" faith.
The emphasis of the faith began to shift toward one that incorporated more personal worship into one's regard for God and higher authorities. Many people, instead of reflecting internally on God, focused their attention on God himself and his servants, including the angels in heaven. More and more people felt their destiny was not simply to reach heaven, but to serve God or Allah well so they could be richly rewarded by admission to heaven. This fine distinction is very important to understanding Mohammed's teachings.
Many consider Mohammed to be the great deliverer of nations following the Islamic faith. During the time of Mohammed's arrival, many in the Middle East viewed Mecca as "a city of considerable importance and note among the townships of Arabia, from associations and its position."5 It was here that Mohammed was born in the "era of the elephant," as many describe it — the period around 570 AD.6 Many living during that time felt Mohammed's birth came with signs that he would become the next great prophet and deliverer of the people. The rise of Islam indeed began when Mohammed — also known as "Muhammad" — was born in Mecca. During his life, from the age of forty onward, Mohammed provided revelations to the people of Western and Central Arabia from Allah, which he claimed were delivered directly from the angel Gabriel. Mohammed recorded all of his revelations in a compilation of suras now known as the Qur'an, or the "sacred book of Islam."7
Mohammed lived his life in a way that set the precedent for how the faithful Muslim should act. His sayings and actions were recorded by multiple agents in Arabia and compiled in the Hadith, or as some refer to it, the "Sunnah," which provides Muslims general direction for how to conduct their lives.
There are two distinct divisions of the Muslim faith that appeared during the time of Mohammed: the Sunni and the Shi'a. Both accept the fundamental message provided by the Prophet Mohammed, but differ on the question of who should rule the Muslim people. The Sunni believe the people should rule collectively, while the Shi'a hold that authority should lie with the appointed vice-regent of the land — a figure named Ali, who was Mohammed's cousin.8
Islam is relatively uniform in its doctrine, as mentioned earlier, with splits resulting more from disagreement about who should govern the practice of Islam than from doctrinal differences. In later times, sects did emerge, primarily among those following the Sunni faith.
Most Muslims believe the Prophet led as perfect a life as possible and that people should aspire to live righteously, with concern for God and God's community. Many today attempt to emulate that life in order to enjoy all that heaven has to offer. Even today, some Muslims engage in jihad, or holy war, in an attempt to restore what they believe are their holy lands. Still others believe their purpose is to deepen their relationship with God and understand their role here on earth.
"Early Islamic military campaigns and battles"
"Islam's conflict with Christian papal authority"
"Islamic doctrine, pillars, and women's status"
"Summary of Islam's enduring religious legacy"
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