Islamic Timeline

A chronological overview of major events in Islamic history, from the birth of Prophet Muhammad to the modern era. Dates before the Hijrah are given in CE (Common Era); after the Hijrah, both AH (After Hijrah) and CE are noted.

Pre-Islamic Arabia (Before 610 CE)

The Arabian Peninsula before Islam was a complex world of tribal confederacies, long-distance trade routes, and diverse religious traditions. The Ka'bah in Makkah served as a pilgrimage center, but by the sixth century it housed over 360 idols representing tribal deities. Makkah itself was a prosperous trading city controlled by the Quraysh tribe. The Byzantine and Sassanid (Persian) empires competed for influence over the peninsula's northern regions, while Yemen in the south had seen ancient civilizations rise and fall. The poet-warriors of Arabia had developed a sophisticated oral literary tradition, and Arabic was already a rich, mature language. The social fabric was largely tribal, with limited central authority and a culture of honor, hospitality, and vendetta.

The Prophetic Period (610–632 CE)

• 570 CE: Birth of Muhammad ibn Abdullah in Makkah, the Year of the Elephant (when Abraha's army attacked the Ka'bah).
• 595 CE: Muhammad marries Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, a successful merchant widow who was 15 years his senior.
• 610 CE: First revelation in the Cave of Hira during Ramadan. The opening verses of Surah al-Alaq are revealed. Islam begins.
• 613 CE: Public preaching begins. The early Muslims face increasing persecution from the Quraysh.
• 615 CE: First migration (Hijrah) — a group of Muslims emigrate to Abyssinia under the protection of the Christian king Negus (al-Najashi).
• 619 CE: Year of Sorrow — the deaths of Khadijah and Abu Talib within weeks of each other. The Prophet loses his closest supporter and his protector.
• 620 CE: Isra and Mi'raj — the night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem and ascent through the heavens. The five daily prayers are prescribed.
• 622 CE: The Hijrah — migration to Madinah. This event marks the beginning of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar. The Prophet establishes the Constitution of Madinah.
• 624 CE / 2 AH: Battle of Badr. 313 Muslims defeat an army of 1,000 Quraysh. The qiblah shifts from Jerusalem to Makkah.
• 625 CE / 3 AH: Battle of Uhud. Muslims suffer a setback; 70 Companions are martyred including Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib.
• 627 CE / 5 AH: Battle of the Trench (Khandaq). The Prophet orders a trench dug around Madinah; the Quraysh coalition besieges the city but withdraws.
• 628 CE / 6 AH: Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. A 10-year truce with the Quraysh, allowing Muslims to perform Hajj the following year. A strategic turning point.
• 629 CE / 7 AH: Letters sent to the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, the Sassanid king Khosrow, and other rulers inviting them to Islam.
• 630 CE / 8 AH: Conquest of Makkah. The Prophet enters with 10,000 Companions; the Ka'bah is purified of idols. He announces a general amnesty.
• 632 CE / 10 AH: Farewell Pilgrimage. The Prophet delivers his final sermon at Arafat. Within months, he falls ill and passes away in Madinah.

The Rashidun Caliphate (632–661 CE / 11–41 AH)

Following the Prophet's death, the community selected Abu Bakr as-Siddiq as the first caliph. He suppressed the Riddah (apostasy) wars, completed the compilation of the Quran's written text, and expanded the nascent state. Umar ibn al-Khattab's caliphate (634–644 CE) saw dramatic expansion into Persia, Byzantine Syria, Egypt, and Iraq. Uthman ibn Affan (644–656 CE) standardized the Quranic text and continued expansion, but his later years were marked by political tensions that led to his assassination. Ali ibn Abi Talib (656–661 CE) ruled during a period of the first civil wars (Fitnah) among Muslims, ending with his assassination and the transition to Umayyad rule.

The Umayyad and Abbasid Periods (661–1258 CE)

The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE), based in Damascus, expanded Islam into Spain (711 CE), Central Asia, and the Indus Valley. The Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 CE), centered in Baghdad, oversaw the Islamic Golden Age — a period of extraordinary flourishing in science, philosophy, medicine, mathematics, and literature. Scholars like al-Khawarizmi (mathematics), Ibn Sina (medicine), al-Ghazali (theology and philosophy), and Ibn Rushd (Aristotelian commentary) emerged from this era. The period ended with the Mongol sack of Baghdad in 1258 CE.

Later Islamic Empires (1258–1922 CE)

Following the Abbasid collapse, three major empires came to define the Muslim world: the Ottoman Empire (1299–1922 CE) in Anatolia, the Levant, and North Africa; the Safavid Empire (1501–1736 CE) in Persia, which made Twelver Shi'ism the state religion; and the Mughal Empire (1526–1857 CE) in South Asia. The Ottoman Caliphate, abolished in 1924, was the last institution claiming succession to the Prophet's leadership of the community.

The Modern Period (1922–Present)

The dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent colonization of Muslim-majority lands marks the beginning of the modern Islamic period. Independence movements throughout the 20th century established new nation-states. Today, approximately 1.8 billion Muslims — roughly 24% of the world's population — live on every continent, with the largest populations in Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.