Umayyad Caliphate
661-750 CE
14 articles: 8 persons, 2 buildings, 2 events, 1 place, 1 dynasty
The first major Islamic empire, stretching from Spain to Central Asia.
Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr: The Counter-Caliph of Mecca
Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr (624–692 CE) was the first child born to the Muhajirun in Medina, grandson of Abu Bakr and son of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam. He declared himself caliph in Mecca against the Umayyads, ruling much of the empire for a decade before his death in 692 CE.
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Islamic territory in the Iberian Peninsula from 711 to 1492 CE. Over nearly eight centuries it produced major intellectual and architectural achievements, and its mix of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities left a lasting mark on European and Islamic civilization.
Al-Aqsa Mosque: The Farthest Sanctuary
Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam, central to the Night Journey (Isra and Miraj) of Prophet Muhammad, and a symbol of Islamic heritage and Palestinian identity for over 1,300 years.
Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik: Builder of an Empire
Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik (c. 668-715 CE) was the Umayyad caliph under whose reign the Islamic empire reached its greatest territorial extent — with simultaneous conquests in Spain, North Africa, Central Asia, and India — and who built some of Islam's greatest architectural monuments.
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala (680 CE) was a confrontation in which Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was killed with his companions by Umayyad forces near the Euphrates. It became one of the most consequential events in Islamic history, shaping the development of Shia Islam.
Imam Abu Hanifa
Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man ibn Thabit (699–767 CE) founded the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, the most widely followed legal tradition in the Muslim world. A silk merchant turned scholar, he developed a method balancing scripture with reason, and died in Abbasid imprisonment.
Imam Malik ibn Anas
Malik ibn Anas (711–795 CE) was the Imam of Medina and founder of the Maliki school of jurisprudence. His Al-Muwatta was the first systematic work joining hadith with legal reasoning, and his idea of the living practice of Medina as a source of law was a distinctive contribution.
Muhammad ibn al-Qasim: The Conqueror of Sindh
Muhammad ibn al-Qasim (695-715 CE) was the teenage Umayyad general who conquered Sindh in 711 CE, establishing the first permanent Muslim political presence in the Indian subcontinent. His conquest opened the gateway through which Islam would eventually spread across South Asia.
Musa ibn Nusayr: Governor and Conqueror of the Western Islamic World
Musa ibn Nusayr (c. 640-716 CE) was the Umayyad governor of North Africa who completed the conquest of the Maghreb, authorized Tariq ibn Ziyad's crossing into Spain, and personally led the second wave of the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
Tariq ibn Ziyad: The Conqueror of Al-Andalus
Tariq ibn Ziyad (c. 670-720 CE) was the Berber commander who led the Muslim crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 CE and defeated the Visigothic kingdom of Spain, establishing Al-Andalus and giving his name to Gibraltar (Jabal Tariq).
The Battle of Tours - Turning Point in European History
The Battle of Tours (732 CE) between Charles Martel's Frankish forces and the Umayyad army halted Muslim expansion into Western Europe, marking a decisive turning point that shaped the continent's political and religious landscape for centuries.
The Dome of the Rock
Comprehensive history of the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam's most iconic monuments and the oldest surviving Islamic building, built in Jerusalem in 691 CE
Umayyad Caliphate
The Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE) was the first major Islamic dynasty, ruling from Damascus and expanding the Islamic empire from Spain to Central Asia through unprecedented territorial growth and administrative innovation.
Uqba ibn Nafi: The Conqueror of North Africa
Uqba ibn Nafi (c. 622-683 CE) was the Arab commander who conquered North Africa for Islam, founded the city of Qayrawan (Kairouan) in Tunisia, and reportedly rode his horse into the Atlantic Ocean declaring he had reached the end of the land. He was martyred by Berber forces in 683 CE.