610–750 · Middle East · Faith
Muhammad’s preaching in Arabia, the Hijra and the formation of a Muslim community were followed by caliphal conquests across the Byzantine and Sasanian worlds, North Africa and Iberia.
Atlas dossier · Medieval WorldFree device narration · synchronized English captions · transcript available
Why it matters
Muhammad’s preaching in Arabia, the Hijra and the formation of a Muslim community were followed by caliphal conquests across the Byzantine and Sasanian worlds, North Africa and Iberia.
Muhammad · early Muslim communities · Rashidun and Umayyad rulers · conquered peoples
A new monotheistic civilization reordered political, religious and commercial life from the Atlantic to Central Asia while Christian, Jewish and other communities persisted under changing conditions.
Interpretation note
This dossier distinguishes the event’s basic chronology from later arguments about meaning, responsibility and legacy. When comparing religious, national, Indigenous or scholarly interpretations, consult the primary and institutional sources above alongside peer-reviewed historical work.
Elsewhere in the world
618–1279 · AsiaTang and Song ChinaTang and Song societies joined strong states, immense cities and international commerce with advances in printing, navigation, metallurgy, mathematics and administration.
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700–1900 · AfricaIndian Ocean and East African slave tradesInterconnected Red Sea and Indian Ocean systems moved commodities and enslaved people among East Africa, Arabia, Persia, India and island societies; Zanzibar became a major nineteenth-century hub.