The Hijra — Birth of Islam
Muhammad's migration to Medina marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar and the rapid rise of a new world civilization.
Explore this event on the interactive timeline →The Prophet Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina established the first Muslim community. Within a century of his death in 632, Islamic empires stretched from Spain to Central Asia.
Perspective
The speed of Islamic expansion is often attributed to military conquest, but that's incomplete. Islam offered a compelling social contract — legal equality among believers, clear rules, a merchant-friendly ethic. It spread along trade routes as much as by sword.