Islamic history begins with the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the city of Makkah, in the year known as the Year of the Elephant, around 570 CE. His first wife was Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA). At the age of forty, while he was in the Cave of Hira, the first revelation came to him. The first word revealed was “Iqra”, which means “Read”. This moment marked the beginning of his prophethood and the message of Islam.
As the message spread, the Quraysh increased their persecution of the Muslims. To escape it, a group of Muslims first migrated to the land of Abyssinia, whose just king gave them protection. Later, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) migrated from Makkah to Madinah, and this migration is called the Hijrah. It is traditionally dated to 622 CE. During the journey, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) accompanied him and they stayed for some days in the Cave of Thawr. The Islamic calendar, also called the Hijri calendar, begins from this event. In Madinah, Hazrat Bilal ibn Rabah (RA) became the first muezzin, the caller to prayer, in Islam.
The Muslims and the Quraysh soon faced each other in several battles. The Battle of Badr, in 2 AH, was the first major armed conflict between them. The Battle of Uhud took place in 3 AH. In 5 AH, the Battle of the Trench, or Khandaq, was fought, and the trench was dug on the suggestion of Hazrat Salman al-Farsi (RA). In 6 AH, the Muslims and the Quraysh signed the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which brought a period of peace and later opened the way to great success.
In 8 AH, which is 630 CE, Makkah was conquered, largely without bloodshed. Two years later, in 10 AH, the Prophet (PBUH) delivered the Farewell Sermon, known as Khutbat al-Wada, at Arafat during his last Hajj. Among the great military leaders of this period was Hazrat Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA), who was given the title Saifullah, the Sword of Allah.
After the Prophet (PBUH), the Rightly Guided Caliphs led the Muslim community. Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was the first Caliph. Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), known as Al-Farooq, the one who distinguishes between truth and falsehood, was the second. Hazrat Uthman (RA) standardized the Quran into one written copy and sent copies to the major cities. Hazrat Ali (RA) was the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph.