Prophet Muhammad Born
Muhammad ibn Abdullah is born in Mecca into the noble Quraysh tribe. Orphaned early, he becomes known for his honesty and is called Al-Amin (the trustworthy).
First Revelation
At age 40, Muhammad receives the first verses of the Quran from the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) in the Cave of Hira. His prophetic mission begins.
The Hijra (Migration)
Muhammad and his followers migrate from Mecca to Medina. This marks Year 1 of the Islamic calendar and the birth of the Muslim community (Ummah).
Conquest of Mecca
Muhammad returns to Mecca with 10,000 followers. The Kaaba is cleansed of idols and established as the center of Islamic worship.
Death of the Prophet
Muhammad delivers his Final Sermon and passes away. The Quran is complete. Succession disputes begin immediately, planting seeds of the Sunni-Shia split.
Quran Codified
Caliph Uthman standardizes the Quran into a single written text — the definitive edition used by 1.9 billion Muslims today.
Sunni-Shia Split
The assassination of Ali (the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law) deepens the divide between Sunni and Shia Muslims — the major split in Islam to this day.
Islamic Golden Age Begins
Under the Abbasid Caliphate, Islam enters its golden age of science, medicine, mathematics, and philosophy. Scholars preserve and advance human knowledge.
Mongols Sack Baghdad
The Mongol invasion destroys the Abbasid Caliphate and the House of Wisdom. A devastating blow to the Islamic world's intellectual center.
Ottoman Caliphate Abolished
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk abolishes the Ottoman Caliphate — ending 1,300 years of centralized Islamic political authority.