Some basic Definitions:

Islam = The religion.

Muslim = A follower of Islam.

Koran = The holy book of Islam.

Mohamed = The prophet.

Mecca = The holy city.

Islam spread much faster than Christianity. It spread through Northern Africa around the Middle East, and all the way up to Constantinople in only 100 years. By the 7^th Century (The 600's) The Byzantines and Heraclius where blindsided by Islam.

Islam was started by a traveling caravan driver and dispatcher by the name of Muhammad. He called it “a simple message”. Muhammad goes down in history as one of the most important figures in western civilization next to Jesus.

Why Mecca is holy: Abraham of the Old Testament, or “Father Abraham” his son Ishmael found a spring in the valley of Mecca, and called it the well of Zamzam. Abraham built a shrine, the Kaba. This is the holiest place in Islam.

Arabia, where Islam started is an inhospitable region with no resources, no rain... they called it “the empty quarter”. The caravans traveled from oasis to oasis on routes between civilization centers... effectively creating the trade routes that was vital for commerce through the region and linking commerce between the East and the West. The Arabs became very wealthy because the area of Yemen became a huge trade center. They transported virtually all goods via caravans. Overland was the safest passage because the Red Sea was full of pirates. They also grew Balsam trees, from which Frankincense and Myrrh, two very important items of the day. Most of the trade routes went along the outside area of Arabia.

Those that lived in the interior of Arabia did so by the camel... the Bedouins. The Date Palm Tree was also used by the Bedouins, for food and beer and to make baskets out of. They were/are a tribal people. A Banu is a “tribe”. They had a motto, “Be loyal to your tribe.” Everything they did was to that effect. All tribal members were equals, and while they had their tribal leaders, the Shiekhs, there was no nobility. Sheikhs were voted on.

Different tribes gained power. The Taghlib tribe, the Bakr tribe, and the Quraysh tribe... Which controlled the city of Mecca. One of the reasons of the gain in wealth and power was because of Christianity in a way. One of the things Christians needed was the Frankincense and Myrrh which were used in funeral rights because Christians didn't burn their dead. And Europe was rapidly filling with Christians creating an ever greater demand.

Mohamed was born in 570AD, into a minor clan of the Quraysh tribe. While young he was sent to live with the Bedouins. When he was 5 his mother died. His father had died before he was borne. At 12 he went to Syria with a caravan. It is said that there he met a Christian Monk who told him that one day he would be a Prophet. Mohamed was smart, wise, and a reliable man, but at 25 he was still unmarried. His uncle introduced him to a wealthy woman. They had 6 girls, but only 4 grew to maturity. This troubled Mohamed and he would go out into the desert alone for a few days to think. He was troubled my the life of the Arabs as they became wealthy. He thought that the Arabs were loosing touch with the simple life of their roots. He was not pleased that the rulers of Mecca were milking the Kaba and the pilgrims who came to Mecca.

In 610 Mohamed heard a voice in the desert. Angel Gabriel. He told Mohamed of the one true god, Allah and gave Mohamed “the simple message”. His message spread secretly at first. First to the poor. The simple message was about moral reform and charity to the poor. Which was why it was popular with the poor. Allah was a compassionate god and promised a paradise of food and drink and virgins if you were good. But he was also a vengeful god and also promised a flaming hell with nothing but boiling water to drink. The simple message called for an annual contribution of Zakat... a 25% contribution. The wealthy didn't like this at all when they heard of it, and persecuted the followers of the simple message. This was called the Hegira. When the Muslims moved from Mecca 200 miles north to Medina. This Hegira marks the time of Muslims and time afterwards is marked AH, “After Hegira”. Much like “AD” marks time for Christianity. Mohamed became a statesmen in Medina and grew in power and influence as Islam grew.

At this time, Judaism and Christianity were linked to Islam. Jesus was a Prophet, and of course all the Old Testament was quite important to everyone. And pretty much they all got along just fine. But the people that had the biggest issue with Islam were the rich folks in Mecca. Partially because the Muslims would raid caravans. In one instance, 300 Muslims defeated 950 caravan guards. This became quiet a problem for Mecca as the once safe trade routes were no longer safe. If they were not safe, shipments would go by sea, and Mecca would lose money. This brings us to the battle of the ditch. The Meccans wanted to wipe out the Muslims so they formed up the army and sent it out. The Muslims won. Then they attacked Mecca, but they took it without bloodshed. They cleansed the Kaba and put out the order that all Muslims must visit Mecca once in their lifetime. This is the Hajj. All of Arabia converted to Islam.

In 632 Mohamed died and there was mass confusion and a falling away. Mohamed left no sons to take his place and no marching orders for a replacement. Caliph Abu Bakr reunites the tribes by force. Another Caliph, Umar starts the Umayyads and turns Islam into an expansionist religion and starts the Jihad.

In 635 the Muslims took Damascus, and then the rest of the region. Jerusalem 2 years later. They allowed the Jews to remain Jewish and they were fine with the Muslim overlords because the Muslim taxes were much lighter than the Byzantine's.

After Umar was assassinated in 644, the capital of Islam moved from Mecca to Damascus.

Two main orders of Islam developed. The Sunni and the Shiite. The Sunni Muslims were the majority and stemmed from Banu Bakr. The Shiites were radical followers of Ali, Mohamed's son in law.

Muslims then conquer all of Persia, and across North Africa where they turned north into Spain in 750. They pushed north and were headed into present day France, but during the Battle of Poiters they were finally stopped by Charles Martel, aka, The Hammer.

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