Umayyad Caliphate
661-750 CE
9 articles: 3 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.
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.
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.