History of Islam Facts for Kids

Muslim history started in Arabia when Muhammad shared the Quran in the 7th century. The story of Islam has shaped political, economic, and military events both within and outside the Islamic world.

Just like with Christianity, thinking about an Islamic world helps us understand different times in human history.

The Start of Muslim History
Early Conflicts: The First Civil War
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The Start of Muslim History

After Muhammad passed away, Abu Bakr became the leader of the Muslims. He was followed by Umar, Uthman ibn Affan, and then Ali. These four leaders are known as the Rashidun Caliphs. This means "The Righteous Caliphs." A caliph was a very important religious and spiritual leader.

Under these caliphs, Islam grew to be one of the most important religions in the Middle East. They set up offices to help run the Muslim nation. During Umar's time, Muslims conquered more than two-thirds of the Eastern Roman Empire. Umar also started the Muslim calendar.

Early Conflicts: The First Civil War

What Was the First Fitna?

The first major conflict in Islam, called the First Fitna, happened during the rule of the fourth caliph, Ali. It lasted throughout his time as leader. The third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, had been killed by rebel Muslim groups who had political reasons for their actions.

When Ali became caliph, his biggest challenge was to punish those responsible for Uthman's murder. However, many people felt that Ali should have focused on finding and punishing the killers before accepting the role of caliph.

The Battle of the Camel

A group of people, led by Muhammad's wife Aisha and her relatives Talhah and Zubair ibn al-Awam, did not accept Ali as caliph. They gathered an army and met Ali's army near Basra in Iraq. They originally planned to talk things out.

However, during the night, some fighting began. This might have been due to confusion or because rebel groups involved in the murder started it. This led to the Battle of Bassorah, also known as the Battle of the Camel. Ali's side won this battle. After the fight, Ali respectfully sent Aisha back to Medina.

Challenges to Ali's Leadership

Even after this battle, tensions remained high in the Muslim empire. Soon, Ali was challenged by Muawiyah, who was the governor of the Muslim provinces in Syria. Muawiyah also demanded that Uthman's murderers be punished. He refused to accept Ali as caliph until this issue was resolved.

Muawiyah was a relative of Uthman. His army promised to bring the murderers and those who protected them to justice. This was a hint towards Ali and his followers. The two groups met and fought in a battle called the Battle of Siffin. This battle ended in a tie, so both sides agreed to try to settle things through talks. However, these talks did not lead to a clear decision.

The Kharijites and Ali's Death

Meanwhile, another group of Muslims called The Kharijites had been with Ali before. But they later turned against him. They felt that Ali was not following true Islam and was treating the caliphate as his own property.

In the years that followed, Ali's governors could not stop him from losing control of some provinces to Muawiyah. Muawiyah grew stronger by making his army bigger. Ali had moved the capital of the caliphate from Medina to Kufa in 656 CE. Sadly, a Kharijite assassin killed Ali in Kufa in 661 CE.

Images for kids

Page from the Sanaa manuscript.
Arabia united under Muhammad (7th century CE)
Close-up of a page from the Birmingham Quran manuscript.
Empire of the Rāshidūn Caliphate at its peak under the third caliph ʿUthmān (654 CE) Strongholds of the Rāshidūn Caliphate
Early coins used by the rāshidūn caliphs.
Coin of the Rāshidūn Caliphate (632–675 CE).
Territories of the Umayyad Caliphate
Abbasid caliphate in the 850s
Gold dinar of Abbasid caliph Al-Mansur.
An Arabic manuscript from the Abbasid Era.
Regional powers that emerged as the Abbasid caliphate weakened.
Gold dinar of Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tasim.
Minaret at the Great Mosque of Samarra.
Dirham of Al-Muttaqi
Fatimid Caliphate in 1000
The Mongol ruler, Ghazan, studying the Quran.
Goharshad Mosque built by the Timurid Empire.
Tamerlane chess, invented by Amir Timur.
Map of the Mamluk Sultanate (in red) and the Mongol Ilkhanate (in blue) (1250–1382)
The interiors of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
The exterior of the Mezquita.
The Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia.
Ruins of Zeila (Saylac), Somalia.
The Great Mosque of Kilwa.
Qutub Minar, the world's tallest brick minaret.
Grand Mosque of Demak, Java.
The Huaisheng Mosque of China.
Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottoman Empire at its greatest extent (1683).
The Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul.
The Safavid Empire at its greatest extent under Shah Ismail I (1501-1524).
Shah Suleiman I and his courtiers.
Mughal India at its greatest extent.
Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
Ottoman army in World War I.