Why did Islam spread so quickly? 632–750 CE5500 - 1500

Arabia at the Dawn of Islam Image retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Tribes_english.png Major Arabian Tribes at Dawn of Islam

Expanse of the Umayyad Caliphate Left image retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Umayyad750ADloc.png Right image retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_Empire_117AD.jpg Umayyad Caliphate in 750 CE Roman Empire in 117 CE

Expansion of the Early Caliphates Image retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_expansion_of_Caliphate.svg   

Persia 644 CE – Persia Sassanid Empire falls Prisoners and slaves 1st to convert Converts could avoid tax Similar religion Islam picks up a few things from the Persians Satanic evil, final judgment, heaven and hell Merchants found religion friendly to commerce Continuity 20% still don’t convert People never change language like many other places

While Europe was in the Dark Ages the Islamic world was moving forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kl4vXMWfqM

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India Islam appeals to lower castes Upward mobility 20% to 25% convert Centuries of Muslim rule does not change this Hinduism is so different from Islam Sufi made the most sense to them

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Byzantine Empire weak because of wars/plague Anatolia Byzantine Empire weak because of wars/plague Fighting Persian Sassanid Empire Region not culturally homogeneous Many Turks living in empire Monotheism already practiced Christianity, Jewish and Islam similar Sufi similar enough to Turkish native beliefs Women given higher status in this sect

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Interior of Africa Already talked about this In a nutshell is spreads through trade not conquest

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Spain Conquered by Arab and Berbers (early 700s CE) Europe in Dark Ages Muslim Spain is Awesome 1000 CE – start of trouble in paradise 300 years of internal wars Muslims removed in 1492